Surviving Minnesota!

[Bogtown Chick]

@Memphis this is for you and all my Minnesota Peeps. This is Dixie brooding a Welsummer chick in 37 degrees today. Little Loretta is a toughie.








Loretta going back under for a warm up.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Oh ya for sure @jerryse. We would let DH do his men's work with the Chainsaw.
DH said the bait shop was completely gutted and they have it quite fancy in there now. I'll have to go check it out for sure now. The bow guy from Swanson's over in Hack bought it.

So I've had my birds locked up while the neighbors have been up. I opened the doors to the run to go see the broody Momma. And they all went out and all came back in. I don't think they mind spending this cold weekend on their straw taking naps.

 

[holm25]

BC your birds are georgous! Did only one chick hatch?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Thanks holm. They had their feathers fluffed out today. They looked like little tanks.

We gave Dixie two eggs to try and yes just the wellie hatched.

 

[memphis]

BC what great pictures! Dixie & Loretta made my day. Nothing sweeter than a mom & her baby! Love the shot of Loretta's little fuzzy butt sticking out!

 

[Siggie]

IIMHO I would be building the coop the same way you are. I have been told that it is not necessary to insulate still . . . . Then I would provide plenty of ventilation at the top of the coop. One does not negate the other. I did provide brooder lights on those cold way below 0 nights and days this past winter and with the insulation I would not have even consider the lights. Between the chickens generated heat and the lack of drafts with the two walls and insulation I would not worry about my birds. I did experience the condensation due to lack of ventilation due to the plastic attached to the whole run. When I pulled down some of the plastic protecting my run per instructions from Ralphie - I found the run to be just as warm and no condensation accumulating.

Did I say all that in an understandable communication? Sometimes I am befuddled.

Thanks! I actually messed up and forgot to get the insulation today…. So I either just apply the plastic or I drive all the way back to Duluth and waste my only day to work on the coop UGH!!!!! I think I have plenty of vents….I have a vent at the top of the front and back wall, a vent going into the barn, the window on the front wall and the window in the door will come out like a storm window and last, the entire eave on the end wall will be vented. I made sure all are well above where the chickens will roost. (except for the window but that won’t be open in the winter)

There are all sorts if thoughts on insulation. It can be a mouse nest haven. I have insulation on my roof. And that is to help with condensation and dropping on my birds. Two winters ago I insulated the west and north walls only with removable foam boards and press board inserts place able between the stud walls and this helped moderate the extremely cold nights. As well as moderate extremely hot days-- my coop will be cooler on hot days. Last year after reading a popular chicken blog I found a reflective material that's suppose to use sun from the windows and reflect back warmth. It's called Reflectix. It's a silvery bubble wrap. We had a mild winter by Minnesota standards last winter as you know but I was happy with it. The mice can't get into it. It's washable. It did not really warm up the coop a whole lot. Poop stayed froze ( I wanted that) . Cluckies has reported her birds were a bit skiddish of the silver walls. When I put mine up I did 1/2 one week and 2 weeks later the rest. My birds didn't seem affected by it. I will give my Reflectix another year to give full endorsement but some of the big coop makers are using similar reflective material in their coops now to refract the light and heat.

Jerry the plum grafting would be my project no matter my husbands health. He's interested in his apple trees but when it comes to care and pruning... And such he is not very interested. That's a good idea though. We have a few wilds lining our drive.

I will have ship lap on the outside and the inside with the plastic in the middle… worst case scenario, I can remove the top two rows and put insulation down the walls this fall. I really can’t afford to waste tomorrow….I am working doubles this entire month and have only Sundays to work on my coop and greenhouse L **** ! I am so forgetful sometimes I just want to cry!

 

[Siggie]

A friend and I went to the Duluth Junk Hunt today and I found the coolest sign ever!! I think I might hang it on my coop or maybe even set it up on top of my kitchen cabinets !!!

 

[duluthralphie]

I am tired, just got home, Will tell you about my day from Hades.... Just know if God wants to punish little chicks instead of sending them to Hades, he sends them to me. Poor things..

Coffee send a text, she lost Strawberry today. Details tomorrow..


Siggie While you were in Duluth I saw you hubby out riding horse through Brainerd. Nice Hat he has.

 

[I Love Layers]

Good morning ya all. I am truly befuddled because of the decongestants I have been taking. After three to four days I am on a high and have the jitters. Time to quit them and kick this spring cold to the curb.

Very cool outside but no snow here. Tom and his three girls are ranging.  Sewing inside today - perfect day for it. Hope each of you is doing well.

How is Sneaks? It was sneaks right? its irritating being agitated from the meds.

Definitely doing better. We tried to give her some pain killer this morning but she wouldn't take it. We didn't have time to mess around with her since we had to go to my Gpas and Uncles branding. I would've ridden her at the branding but obviously couldn't, and I forgot to ask my grandpa if I could use one of his horses. Tate said he could've brought me one, but now I'm glad he didn't since I'm super tired anyways

 

[duluthralphie]

Morning all.

I just wanted to get Coffee's story here for her. Here is the entire text she sent me.

Hi I can't seem to post anything on BYC. So I was wondering if you could post something for me? Can you post on surviving Minnesota, if you could first apologize to everyone for me not being on BYC please explain I can't get good enough Internet service to post I can only post if I'm in town. If you could let everybody know that I think I lost strawberry today I heard her screaming and I went out to look for her I couldn't find her anywhere I couldn't find any orange feathers and she did not come home to roost tonight so I'm pretty sure something might've taken her and flew away with her. She was a good chicken. RIP Strawberry..

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