Surviving Minnesota!

[emkawa]

Hi Cluckies & other Minnesotans !!!

Our little flock is 2 Barred Rocks, 1 Welsummer, 1 Black Australorpe, 1 White Leghorn, 1 Gold Laced Wyandotte, 1 Easter Egger & 1 ISA Brown. The coop "La Luna Amarillo" I modified after getting it home. We were originally going to keep 4 birds and decided on extras in case of tragedy and all the birds have thrived so the coop needed to grow. I still need to add a droppings board and add more vents for winter and put up some more roosts, but the girls all seem happy and get a long nicely. They roam the yard from morning to sundown and out themselves to bed around 8 pm. I am still totally perplexed over pecking order. I know who is lowest, not because the others pick on her excessively, she is just more cautious and keeps her distance from the others at certain times. I am really enjoying this new hobby and love my girls. I am watching all the time for the first egg!!!

Question: Who has their coop insulated? I have a few sheets of foam that I could use, but haven't decided if i should or just leave the coop bare bones.

 

[BantyChooks]

Hi Cluckies & other Minnesotans !!!

Our little flock is 2 Barred Rocks, 1 Welsummer, 1 Black Australorpe, 1 White Leghorn, 1 Gold Laced Wyandotte, 1 Easter Egger & 1 ISA Brown. The coop "La Luna Amarillo" I modified after getting it home. We were originally going to keep 4 birds and decided on extras in case of tragedy and all the birds have thrived so the coop needed to grow. I still need to add a droppings board and add more vents for winter and put up some more roosts, but the girls all seem happy and get a long nicely. They roam the yard from morning to sundown and out themselves to bed around 8 pm. I am still totally perplexed over pecking order. I know who is lowest, not because the others pick on her excessively, she is just more cautious and keeps her distance from the others at certain times. I am really enjoying this new hobby and love my girls. I am watching all the time for the first egg!!!

Question: Who has their coop insulated? I have a few sheets of foam that I could use, but haven't decided if i should or just leave the coop bare bones.

I don't insulate. My chickens survive well enough without me giving mice nesting material, lol.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Foam boards are a favorite snack of chickens.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

The dog still lives. I am sorry to say that I was quite abusive and I am confessing that I have never - ever experienced the feeling I was having toward this dog. I still won't look at him however the gardening is good therapy. Work it off and think it through. It sounds like a chippie and it is an unfortunate series of events in a very short (probably less than a minute and a half) time period. If only mama hen had backed up to tell her baby that she must walk on this side of the wall. If only I had blocked that path out for those chickies. If only I had put the waterer down that I was grabbing as I walked to get the chickie. Just a few seconds would have saved her. I am sure it was a pullet because of the wing feathers. The whole ordeal still makes me sick. Lesson learned.

Call it abuse if you want. But it sounds like your dog learned where it's place is on the pecking order a bit. Sadie knows that chasing chickens closely correlates with the bristles of a broom chasing her hard across the yard and a red headed chicken keeping monster screaming obscenities at her. Not proud moments. But the pup is trained to steer clear. Oh she had some chicken bowling moments in which she was redirected with the broom but we are good now.

 

[duluthralphie]

Show the bird. Egg color is not a point to be considered as per SOP. Thus if you had a desire to develop a strain of this breed which lays a different color egg it is a nonfactor as relates to showing.
If the egg is purple I will take the bird off your hands, as it will help to develop consistency in my purple egg layers.

This neighbor of yours that may be exhibiting signs of forgetfulness is a source of some of your own genes. Does that part give you any concerns ?

It does not seem to me that simply leaving the gate open to the pen would result in that number of birds being gone without a trace ? Have you checked her freezer ?

This neighbor of yours that may be exhibiting signs of forgetfulness is a source of some of your own genes. Does that part give you any concerns ?


I am thinking and have thought for a long time I am adopted..It would explain why I am so much better looking and more intelligent than my siblings..So no worries here.

 

[emkawa]

Thank you all. He's one of Minnie's Stock. I'm a junkie for her birds.

Welcome emcawa. The first egg--aka the most expensive egg -- will delight you to no end and the ones that will follow will have the same appeal and fanfare no doubt. It never gets old.

Im so so so Excited!

 

[emkawa]

@emkawa Welcome to the thread!

1st eggs are so exciting! You'll have to fill us in on what breed or breeds you have. Lovely coop, did you build it yourself?

I replied above, i believe, just trying to get the hang of the BYC site. SOOOO much information and navigation has quite the learning curve ( for this user )

 

[emkawa]

I don't insulate. My chickens survive well enough without me giving mice nesting material, lol.

i was curious about the possibility of mouse nests. Any one JUST insulate the roof ? or is that a waste of time?

 

[emkawa]

Welcome to the thread..

Tell us about your flock...Yourself and whatever you want too...
Too bad you are just south of the Banana Belt... Are you able to grow rhubarb there?

Hi duluthralphie! Yes rhubarb does grow here, plentifully! and I am an avid gardener! Lots of flowers and a few veggies - need more sun with all the mature trees veggies can be tough on our property. the BANANA belt!!!??? I feel so un- Minnesotan that i have NO idea what that is???!!!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I personally think insulating the roof is a good idea. Moisture can build up and drip on birds. Also I've noted a difference in temps and I like it a little bit warmer for them when it's -25 F . I do have to change out my insulation about every two years due to mousies. Buggers. So gross. Insulation can keep a coop cooler in the summer as well. Pros and cons.