NY chicken lover!!!!

[Lynzi777]

I realize it's cold out there, I mean it IS winter after all, but I cannot believe the lengths some people go to try to "protect" their chickens from the cold other than making sure they are in a coop at night. I'm not going to say what thread but every once in a while I pop over to another thread and read how people are adding heat lamps to their coops to keep chickens warm, using insulation in their coop walls to keep it warmer, sealing up the open spaces to keep drafts out...doesn't all this add risk to the chickens getting frostbite?!? This is New England, not the arctic. I mean people raise chickens in parts of this world much colder than here and they're birds are doing ok. Sorry, had to vent here because the last time I gave my 2 cents on that thread it opened up a whole can of worms!

 

[marquisella]

I realize it's cold out there, I mean it IS winter after all, but I cannot believe the lengths some people go to try to "protect" their chickens from the cold other than making sure they are in a coop at night. I'm not going to say what thread but every once in a while I pop over to another thread and read how people are adding heat lamps to their coops to keep chickens warm, using insulation in their coop walls to keep it warmer, sealing up the open spaces to keep drafts out...doesn't all this add risk to the chickens getting frostbite?!? This is New England, not the arctic. I mean people raise chickens in parts of this world much colder than here and they're birds are doing ok. Sorry, had to vent here because the last time I gave my 2 cents on that thread it opened up a whole can of worms!

You are right...a couple of years ago, I decided to "warm up" my barn, I stapled plastic on the walls, used a ton of spray foam to fill in gaps. That winter I had more birds die & have issues than ever before. I ripped off the plastic, & poked holes in the foam. I will never do that again. I even get snow blowing in the coops, does't seem to bother the chickens, as a matter of fact, when I come into the coops, the first thing the birds do is eat the snow that falls off the boots....guess its like ice cream to them.

 

[SunnysideupstateNY]

This is hardly any snow compared to when I was a kid, I can't believe we get a winter weather advisory every time it snows now. Like Lynzi said, IT IS WINTER!

I added more ventilation to this new coop than my old one and so far I have had no problems with frostbite. (knock on wood). I was a little worried it would be too much but it seems to be doing the job. I'm surprised every time I walk in, it is so warm inside!

Now that my chicken tractor is free, I am seriously thinking about raising some meaties this spring. Anyone here raise them? I'm thinking about going with the cornish x and giving them a chance to free range every day so they don't get too fat and lazy early on. Suggestions are welcome!

 

[Overhill Flocks]

So sorry to hear about your hen Breela -- poor little girl. The roads are terrible today, but not a problem if you have decent tires and drive responsibly. Sadly, so many do not...

In any case, I'm happy with my covered run, and well ventilated, uninsulated, unheated coop. It seemed quite lovely in there this morning, and everyone seemed happy. I agree -- it's bad enough to have to explain to non-poultry/non-livestock oriented folks why you're not providing any heat to your birds (and aren't at all worried about it), but to face the same issue in poultry people is curious.

 

[rancher hicks]

Well I will confess to having bits of frost bite this year on my Marans roosters. I did put some insulation in some walls just because I have it. However my marans are out in the sun not in the coop. Yet I get more eggs from them than the ones in the coops.

Now this coop I hadn't stapled the fleece of last year over the front side but did because it was going into the below digits and guess what? Notice the uncovered portion of this coop. Well there are roosts on both sides. Up until I put that last piece in they roosted on the other side. Now they're all on the side with the most exposure. Everything I've read says you don't have to heat the coop. Well okay there are some out there who think they do but I believe they are new to the chicken keeping craze. (the door is closed for pic taking purposes.)




I have been finding frozen cracked eggs but it is extremely cold and their coop door are open.

 

[Lynzi777]

Holy Moly I'm beat! Just shoveled the lower half of my driveway. That was quite the workout considering it's all hill and the further down the driveway you go the higher the yard gets and the higher you have to launch the snow! Upper part of the driveway will be later. I guess the called the garbage trucks off the road yesterday because my garbage man never came. They're coming today apparently. Hope I managed to get enough snow away from my mailbox as well so my mailman delivers. I remember him not delivering for almost a week last year because of all the snow the plows would throw in front of it. Once of them even took the box right off the post!

I've been doing A LOT of thinking lately about how unhappy I am with my current chicken arrangements. I got into chickens 2 years ago with the goal to focus mostly on silkies. Well after taking an orp along with those first 2 silkie chicks I ended up adding the lavender orp, a BR, Gru the Roo and now I have a blue Orp hen. I'm just about at my max for larger chickens with the two EEs I have growing out. And if I want to add more silkies I'll need a larger coop for them which means now 2 large coops and 2 separate chicken yards. And this I do not like. I want one coop and one chicken yard for everyone to live together happily in. Now keep in mind I rent here and my landlord has been so nice as to letting me have these chickens in the first place, however when I first asked his permission I asked if he would mind us keeping 5-6 chickens. I am now up to 5 ducks, 5 in the big coop, 3 in the small coop and 2 EEs growing out. I wanted to focus on silkies yet they are the least amount I have. If I continue to hatch out of the orps I either have to sell the chicks or sell the ones I have to make room for the chicks. With that all said I'm seriously thinking of rehoming the large breeds and starting fresh with the silkies I have, and possibly getting into a bantam size breed that I could use with the silkies - such as frizzles and cochins so that this way I can keep more because I have the space for more and I will also have the room to grow out chicks and make decisions as to who to keep/sell from there. It's just such a huge decision because I love my Orps and I love Gru. It just stinks that I am limited for space and not even concentrating on what I wanted to concentrate on to begin with. I'm so torn.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Who can resist the cuteness, except Rancher?

After visiting Lynzi and now seeing your chick my kids are now convinced that we need to raise Silkies! Now if I can convince dh that we need to...

Lynzi - What you could to do is make an enclosure that is in panels so that with some screws removed that it can be moved if you ever have to move again then you can have that area for your silkies. Kind of like one of those dog kennels. I know it is hard when you rent. Perhaps you could just downsize to 3 big chickens and swap houses then you could have more silkies...I'm sure that you have thought about all of this. If you need help let me know. I'll help you however i can.

 

[rancher hicks]

Holy Moly I'm beat! Just shoveled the lower half of my driveway. That was quite the workout considering it's all hill and the further down the driveway you go the higher the yard gets and the higher you have to launch the snow! Upper part of the driveway will be later. I guess the called the garbage trucks off the road yesterday because my garbage man never came. They're coming today apparently. Hope I managed to get enough snow away from my mailbox as well so my mailman delivers. I remember him not delivering for almost a week last year because of all the snow the plows would throw in front of it. Once of them even took the box right off the post!

I've been doing A LOT of thinking lately about how unhappy I am with my current chicken arrangements. I got into chickens 2 years ago with the goal to focus mostly on silkies. Well after taking an orp along with those first 2 silkie chicks I ended up adding the lavender orp, a BR, Gru the Roo and now I have a blue Orp hen. I'm just about at my max for larger chickens with the two EEs I have growing out. And if I want to add more silkies I'll need a larger coop for them which means now 2 large coops and 2 separate chicken yards. And this I do not like. I want one coop and one chicken yard for everyone to live together happily in. Now keep in mind I rent here and my landlord has been so nice as to letting me have these chickens in the first place, however when I first asked his permission I asked if he would mind us keeping 5-6 chickens. I am now up to 5 ducks, 5 in the big coop, 3 in the small coop and 2 EEs growing out. I wanted to focus on silkies yet they are the least amount I have. If I continue to hatch out of the orps I either have to sell the chicks or sell the ones I have to make room for the chicks. With that all said I'm seriously thinking of rehoming the large breeds and starting fresh with the silkies I have, and possibly getting into a bantam size breed that I could use with the silkies - such as frizzles and cochins so that this way I can keep more because I have the space for more and I will also have the room to grow out chicks and make decisions as to who to keep/sell from there. It's just such a huge decision because I love my Orps and I love Gru. It just stinks that I am limited for space and not even concentrating on what I wanted to concentrate on to begin with. I'm so torn.

The solution is quite simple. It's time to buy a homestead of your own. Buy as much land and as far from the city as you can afford.

(be aware that cochins do go broody)

 

[Aria]

Holy Moly I'm beat! Just shoveled the lower half of my driveway. That was quite the workout considering it's all hill and the further down the driveway you go the higher the yard gets and the higher you have to launch the snow! Upper part of the driveway will be later. I guess the called the garbage trucks off the road yesterday because my garbage man never came. They're coming today apparently. Hope I managed to get enough snow away from my mailbox as well so my mailman delivers. I remember him not delivering for almost a week last year because of all the snow the plows would throw in front of it. Once of them even took the box right off the post! 

I've been doing A LOT of thinking lately about how unhappy I am with my current chicken arrangements. I got into chickens 2 years ago with the goal to focus mostly on silkies. Well after taking an orp along with those first 2 silkie chicks I ended up adding the lavender orp, a BR, Gru the Roo and now I have a blue Orp hen. I'm just about at my max for larger chickens with the two EEs I have growing out. And if I want to add more silkies I'll need a larger coop for them which means now 2 large coops and 2 separate chicken yards. And this I do not like.  I want one coop and one chicken yard for everyone to live together happily in. Now keep in mind I rent here and my landlord has been so nice as to letting me have these chickens in the first place, however when I first asked his permission I asked if he would mind us keeping 5-6 chickens. I am now up to 5 ducks, 5 in the big coop, 3 in the small coop and 2 EEs growing out. I wanted to focus on silkies yet they are the least amount I have. If I continue to hatch out of the orps I either have to sell the chicks or sell the ones I have to make room for the chicks. With that all said I'm seriously thinking of rehoming the large breeds and starting fresh with the silkies I have, and possibly getting into a bantam size breed that I could use with the silkies - such as frizzles and cochins so that this way I can keep more because I have the space for more and I will also have the room to grow out chicks and make decisions as to who to keep/sell from there. It's just such a huge decision because I love my Orps and I love Gru. It just stinks that I am limited for space and not even concentrating on what I wanted to concentrate on to begin with. I'm so torn. 

I am sure you will make the right decision. My vot is for Silkies. That is what we have done. One breed is much easier to deal with. They can all live together...one Coop one run.
Just my thoughts. Aria

 

[Lapeerian]

Enablers!
Hubby and I discussing chicks again, and he raised the number Im allowed to get again lol. I contacted the girl in Morrisville that I got some of my first year chicks from, which is my surviving GLW roo and 2 NH hens. She may not have them this year, but will have breeding pens of SLW, Silkies and Wheaten Americauna if she can find a roo. Hoping I can get some SLW and Americauas from her, although not sure when. Then more of everything else! Think I want to start with a group of chicks earlier, so they start laying late spring rather than late summer. Then a group of TSC chicks later. I like the variety package I have going, makes for an interesting group to watch. Some day I may choose one breed to work with, but until then I'll get purebred chicks from you all to add to the menagerie.
Hubby is home this snow day, collected 3 eggs at 9am, there were none at 7am. Said when he took his gloves off to put them in the fridge, 2 of the 3 cracked.