Surviving Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

I know some flocks have cement bases for coops. To make clean up easier, to make the coop predator proof.
Good reasons to build on cement.

However cement holds cold for a long time radiating that through the bedding in winter. It will hold warmth conversely longer through the fall as well. I will say that I've had trouble with broken toes and such with birds landing too hard on the coop floor. Cement makes me feel that would increase those issues. Idk.

Ivie makes points about chickens digging through litter and dirt. Cement could be topped with a big fluffy layer of litter I guess.

Personally I guess I'd go with a more natural set up. One could use the cement as a patio for a bench or chairs used for chicken tv watching or to build chickenn supply storage next to the coop.

Hens can have a loud egg song or predator call. Checking with neighbors is a good idea.

Sure, you had to be contrary to me, didn't you?




I have never noticed the toes being broken. I will have to look. Time to go outside and get some stuff done, but feeling lazy and needing more coffee..

 

[duluthralphie]

Coffee time only has 15 more minutes left!

Where are you all?

 

[Cebarmlds]

Good morning!!

On the issue with cement flooring in a coop, I'd have to agree with Bogtown, the only exception being if it was a huge coop because then you'd have room for a nice long ramp coming off the roosts so large hens wouldn't get hurt jumping down. And then I'd still have very deep litter during those long horrid winters.

 

[jerryse]

Morning . Anyone know if you have Ostrich ferns . Never paid attention to what kind grow at the lake . Saw a post about fiddleheads on the Minnesota thread on Morels.com. I have had them for spring greens . Anyway they are the emerging leaf of Ostrich fern .

 

[Cebarmlds]

Morning . Anyone know if you have Ostrich ferns . Never paid attention to what kind grow at the lake . Saw a post about fiddleheads on the Minnesota thread on Morels.com. I have had them for spring greens . Anyway they are the emerging leaf of Ostrich fern .

My Grandmother would cook fiddleheads when I was a kid so i'd say they are around.

 

[duluthralphie]

Morning . Anyone know if you have Ostrich ferns . Never paid attention to what kind grow at the lake . Saw a post about fiddleheads on the Minnesota thread on Morels.com. I have had them for spring greens . Anyway they are the emerging leaf of Ostrich fern .

I always thought the name of the fern was fiddlehead! They are all over, I see them and know they are edible but my phobias prevent me from eating them.

 

[jerryse]

I always thought the name of the fern was fiddlehead! They are all over, I see them and know they are edible but my phobias prevent me from eating them.

The emerging leaf frond looks like a fiddle head .

 

[Violetsfeathers]

Violet, it is terrible how mean they can be to each other. I hope the chick is ok.  It does not surprise me your Cochin is Broody, from what those that own them say, they go broody at the drop of a hat. 

The chick that was getting picked on was a little less hyper last night, I'm worried she's not drinking
I did put one of my least favorite chicks (in case anything happened) under Dot last night, the chick kept trying to get out but Dot kept pushing it back under her like an egg. The nest box she went broody in has to be moved or she has to find a different nest box before she can have the chicks.
When marshmallow was broody she only pecked at me once but then I tapped her head and she never did it again. Dot will literally try to rip your skin off! She grabs your hand and twists! I know she will kill anything that tries to hurt her chicks.... Including us! I don't want her to teach her chicks to be afraid of people.
She is the only one that Is brave enough to terrorize marshmallow and her half-grown chicks.

ETA: whenever I think Dot is broody she is always off the nest in the morning.

 

[jerryse]

Put some eggs into hatching tray .Quite a few this week . Did some more pear grafting on wild flowering pear in the woods . We have wild Hawthorn here that I found could be grafted to pear . I need to try that . Quick fruiting when you have a large tree to work over to better stuff . Wildlife food . I like venison . You can plant for them but no bait . So I work within the law . No rain here but maybe tomorrow . Going to be nice today . I need to get started . I will check in during breaks .

 

[Violetsfeathers]

Dot was off the nest when I went to do morning chores. So I put her in front of it and she got back in!