Surviving Minnesota!

[Bogtown Chick]

Morning . Catching up on outdoor work . So much to do . Hey BC thanks for Ryan . He finished the mud , tape and texture Saturday evening . Just 3 days . Grandkids should be painting and laying laminate flooring . So should look good when I return .

Jerry I’m so glad you were able to get good progress. I explained this cabin is really your project. Milled by you. And he understood. I think when you have anything construction where you want just a part done he’ll be a great guy to call. They just had a baby girl two days ago. I’m sure he’s glad for the work.

Good morning, MN! I am a newbie (just got my chicks in June). Now that there is a frost warning for tonight (what's up with THAT?!) I am wondering if my 3 month old chicks are old & grown enough to get through this without some sort of heat source...? Any advice? Should I close their run door and try to hold the heat in better?

Here are pics of the coop & run. If you look carefully you can tell that the slide down chicken door can be rotated so that it closes completely or has 2 round "windows" (also covered with hardware cloth). The hardware cloth around the run is buried 12" to 18"

Beautiful coop and run. Basically when chickens have feathers they have their protection against cold. If you pick up a feather they’ve lost look at it. It’s extraordinary design. Downy at the base for insulation and the concave rigid part to cup and hold in the heat. A roost is needed 2x4 with flat side up to allow them to cover their feet. Open water also. Extremely well designed animal for the cold. The heat is what can get them.

today is my last full day with chickens. For a while anyways. I have a home for both hens. There’s about 30 hens in the new flock and she has a separation ‘get to know ya’ section for newbies/youngsters. She recently did a thinning so the flock dynamic is in upheaval and it’s a good time to bring in Loretta and Pearl.Among other chickens they’ll get to see cows, pigs, goats turkeys and possibly get mugged by a guinea. I’m not worried about Pearl and Loretta one bit. And the comfort of a large flock will be a stress reducer for them.

Erli how nerve wrecking but glad it was one stint then outta there.
I took a two mile walk with dog today. Needs to be a regular habit I think. So outta shape!
Layers how fun to have you pop back in. Good luck in school! Enjoy it!

I covered my deck tomato plants. It got down there but I had a productive year and didn’t want to lose the plants yet.
This yellow pear variety is like eating candy.

Apple trees are loaded. The first one hasn’t fallen off. I think it’s 3rd weekend of september I usually grab them off. So next weekend I guess. Pribably good enough now too... I don’t know...

Well folks I almost feel like without chickens I won’t belong. Such an extraordinary part of my life for 8 1/2 years. If you don’t mind... I’m not quite ready to lose my chicken people yet. I may hang out with a nature or garden picture here and there.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Jerry I’m so glad you were able to get good progress. I explained this cabin is really your project. Milled by you. And he understood. I think when you have anything construction where you want just a part done he’ll be a great guy to call. They just had a baby girl two days ago. I’m sure he’s glad for the work.


Beautiful coop and run. Basically when chickens have feathers they have their protection against cold. If you pick up a feather they’ve lost look at it. It’s extraordinary design. Downy at the base for insulation and the concave rigid part to cup and hold in the heat. A roost is needed 2x4 with flat side up to allow them to cover their feet. Open water also. Extremely well designed animal for the cold. The heat is what can get them.

today is my last full day with chickens. For a while anyways. I have a home for both hens. There’s about 30 hens in the new flock and she has a separation ‘get to know ya’ section for newbies/youngsters. She recently did a thinning so the flock dynamic is in upheaval and it’s a good time to bring in Loretta and Pearl.Among other chickens they’ll get to see cows, pigs, goats turkeys and possibly get mugged by a guinea. I’m not worried about Pearl and Loretta one bit. And the comfort of a large flock will be a stress reducer for them.

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View attachment 2332370

Erli how nerve wrecking but glad it was one stint then outta there.
I took a two mile walk with dog today. Needs to be a regular habit I think. So outta shape!
Layers how fun to have you pop back in. Good luck in school! Enjoy it!

I covered my deck tomato plants. It got down there but I had a productive year and didn’t want to lose the plants yet.
This yellow pear variety is like eating candy.
View attachment 2332373
Apple trees are loaded. The first one hasn’t fallen off. I think it’s 3rd weekend of september I usually grab them off. So next weekend I guess. Pribably good enough now too... I don’t know...
View attachment 2332375
View attachment 2332378
Well folks I almost feel like without chickens I won’t belong. Such an extraordinary part of my life for 8 1/2 years. If you don’t mind... I’m not quite ready to lose my chicken people yet. I may hang out with a nature or garden picture here and there.

View attachment 2332380

Please stick around!
We would all miss you. Just cause you don't have chickens anymore doesn't mean your not still a "chicken person"
I'm sure it's bitter sweet, sad to see them go but one less burden in the chore department at the same time.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I mean...I'm not a minnasotian and I'm still here soooo.....

I wonder how many years I have to participate in this thread before I'm allowed to win the first post of the day?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Well you basically need to get up before Erlibird, Shaw. Thank you for kind words. Feeling sentimental seeing those cuties roaming around for their last free range here. End of an era I feel...

 

[jerryse]

BC since the chickens are gone you need to get some bees . Mann lake bee supply is in Hackensack . Then you hang out on the honey factory thread with me , Ralphie and others .

 

[Cebarmlds]

Jerry I’m so glad you were able to get good progress. I explained this cabin is really your project. Milled by you. And he understood. I think when you have anything construction where you want just a part done he’ll be a great guy to call. They just had a baby girl two days ago. I’m sure he’s glad for the work.


Beautiful coop and run. Basically when chickens have feathers they have their protection against cold. If you pick up a feather they’ve lost look at it. It’s extraordinary design. Downy at the base for insulation and the concave rigid part to cup and hold in the heat. A roost is needed 2x4 with flat side up to allow them to cover their feet. Open water also. Extremely well designed animal for the cold. The heat is what can get them.

today is my last full day with chickens. For a while anyways. I have a home for both hens. There’s about 30 hens in the new flock and she has a separation ‘get to know ya’ section for newbies/youngsters. She recently did a thinning so the flock dynamic is in upheaval and it’s a good time to bring in Loretta and Pearl.Among other chickens they’ll get to see cows, pigs, goats turkeys and possibly get mugged by a guinea. I’m not worried about Pearl and Loretta one bit. And the comfort of a large flock will be a stress reducer for them.

View attachment 2332363
View attachment 2332370

Erli how nerve wrecking but glad it was one stint then outta there.
I took a two mile walk with dog today. Needs to be a regular habit I think. So outta shape!
Layers how fun to have you pop back in. Good luck in school! Enjoy it!

I covered my deck tomato plants. It got down there but I had a productive year and didn’t want to lose the plants yet.
This yellow pear variety is like eating candy.
View attachment 2332373
Apple trees are loaded. The first one hasn’t fallen off. I think it’s 3rd weekend of september I usually grab them off. So next weekend I guess. Pribably good enough now too... I don’t know...
View attachment 2332375
View attachment 2332378
Well folks I almost feel like without chickens I won’t belong. Such an extraordinary part of my life for 8 1/2 years. If you don’t mind... I’m not quite ready to lose my chicken people yet. I may hang out with a nature or garden picture here and there.

View attachment 2332380

Thank you, yes it was surprising how it went so well and quick, especially for a holiday weekend. I'm sure we could all use more walking, hubs doesn't like to walk because of a bad back but he has taken a walk. Better than nothing? And he says he will improve his eating habits, he was always buying candy and had frozen pizzas so if he didn't like what I was making he'd put pizza in the oven

I had sprinklers on the garden 3 days last week because of the freeze, now a couple days break.
Got 7 quarts of tomatoes put up today.

My apples ripened early this year, didn't get too many after sharing with a bear.

Stick around BC, wouldn't be the same without you.

See you in the blueberry patch.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I always have good intentions for my gardening and landscaping and I would find myself sitting with the chickens watching them! Lol. Time machine that chicken tv business is. So as good as those pictures are carefully framed. There is a helluva lot of half butt projects here in regards to weeds and overgrowth and if I add another distraction like beekeeping my DH will lose his schite. He just got the chickens out of the picture. And I know that electric fence helps with bear... we have them... like regularly. I can see a couple thousand dollar hobby wiped in 2 minutes. I will however find that thread and get on there to live vicariously through you lucky fellas keeping bees. Jerry did you get a feral swarm?! Or did you buy?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I got 5 quarts of tomatoes put up this week. They always look like a huge daunting amount of them and you drag out and wash more jars then you ever could need.

 

[R2elk]

I always have good intentions for my gardening and landscaping and I would find myself sitting with the chickens watching them! Lol. Time machine that chicken tv business is. So as good as those pictures are carefully framed. There is a helluva lot of half butt projects here in regards to weeds and overgrowth and if I add another distraction like beekeeping my DH will lose his schite. He just got the chickens out of the picture. And I know that electric fence helps with bear... we have them... like regularly. I can see a couple thousand dollar hobby wiped in 2 minutes. I will however find that thread and get on there to live vicariously through you lucky fellas keeping bees. Jerry did you get a feral swarm?! Or did you buy?

Beekeeping does not have to be an intensive job. Other than feeding them in the spring and harvesting honey in the fall, I leave mine alone the rest of the year.

 

[jerryse]

I always have good intentions for my gardening and landscaping and I would find myself sitting with the chickens watching them! Lol. Time machine that chicken tv business is. So as good as those pictures are carefully framed. There is a helluva lot of half butt projects here in regards to weeds and overgrowth and if I add another distraction like beekeeping my DH will lose his schite. He just got the chickens out of the picture. And I know that electric fence helps with bear... we have them... like regularly. I can see a couple thousand dollar hobby wiped in 2 minutes. I will however find that thread and get on there to live vicariously through you lucky fellas keeping bees. Jerry did you get a feral swarm?! Or did you buy?

Feral . 2 of them . Thinking of putting out a bait hive / swarm trap at the cabin next year . Just for giggles . Not sure if there are any bees around . Yes been too busy to notice .