Surviving Minnesota!

[I Love Layers]

Just finished skating. Going to the movies. Afterwards we are coming back to skate more

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I think Ancestry is a cool website. It's not super cheap if you just plan on using it to just look a few things up.....like what I would use it for. Is the only information on there is what was provided by others using the site?

You hatched those Wellies from Minnie, right? I might break down and buy some BCM eggs from Ebay and hope the people are honest with the egg color they have pictured.

I haven't paid for anything except FIL's DNA test. And really what I've found so far without paying a cent is probably all he really wants to know and what his DNA results come back. But yes there's a monthly fee to 'get more' access to records.

Yes Hatching eggs from Minnie that I went down and picked up with my own car. I did hatching eggs through Ebay once....and I know the breeder was honest but even though relatively well packed and in the spring with moderate temps the yolks were loose and I didn't get one to hatch. It was a lesson on shipped eggs. Hard to spend money on Nada...that's for sure.

 

[pointsalamander]

HI!

I'm a fairly inexperienced chicken person. I was the weird person that had a chicken jump in their car and took care of it for a while. My child was so in love with her chicken Lulu that we have decided come spring in St. Paul to go ahead and get some hens. And I'm hoping you all can help out a girl.


We live in St. Paul proper, we have a small coop with run, indoor square footage will be about 12 square feet so my little coop will allow me to have 3 birds. I have the paperwork, just need to finish building (which well its too cold for that right now).

But here comes the fun part, after all that I have 0 idea how to actually get hens, know they are hens, and have any idea if they will work for us. Houle's seems to be a place I could get them but I have a few questions.

Does anyone know of anyone in the twin cities that might sell sexed Batam chicks? And 2 if I couldn't get batam are there other birds that are hardy but little with some tolerance for children?
My girls love to let them free range when we are outside, but they will have to be put back in teh run and coop when we are indoors (can you say stray cats?) And when should I start looking to order or anything?

Or if you all can just direct me to the best beginner in the city in cold weather thread that would be awesome too.

For the record this is our boy (who lives on a farm south of the cities now) that we miss and started this whole thing.

 

[duluthralphie]

@pointsalamander

I do not have any bantams and know little about them. I have my Appletinis (aplenhauser Spritzenbaurer) some one will have to correct the real name of them I can never remember or spell it. They are a small bird and beautiful. They seem to handle the cold weather with no problems. I have no idea how to sex them though it took me 5 months to know which of mine were girls.






I also have yokohomas (spelling again) They are small birds and really friendly seem to do well in cold too. I also have Legbars I like them, and they are tough and pretty small and as a bonus lay blue eggs.





Oh and even I can sex the colored legbars!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Well he looks like a good looking feller and you've done well finding him a dairy farm. Ha. Cute picture.

What I'd encourage you to do is to do alot of research on this website. Actually right in the Home page there's an education center. I think bantams in a small coop is a great idea for town. As for handling I think it is an excellent opportunity to show children proper handling techniques and when enough is enough. Hand washing before (for the the chicks' health) and after (for your childs' health etc. ) Chicks need the brooder lamp and warm conditions so playing out in the lawn with a small child for any length of time before they are feathered is a no-no. You will lose the birds. They are fragile creatures.

When you buy your birds you will see them sexed pullets (females) or cockerels (males) or Straight Runs (a mixture of all but usually a bonanza of males as I think it is a dumping ground for sexed orders). Please know that even though you are getting sexed chicks sometimes there are mix ups. My first batch of 9 sexed pullets from a hatchery yielded 3 males and 6 females eventually. And the lessons learned from there are endless. You could maybe go with some 'started pullets' which are more expensive but are a sure fire way to get only females.

We answer all beginner questions, by the way. But reading you will get more out of it....and just keep reading. That's sort of what I did.
I started with coop building and the needs there.... Space, roosts, feeder/waterer set up, nesting boxes, I suggest floor insulation between the floor joists.
Then I started researching breeds. May I suggest rose comb or cushion comb to prevent frost bites.
Then research caring for chicks. Feed (not treats), Water, warmth, Cleanliness.

 

[pointsalamander]

Thanks!

I have a lot of herpetology experience so basics of food water and such I'm not bad with (hence how Lulu actually lived from a scruffy little chick to that butthead (his new name the farmer gave him)) a coworker gave me a book on constructing the coop. ITs more the overwhelming amount of chicken breeds out there and not knowing which ones just have the right personality as well clearly I will be doing all the care but technically they will be my girls birds.

 

[I Love Layers]

Ralphie I think it is Appenzeller Spitzhauben or Appenzeller Spitzhaubhen

I can't remember

 

[duluthralphie]

@pointsalamander BC told you some good stuff. Be prepared to change your plans and techniques several times, Things change.

Hens/pullets are not as susceptible to frostbite as rooster, but it is still a concern.

I double/triple and an hundred fold the part about chicks and kids, until the chicken has feathers Kids can look and touch once a week for 2 seconds. You would not believe how many chicks are loved to death.

 

[duluthralphie]

Wow I found a thread for Jerry and EJB to join!!


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/299187/people-with-house-chickens/3880#post_17896957

 

[I Love Layers]

No travel advised for the western side of the state right now. Glad we are going back tomorrow morning instead