New to chickens, can they be raised in Alaska????

[Arctichicken]

Mrs. AK bird brain ~ thanks all the great info, really appreciate it. I went to the other AK thread on here and found alot more really great info too. I subscribed to both so I can keep following. I am so excited & anxious with the move. But it's all coming together. Good to hear about the Mat-su valley area. We're not city folk but want to be close enough for amenities, plus it's cheaper. I hope we will like the valley area. I also hope they have enough building still for hubby to land a good job.Good talking to you, Stephanie

 

[kodiakchicken]

Greetings from another Alaskan!

I'm a little farther south that you will be, but occasionally I get off the rock and head to the "big" city!

We are just getting set up for chickens. I got my five from Triple D hatchery and they are all good healthy chicks. We only lost one in shipping and that was out of 19 (several of us went in on an order). I got three ducks too. They sell quite a variety of birds - more than any husband will ever want his wife to have!!!

We got 1 each of Araucana, Buff Orpington, Black Australorp, Silver laced Wyandotte and Gold laced Wyandotte. I chose mine based on cold tolerance, egg laying ability (good to excellent) and personality. I will say that I'm finding their Araucana's to be pretty aggressive. One of mine has a serious pecking issue and is having to be rehomed to a single chicken family. The Buff O is a very mellow, sweet bird though. I'm sure you'll find the perfect birds with Triple D.

The Matsu Valley has always been the best farm area in Alaska so you will probably find lots of folks with common interests there. I'm sure there's a good feed store in the valley, but I found a decent one in Anchorage called Alaska Mill and Feed. I was there for business and it was the only place I could find duck starter.

You've gotten some great advice here. The eagles will definitely be an issue, but you can get bird net to cover their run. Don't discount the bears. Go the extra length and put up an electric fence. It will discourage them and keep them from becoming dead bears.

Your hub shouldn't have any problems finding construction jobs in Matsu. The housing market is still holding in Alaska and the Matsu is growing in leaps and bounds. It helps that our governor is from there and pushes for a lot of new development there. You guys will love it. Alaska is the best place in the world!

 

[Mrs MIA]

I KNEW I was forgetting someone...

How could I do that, Kodiak!

We are pretty lucky to live here...

 

[Arctichicken]

Quote:
Oh man you guys are the greatest and making me want to get there even faster now, which I didn't think was possible. Thanks for all the great info Kodiakchicken. I really like the Buff O, and the brahmas. They seem to be great cold weather birds, from what I have read. I would love to know which chickens lay the jumbo brown eggs.
Will an electric fence really keep the bears away? Are they drawn to the chickens by smell or just as passing by and seeing an oppurtunity? ~ hope that's not a stupid question. Oh I hope the construction market is as good as you say. From your lips to God's hear, so to say. I knew the Gov was from Wasilla but wasn't sure about the developing,some people don't like it, which I do understand, but it's our livlihood until we can find something else.
Thanks again for all the great advice! Stephanie

 

[kodiakchicken]

Stephanie,

So glad you are excited about your move. That makes the occasional challenges of living in Alaska that much easier.

Yes, an electric fence will keep the bears out - and probably dogs too. I work in a job that sends me out to the backcountry several times a year and we use electric fences around camps, rafts (bears love rubber and plastic!) and anything else we don't want chewed on.

Bears are mostly drawn by the smell, although they are certainly opportunistic. Bears live through their noses though and as much smell as chickens can give off is just an invitation. Sentiments about bears range wildly throughout the state, but those of us in Kodiak have learned to live with them amicably. I have a rabbit hutch outside and haven't had any problems yet, but there are a ton of dogs in our neighborhood too. Just learn not to store garbage or dogfood or anything like that outside and you shouldn't have any problems. Even a single strand of electrified tape will do the job, if you place it at the right height. Put surveyors flagging at intervals along the wire. Bears investigate EVERYTHING with their nose and it's a pretty sensitive spot to get zapped with. They make portable bear fences that hunters use for around $300.00 that run on D batteries. I think you could do it cheaper with a small solar panel and the electrified tape.

You can kill bears that get after you livestock as DLP (defense of life and property). A friend of mine raising chickens here on Kodiak had to do that. But, if it happens more than once and you haven't taken the precautionary measures (electric fence) to keep them out, you will be fined for baiting bears.

They are actually quite easy to get along with - you just don't want them to associate humans with food. As yummy as a henhouse might smell, the first zap on the nose will teach them that chickens hurt!!!

 

[WriterofWords]

I'm reading and drooling..... I was offered my dream job back in August in Yukon Flats but couldn't take due to the condition of our 6th grade. I was the only one out 4 teachers and couldn't leave them in the lurch like that. I'm living vicariously through you guys!
kate

 

[Mrs MIA]

Kodiak's got the right of it. We had a blackie try to get into our turkey coop last spring... didn't get in, but made enough noise that I was able to set the dogs loose on it. Hasn't been back as far as I know. After that, we put up a fence that's powered by a car battery. The dogs have learned the hard way that chickens are not to be messed with. Even the boys have accidentally gotten too close. If a bear sticks it's nose in there, it's gonna get hurt! We keep all of our feed in metal cans in the garage, or inside the coop, and we feed our dogs indoors, too. Now, the neighbors have sled dogs, and there's always fish carcasses and such to be drawing in the bears or eagles. I'm hoping they'll go there first... is that a bad thing?

LOL! I think a lot of people are moving out of Anchorage into the outskirts because it's less expensive. It's about 1/2 hour to Wasilla/Palmer from north Anchorage, but most people don't mind the commute. Well, up until the gas prices went up they didn't! But if you can live AND work in the Valley, that's a bonus. It's so pretty up there, and the farming is terrific.

 

[ChelC]

We can dream together writerofwords!

I lived for four years in Alaska as a kid and I loved it! We lived near Fairbanks on the Air Force Base. We visited Anchorage fairly often when my uncle was a fisherman and he lived there before his death. My brother lives on Rangel now, and I have some friends and family around Wasilla. Lofgreens (family) and Kams (friends) if that rings a bell to anyone who may perchance be a neighbor.

 

[Arctichicken]

Mrs.AKBB, when you said you set the dogs on him, what kind of dogs do you have? Does that really threaten a bear enough to leave? Obviously you can tell I have no experiences with bears, but I know it's an animal I will have to learn alot about, living in Alaska. I know what you mean about the fish and meat for the sled dogs but with ours there are no left overs. We don't mind the commute but hopefully he can work in town like Wasilla or another town. I heard that the Valley has some of the richest soil in Alaska. We want to start a greenhouse once we are there too. And an outdoor garden for the summer.

Writer of words, are you going to try to move up North at a later time. I admire you for not leaving your students? Not too many teachers woud have done the same. Hope you get to live your dreams yourself soon. Go for it!!!

Kodiakchicken, I like the idea of the solar panels with electric fencing or tape. I hope I never have to kill a bear, I think they are so beautiful. Nothing against hunting but I'm more of a deer hunter. Sorry I was just corrected by my husband, I'm actually deer hunted.

One tried to kill me when I was on a motorcycle, so it's a little personal

.


Thanks Again for all of the wonderful advice. We had joined an Alaska forum and there was a lot of bashing and critism to other people. You gals are so much nicer.

 

[kodiakchicken]

ChelC - I grew up at Eielson AFB and in North Pole. When were you there? We were there from 76 - 86 (I'm dating myself!) and then moved back from 89-95. I graduated from North Pole High in 1990.

Arcticchicken - Big dogs of any kind will often run a dog off - especially a black. But, don't depend on that unless you are ready to potentially lose a dog. Grumpy browns (or grizzlies) have been known to go after dogs. Particularly small, yappy ones (go figure!).

The solar panels and electric tape work great. Like I said, there are lots of little portable systems. Check out Premier 1 fencing. I think they are in Ohio, but they sell fencing for everything. I'm running a five-strand smooth wire fence out around a cabin on the Karluk River. Three strands are electrified and I use a small solar charge. As long as I don't have snow or veg drain the fence pushes 4000+ volts. You don't need nearly that strong but since this is a permanent fence in a high bear traffic area we didn't bother to downgrade the solar panel.

Most likely you will never see a bear unless you go looking for one. They are actually quite afraid of humans and would rather keep to themselves. As I said, the only ones that become problems are those that associate humans with food.

If you have any other Alaska questions, feel free to pm me. I can also give you my e-mail through pm. I love Alaska and love talking about it. I drug my husband up here from Wyoming and after getting his first moose three years ago I don't think I could ever convince him to leave!