Surviving Minnesota!

[BantyChooks]

Here's the final rundown
So here's the list
1× Icelandic Pullet
1× Icelandic Cockerel
1× Bielfelder Pullet
1× Bielfelder Cock
1× Bresse Cockerel
3× Bresse Pullets
2× Naked Neck Hens
2× Red Sex Link Pullets
3× Svart Hona x Isbar crossed not sure on gender.
1× Swedish Flower Hen Pullet
1× Swedish Flower Hen Cock
1× Cuckoo Maran Hen

I am also getting The transport boxes, an incubator, large dog kennel, smaller dog kennel, feeders and Waterers.

Lovely breeds.

 

[duluthralphie]

Oh yeah. Retired people! All the time in the world. Any working or have worked people on here ever take their car in for repair. Drop it off and they take you to work and drop you off. 7:00 a.m. so you can make it to work in time. BUT . . . . no . . . . there are those retirees in front of you that could wait until everyone has dropped off because they still work and have a schedule. BUT the retirees go to bed at 7:30 so they are up at 4:00 waiting for the garage doors to open. RETIRED people - STAY HOME until after rush hour so that those that HAVE to be in rush hour can get where they must go by a certain time. They do not need to be driving around YOU on the freeway.

Oh! Wait . . . . I am retired. Oh! but then I do follow my own advise.

I think us retired people have more stuff we need to get done than when we were working people.

I always have pens, cages and chicken chores to do.

I need to finish my as of yet unstarted hatching room in a month...My Son says he will help this weekend. I sure hope so.....and I need to test my birds again....

I have to get the tractor carb over hauled. Then I have my Mother to deal with. She called the other day from Florida and wanted to know when I would get the garden tilled..... .Arrrrrrgh!

 

[BantyChooks]

I have to get the tractor carb over hauled.  Then I have my Mother to deal with. She called the other day from Florida and wanted to know when I would get the garden tilled..... .Arrrrrrgh!

Might be wise to wait for the ground to thaw enough that you don't crack the rototiller blades off

 

[jerryse]

Hey Ralphie going to make a wood duck nest box . Mostly because the Martin house plans and the treadle feeder plans are not printed off yet . DW does not allow me to mess with her putter and printer .

 

[duluthralphie]

Hey Ralphie going to make a wood duck nest box . Mostly because the Martin house plans and the treadle feeder plans are not printed off yet . DW does not allow me to mess with her putter and printer .

Of all the Dux in the world, Wood Dux are the best, which is not saying much.......It is a do you want to hang or stand before the firing squad type choice,

 

[holm25]

I am so disappointed today,  I had more hope for the success of Global warming. We are on the eve of the Ides of March and it is 5 below here. This is unheard of. We should have 35-40 degrees this morning without the effects of global warming.  With any type of decent global warming I was looking for a nice pleasant 60 degrees.

I guess I will have to ignite another pile of tyres. (Spelled that way for our resident of the Vast Northern Wastelands to feel more at home).


I need to ask this, did any of you send me a book as a gift in the last few days? I got it yesterday. It raised my blood pressure 14 points. I threw it aside and did not open it, Judy did and told me I had to read it....It was the best book ever, so thanks.....I have no idea who sent it so I am just thanking everyone.

It's 15 degrees above here!


That was a kind of whoever sent it

 

[holm25]

Both. My title will be King President.


I hsve decided to get the birds. They will add a good income through chicks and eggs. I can not get them until thr 25 or 26 though. The chicks eat a lot and I'm glad we made the new feeder so They don't waste half of it!

King Madam President

 

[holm25]

Hey Ralphie going to make a wood duck nest box . Mostly because the Martin house plans and the treadle feeder plans are not printed off yet . DW does not allow me to mess with her putter and printer . 

Sounds fun Jerry! There is ponds all over here and usually they all have a pair of Woodys because there are trees surrounding the ponds. I absolutely love Martins

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I have 2 broody hens . Crazy birds . So what are the snow totals in the frozen north ? Getting restless on this snowy day . I may have to build some nest boxes to pass the time .

Jerry while the Banana belt suffered larger accummulations of snow...up here in God's Country we got just a dusting. Gorgeous Ameraucanas on Grass ...but still land locked by some snow as the temps dropped. That will change tomorrow.. WOOT WOOT! We're going up!

Anyways, Pheasants would be a good use for the gulag. I am not sure what the market would be, but we will see.

You could release some in that stolen land of yours. Take out guided hunts for fees.

So the new boy to the flock is in a kennel in the coop. Surprisingly it is the sussex whose feathers are ruffled. Lil guy - scared. I put a box over his kennel so they cannot get so close to him. He crows like a real rooster. Reggie sounds like he has a sore throat.

I know that angels do watch over me! I walked into the coop and there is the one heat lamp laying on the ground and the floor is smoldering. It no longer matters because I am never (never say never) using a heat lamp again. I have the radiant heat thingy I just purchased to be incorporated to the plans for the coop this next year. Girls - I have set my foot down and insisted on having some construction done by my contractor husband, on the coop before next winter. This radiant heat will be mounted in the roosting area from the ceiling. The roosting area will be insulated. So no more heat lamps. And they will get by this week because we are not going down - down - down to the minus.

Thanks Ralphie. Its picture time! I will get some just as soon as de feet warm up. Photo bomb.

Oh dear, Ivie. I'm glad you are around to check on things frequently. Yes. Get that darn thing out of there. They scare the Bejeesus out of me. We are entering the time where under Zero's are gone. Those chickens have everything they need to keep themselves warm through the rest of the 'spring'.

Good to see that other Minnesotans are on BYC. I have a rooster whose points on his comb froze off because off the recent weather and I'm wondering how to prevent this from happening next year. Any tips?

@glow12 There is no good way to preserve a comb, Ivie is correct in my mind. I have tried the greases and things to no avail. I have one rooster "Cuddles' I have spent close to $400 to keep his comb whole. I failed with two heat lamps and heating pads above his head all winter. I have rounded tips.

I am going to show him with the bad comb though knowing I will take a 3-4 point hit for it. There will most likely be no other rooster in his breed at the shows, but it stinks he has rounded points.


On most birds I just let them winter trim and get it over with.

What Ralphie and BantyChooks said @glow12. and

and the Minnesota thread. I will tell you so your rooster doesn't have things made worse: Avoid Warm steamy oatmeal or a squash from the oven on a cold day. Despite what bloggers and 'gurus' do. Just avoid moisture altogether if possible. Putting Bag balm, vaseline, coconut oil etc just means you will have to put it on next winter too and the winter after that if it even helps. Save yourself some headaches and let Mother Nature deal with it and/or get the Rose and Cushion comb roosters next time.

Because I'm a softy and have some Swede in me, I got another Single Comb rooster to break into Minnesota last summer. Albeit this one faired better than his predecessor with now rounded off tips versus a good 1/2 comb, he still has a lower profile. More aerodynamic for chasing hens this spring I say. See? it's actually beneficial.

No idea yet . The mailman did deliver seeds yesterday and I have some drill bits and pilot drill bits coming on a slow boat from China . Forgot to look at origin before I bought but then they make everything now . Looking at buying somethings but not yet . Should be selling some walnut vanere logs this week . So I may do some buying . I really need some things for logging . I think I will buy close to my trip and have delivered to the lake .

Jerry I have now a friendly reminder to get on the stick and order those special squash seeds that Kloppers talked about last fall. Golden or whatever that was.

Jerry I have a very gorgeous. Old White Pine you can take out of my yard. It will be free to you. But you will need a long bar chain saw for this one. The top is dead and bald eagles like to roost in it and case my coop. If you want to mill it right on the property ...we'd give you the latitude of a few days or so to do it if you want or however long it takes. I might even bring you out some Iced teas or lemonades. LOL.

 

[I Love Layers]

King Madam President

Clever. This will be my title