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

[Arctichicken]

Thanks hun, Lord knows I'm living on this laptop of mine right now looking at so much stuff dealing with Alaska, jobs, animals, housing you name it.
Thanks for those links I'm gonna go look at them now. Yeah we definitly DO NOT want to live in the "city" . Commuting for work isn't a problem (except for the gas prices lately) small sacrifice to make, to live where we want to

.
Thanks for all of y'alls help.


Alaskans are the greatest

Stephanie

 

[Mrs MIA]

Hahahaha! Erin beat me to it.

Check out the classifieds on www.adn.com... Anchorage Daily News. But she and Aimee gave you some good solid links there.

One thing, well, two things I've noticed about people up here... 1) they're very self-sufficient and "gutsy", as you put it, and 2) will almost always help someone out in a pinch. I've stopped along the side of the road to take photos, and almost before I'm out of my truck someone is pulling up to ask if I'm OK. There's a lot of "roadside kharma" here.

It does sound like you have it covered... I'm so excited for you!

on all counts... I'm sure you'll find work and a home, and settle right in. You might even find a place that has a chicken coop in place already!

A couple of things to keep handy on the trip up... bug dope... I was swatting the state bird yesterday! Already! Cameras, because it's going to be the trip of a lifetime and you will look back on those photos in 10 years and wonder how you did it. And patience... tourist season is starting to kick in, and you will be sharing the roads with what we call "outsiders" and motorhomes. Many of the roads between here and there are not the best, and everyone seems to be in a hurry. Enjoy the trip up - you'll be passing through some of the prettiest countryside ever...

OK... now I'm jonesing for a road trip...

 

[Arctichicken]

You crack me up, take that road trip!!! I love traveling so much. Just not with the cost of gas lately.
I've been checking on the adn website often. Craigslist has a ton of info on houses and even some jobs too.
My hubby and I are like that with people on the side of the road, we have stopped on several occasions to pull teenagers out of ditches ( on our way to church no less) and other people in need, so I know what you mean. We should fit right in with that. I have a Kodak professional digital camera and believe me will be taking lots of pics and downloading them onto my Laptop along the way.
Thanks for the fingers crossed for us, we need it. But I really have a good feeling, I think everything will turn out just fine. I'm hoping we can make it up in about a week. Then within a week find a place and job, at least that would be idealistic

There was a carpenter position at Ft. Richardson with the Alutiiq co. Sounds great and close enough to drive everyday. Wish us luck!!!! Stephanie

 

[Alaska animal lover]

So you have all been busy typing away!
Lets see, my kids are 6 and 3. I'm 30 my DH is 34.
Alaska is beautiful no doubt about it. I feel like I should warn you, for lack of a better word, that while beautiful, it's hard here if you aren't used to it. It's May, and there aren't leaves on the trees yet. We can't plant anything outside until end of May first of June. Winter is hard on new folks if they aren't prepared for the dark. It is hard to be a SAHM while DH is working out of town when there is so little daylight.
I'm not trying to change your mind I would feel really bad if no one had told you some of the down falls of living here.
One other thing I have to tell you, while Palmer is beautiful, the wind blows there. Some days are better than others, but it will take some getting used to.
A couple of areas you might be interested in checking out that are on the outskirts of Palmer are Butte, and the area around Hatchers Pass. These are minutes from Palmer, but I think the wind is less. Technically, they are in Palmer because they have Palmer addresses. Butte has it's own elementary school, but for middle and high school they would take the school bus to Palmer. I don't know if there are any internet sites for those areas or not.
So now I've gone on and on enough!

I hope you know I'm not trying to keep you away. I hope if I were in your shoes someone would tell me the hard stuff.
It's good to have a few Alaska connections if you have no family up here.
I just remembered something! My DH was a carpenter when I met him and he worked in Palmer at a place called Arctic Structures. They build portable buildings to be moved across the state. That was how my DH got his "in" on the slope. He went up for Arctic Structures to assemble some buildings. They work year round because they are inside a huge shop. If you are settling in Palmer that would be the first place I went. They aren't the best company, but work is work.
Ok, I'm done for real this time! If you have any questions feel free to ask. It's no bother.
Aimee

 

[Arctichicken]

OK I won't post you for a while so you can be done! Yeah right!!!

Hey isn't this site suppose to be about chickens????
More like chics with all the girls on here (that 2nd comment was from my hubby

)
No seriously you guys are so great, I really hope to meet y'all after we're settled.

Aimee, You are so right, I would feel the same way about not being warned about Alaska's "negative" side too. Fortunately I already was and learned even more about it through my research. I have also been on some other Alaskan Forums that discussed this side of the state. It still won't deter us from coming. Nice try...just kiddin

Thanks for the job info for Palmer, I will definitly get him the number for the place if I can find it online so he can call.

And don't stop if you can think of anything else please share!!!

Did you see the link for the coop design I sent you? Hubby said there is also an index at the top of the page on small, med and large coops with other links. Just thought I'd mention it.

Your kids are in the same age group as my younger batch. We should get them together too. I hope my babies will all be able to make friends easily. Plus my oldest does babysitting if you ever need one.
Thanks Again,
Stephanie

 

[Alaska animal lover]

I haven't looked at the coops yet. But thanks!
Arctic Structures (907)745-2396
How's that for Alaska connections?

 

[Arctichicken]

Quote:
YOU ROCK

Thank you, gotta get offline so he can call!!! Oops...Just thought of something....should he use your DH's name as a reference?? You can pm or email me with it if you want to, it's up to you!!

Thanks agian Aimee

 

[Alaska animal lover]

It's been so long since he worked there I don't even know if anyone would know who he was. I think they have a new boss now.

 

[Arctichicken]

That's OK. Thanks anyway. I'll keep you up to date.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Um... it's cold here, the sun never shines, the wind blows, and the mosquitos are the size of B-52 bombers. The moose eat your tulips, the bears eat your chickens, and the eagles carry off small dogs... other than that, it's great!

j/k... this is just what we tell everyone to keep them from moving up.


If you don't move up, you won't see many scenes like this...