New Chicken Mama MN

[ChickStitch]

(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?

My new chickie girls are almost 3 weeks old-first flock!!!

(2) How many chickens do you have right now? 7 little girls (hopefully!)

(3) What breeds do you have? 2 Rhode Island Reds, 1 Buff Orpington, 1 Red Star (Golden Comet), 2 Barred Rock and 1 AustralOrp

(4) What are your favorite aspects of raising backyard chickens? So far watching them! We call it ChickTv.

(5) What are some of your other hobbies?
I am a knitter/crocheter and love to garden!
(6) Tell us about your family, your other pets, your occupation, or anything else you'd like to share.
Currently building our homestead and living nearby on my aunt and uncles farm.
We hope to be moved in by late fall.

(7) Bonus: How did you find BYC, how long have you known about BYC, and what made you finally join our awesome community?

I’ve been lurking for about 6 mos now when I was researching how to start a flock and what you need to build a chicken coop/run. I’m mostly worried about wintering chickens here in Mn. Last winter we had sub zero temps for long periods of time and alotta ice!!!

 

[Tookie]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[ChickStitch]

Thanks for the welcomes! I love all the info here—and I love this format. Hope to contribute back some day but for now I’m taking it in bit by little bit.

 

[007Sean]

Howdy, and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

Thanks for joining our community!

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

Lots of ventilation with draft free roosting space and a DRY coop will get them through winter.

 

[Grammy60]

Hello and welcome to BYC So happy you have joined our flock.

 

[ChickStitch]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

Lots of ventilation with draft free roosting space and a DRY coop will get them through winter.

Hi DobieLover!

We are putting finishing touches on the coop now. I have 2 vents (louvered-so no critters) high up by the rooftop and a window opposite the people door- (For cleaning) The floor is a concrete slab and I plan on using sand.

We went back and forth with insulation and chose to insulate the walls. We have lots of wet cold days with high winds (we live on a peninsula on a lake) and that cold wind can be -30 or more some nights. I haven’t decided on heat lamps yet…open to advice if anyone in MN wishes to chime in or add opinions…

 

[ChickStitch]

Hello and welcome to BYC So happy you have joined our flock.

Thanks Grammy60!!! I’m so glad to be here.

 

[janiedoe]

Hello! Welcome to BYC.
I'd use some hardware cloth on your vents. Louvered openings may allow snakes and rodents to get in. Also you need 1 sq ft of permanent ventilation per chicken.
We'd love to see pictures.