Surviving Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

Might have to tell them about that sale. He wants Ringnecks so hopefully there will be some of those.

I am actually thinking of turning the Guinea Gulag into a pheasant pen. My neighbors across the county road have chickens. I do not dare let my Guineas roam anymore, they enjoy playing on the road so much I know they will come in contact with their chickens.

They do not practice any kind of Biosecurity. I am afraid the guineas would bring a disease back to me. I have gotten more and more paranoid about biosecurity as I sell more and more chicks. It is not just for me but my customers. I have even thought of getting some cheap "rubber" overshoes for people that want to see my birds. I like showing my birds and I worry the booties might not be enough.

Some people are so good about not touching (momofplenty and her plenty, Mnchickmom and so on) then some are so bad....(mainly city dwellers trying to decide what bird they want.) However, when I say don't touch it seems to help. I think it is just ignorance. When I take the time to explain it they seem to appreciate it. As I tell them it is for their flocks health as much as mine and the next customer.

Then some others are just stupid.......


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

 

[Cluckies]

I'm still wearing my snow pants when I go out... so longjohns would not be out of line I guess

come on spring!

 

[Momof3plustwins]

I'm still wearing my snow pants when I go out... so longjohns would not be out of line I guess

come on spring!

I also wear my snow pants. Not only for warm but for keeping my clothes clean!

So they say each chicken needs so many sq feet of space to be happy, WELL that is unless they want to lay an egg, then 6 in a nesting box some on top of others is just fine too! 6!! in a 12x12 box! They are just weird. But at least I am getting more eggs. Thinking about clipping the egg eaters beak. She is just an ISA brown so I don't really care for the looks. I am thinking just the very tip so not much just enough to make it hard for her to break the shell.

 

[ejb3810]

Ralphie, there was a link in a Duluth Chicken Keepers Facebook post yesterday to a Craigslist ad for a Redwood Incubator. The ad said it was in working order, and the price was very good.

Pheasants are more difficult to work with than Guineas in my experience, but they taste much better.

A true Scandinavian would not even think about wearing long johns in the winter we have just experienced.
At my advancing age though I am finding it pleasant to wear gloves, but it may be my circulation is compromised by this hypertension medication ?

 

[I Love Layers]

So i am taking all the birds and everything from her plus all the equipment. And she is willing to give it to me for free. Of course i eill psy her since some of the breeds are kinda rare and some of the equipment is expensive

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralphie, there was a link in a Duluth Chicken Keepers Facebook post yesterday to a Craigslist ad for a Redwood Incubator. The ad said it was in working order, and the price was very good.

Pheasants are more difficult to work with than Guineas in my experience, but they taste much better.

A true Scandinavian would not even think about wearing long johns in the winter we have just experienced.
At my advancing age though I am finding it pleasant to wear gloves, but it may be my circulation is compromised by this hypertension medication ?

I might have to look for that..

As far as pure blood Scandinavian, I am not. Luckily for me the Scandinavian blood I do have is Greater Scandinavian and not lessor Scandinavian like my wife and kids have.

My ancestors have been here many generations. I come from a long line of welcoming people. They have been so welcoming to new comers that purity in my blood disappeared over 100 years ago. The last pure blood born was my Grandpa, the Greater Scandinavian, and that was in 1887.

I have had pheasants before, They can be a pain in the rear, but with them if they escape they do not come back like guineas. Never have a I heard of a gang of pheasant committing highway robbery, unlike Guineas.

The worst part about pheasants is having to get another state permit to raise them.

 

[lvie]

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.

 

[lvie]

The covered run with the nest boxes to the left and under that is the dusting box. The box in front of the nesting boxes has a kennel under it holding the new member of the flock. And here he is . . . .

Not the best picture of him yet. He needs that box covering him. Its been a stressful day for him and the box helps him relax a little while he is confined. I sang to him coming home from Ralphies and he liked that. Settled right down. I know huh? He is crazy to like my singing.

Okay - looks a little congested right now but its not. The broody box is on the right side all ready for someone to go broody. The pitched roof area is going this summer and I want that whole area built into a roost area with the radiant heat. It is 3' deep so enough room for two 5' roosts.





This looks toward the back of the covered run where the gate to enter and exit exists.

 

[holm25]

Ivie I am loving the pics! Where did you get that too? Beautiful!

 

[lvie]

Ivie I am loving the pics! Where did you get that too? Beautiful!

Ralphie of course. He was in the 'to be eaten' run. An EE who MATCHES (LOL) alllll my hens. Should I put him on the roost after dark or wait a couple days?
I think its too early for him to free-range. He should have a couple more days don't you think. Cuz I dunno.