Surviving Minnesota!

[MNChickMom]

Welcome MNMomma. You have found the right group to bounce questions and ideas from. There is a ton of knowledge to glean from the MN experts..on this thread. I am a newbie myself and have been known to ask some crazy questions.

As for brooding in the house, I am doing it right now. Yes it is little dusty but you can see and hear their every move to know if something is not right. I have a rubbermaid tote with a layer of pine shavings on the bottom, then for first 2 days when they are learning difference between food and litter, I put a single layer of puppy pads down. Change out the puppy pads morning and night and by day 3 they get shavings. Some people will use paper towel or newspaper. I just happen to have a large supply of puppy pads.

Good luck!

 

[Cluckies]

A chicken coop!!

DH built me a hoop style greenhouse last spring and I can't wait to get seeds started, might have to start toms and peppers in the basement again or put a heater in the hoop.

Cool, you could dig down in the side of a hill 6 feet, then throw the hoop greenhouse over it, let me know how that works! hahaha

 
Hahaha! 

Before you send Ed to the stew pot, you let me know!  

Oh Ralphie, I talked to the guy at work, his wife doesn't want meat birds right now    She acquired 20 more layers last year (she had 8) and is getting more layers this year and just wants to do layers for a while. Now why he would care what she wants you ask?     probably cause she takes care of the birds I suppose...but who can tell.

Did you ever measure the Toad roosters?  But I suppose if I can sweet talk Ed out of you, there may be no more room for another rooster...   

Ed is a lifer here.  He is never going anywhere.  While he is not a breeder, he is so good with the babies and does keep an eye out for critters.   Just so some of you know Ed is not a pet, I really do not have pet chickens, I follow the EJB/Jerry method of chicken raising and non-cuddling....



What was the size of your door again?   I think I  will cut a hole that size but a toad inside and see if he can get through it.

Me thinks Ed had become a cuddled pet at Ralphies...

I think the door was 11x15 abouts...

Hello fellow Minnesnowtans! I'm glad to have been pointed over here. Thanks duluthralphie! I'm just outside of Duluth, and prepping for my very first flock. I have NO experience, besides being enamored with the chickens at Toms Logging Camp, and now the flock just down the road from us.
We were offered a tractor from our neighbors, and I took to begging my fiancé to put it to good use. Stopped at our local feed store on Friday, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they are taking reservations for chicks. So...we're off! We're now expecting 2 Buff Orpington and 2 Buckeye (hopefully all hens) at the end of March!
I bought Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens while there, and am in the process of getting as much information as I can now.
I plan to brood in our basement, which is where my home office is, so the kids and I can spend plenty of time talking to and handling our new pets. I know it will get messy, but I'm confident it'll be worth it!
The tractor we're getting is about 4' x 8', and will easily be converted to a permanent coop, as it is completely encased with plywood hatches, and has a pop door and full floor. We'll need to make some minor modifications to get it winter-ready, but my fiancé is handy and will have no problem making it work.
I look forward to chatting with you all and sharing our progress! Thanks!

Welcome!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Daisy? I am sure I have not kept up on bird names at your house. . . . but then you wrote old hen brains don't forget so that indicates old bird to me. I am confused. Its that kind of a morning.

Ivie: I maybe have too many "D" named hens. Plus you are trying to keep track of your own. Let it be known I need to think about the two Blue Ameraucana before I call their names.

My Silkie's name was "Dixie".

Hello fellow Minnesnowtans! I'm glad to have been pointed over here. Thanks duluthralphie! I'm just outside of Duluth, and prepping for my very first flock. I have NO experience, besides being enamored with the chickens at Toms Logging Camp, and now the flock just down the road from us.
We were offered a tractor from our neighbors, and I took to begging my fiancé to put it to good use. Stopped at our local feed store on Friday, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they are taking reservations for chicks. So...we're off! We're now expecting 2 Buff Orpington and 2 Buckeye (hopefully all hens) at the end of March!
I bought Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens while there, and am in the process of getting as much information as I can now.
I plan to brood in our basement, which is where my home office is, so the kids and I can spend plenty of time talking to and handling our new pets. I know it will get messy, but I'm confident it'll be worth it!
The tractor we're getting is about 4' x 8', and will easily be converted to a permanent coop, as it is completely encased with plywood hatches, and has a pop door and full floor. We'll need to make some minor modifications to get it winter-ready, but my fiancé is handy and will have no problem making it work.
I look forward to chatting with you all and sharing our progress! Thanks!

Welcome MNMomma. You are up by Ed with all the hawks in the air-space. (just to give you fore warning) There's a ton of chicken knowledge to know about coop building (get that going and done before the chicks come) The coop pages were where I started my journey. You actually learn a ton about the chicken's needs just by reading about their houses. Then as the time gets closer to when the chicks are coming the pages on BYC education center were fabulous. Handling. Resisting over-handling. The importance of heat and adjusting it so it's not too much, etc. Keeping things clean. Washing your hands before and after handling. etc.etc. Adjustments to the coop. To free range or not to range...that will be a question. If you have a dog...making it safe to be with the birds.
It can be overwhelming...but just deal with one thing at a time. Use your search bar at the top of the page or come on here for some advice. Everybody is pretty friendly because we've all been there. There may be some advice you don't want to hear....we get that too. LOL.

We had some rain last night and thunder! I woke up slightly to hear the rain and went right back to sleep. The snow has gone down a lot. My girls have been venturing out as well, today they will need to be lured back in

Erli...I did not hear the Thunder! But it's raining out there now. DH does not want rain because it will ruin his perch fishing ice. I want it to get my yard open for chickens.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Ralphie I would keep Ed for just showing off to visitors in the yard myself. That Cuddly Yard ornament and Eagle announcer is fully entrenched and employed at Orrock Acres I would say. Plus I'm sure he enjoys the falling coconuts there in the Banana Belt.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Anyone hear of this? or has built one? Jerry? did you build one up at your land in the great white north? I am very intrigued...
An underground greenhouse Walpini

I have seen that and I did take a look at it...as green houses are on my radar lately.
I will say that I think we live at "swamp-level" We are surrounded by low land swamp habitat on a little island of clay. The digging would be interesting and in the spring I would need to run pumps, LOL. Definitely a high-ground set up.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralphie I would keep Ed for just showing off to visitors in the yard myself. That Cuddly Yard ornament and Eagle announcer is fully entrenched and employed at Orrock Acres I would say. Plus I'm sure he enjoys the falling coconuts there in the Banana Belt.

I am inside in the rain looking for cheap chick boxes for shipping online? Any Ideas anyone..


The same girl that wants PC's would most likely treat me like she does bull calves if Ed ever went anywhere but her house.


@mnMomma when tightening up your tractor into a coop, IMHO, it is best to not make it too air tight. While you do not want draft over the birds they do need fresh air to keep the pneumonia down.

 

[holm25]

Welcome MNMomma!! Sounds like great breed choices to start with! I have raised both of those breeds and have found them to be very winter hardy breeds! And the Orps make great broodies! I agree with what Ralphie said on it being too air tight. Many issues can come from that. But a small hole at the highest point usually is enough to keep a coop well ventilated!

 

[jerryse]

It got to 74 here today . Warmest ever recorded in February . I fizzled after lunch . Just nothing left in me . I have really been working outside in this nice weather .

 

[duluthralphie]

It got to 74 here today . Warmest ever recorded in February . I fizzled after lunch . Just nothing left in me . I have really been working outside in this nice weather .

I did that in the 60+ on Saturday. It was down right hot. I even took my long johns off! 74 is just too hot;

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I definitely get more done in cooler weather than warm.

All the birds that are currently laying laid today for me. DS said an eagle came over our airspace. Lucy who came up to the free range nest to lay her egg gave a warning call he said. He gave her an escort back down to the coop. Those hens are so endearing. And DS doing that for Lucy is endearing as well. Wish I would have been home to get a picture.