Surviving Minnesota!

[destiny_56085]

I know how you feel on the lowering numbers... We used to have 150+ ducks and 75+ geese and we've whittled down to just less than 8 adult muscovies. We used to have 3 different breeds of turkeys and they are all gone. We used to have 25+ peafowl and I think we are down to 8 and I've been selling off babies as they hatch. Used to have 150+ pigeons between barn and my brother's loft in town.... I think he has just a couple left in his loft and none at farm now. On the chickens... Usually at this time of the year, I'd have enough to supply all the people on this thread plus some. This year I have less than 100 total and will still narrow more cockerels out by fall.

I think the older I get, the heavier those feed bags get. Cleaning pens and scraping crap off everything has me investing more in Aleve and the chiropractor visits. I sold the big 600 egg Redwood incubator this summer and am tempted to downsize from the 400 Redwood I still have.

 

[MNChickMom]

I have a cream legbar cockerel that will be coming to Hutch.....God willing he doesn't kill himself before then!

 

[duluthralphie]

I am going down to just one incubator and hatcher next year.

It is not worth the hassle. I have to deal with CL people that only want to chisel the price so low I am losing money on the birds..OR

When I go to a swap, the same thing happens, and then I end up competing against the birds I bred at the shows. I am just going to hatch for myself. Maybe a few 4H kids, and after I pick my birds eat the losers.

 

[BantyChooks]

I have a cream legbar cockerel that will be coming to Hutch.....God willing he doesn't kill himself before then!

Shhh, don't say that, or he will.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have 5o cockerels, Seems the predators and/or thieves preferred the girls over the boys. I find it amazing the predators found the girls pens and left the boys alone!

 

[Elise Ferguson]

Well my dad made me a cupola. Now to find a weathervane that doesn't cost more than the coop itself

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Oh my gosh is that coop amazing! The shakes and the barred windows.... And the thingie on top!....

I will let you know that you should change out that large gauge chicken wire for hardware cloth. It's a bit more money. But the Weasels can get through those holes and a coon can actually tear one of those holes open to slip his body in. Maybe it's something you are already going to do.

 

[Elise Ferguson]

Oh my gosh is that coop amazing! The shakes and the barred windows.... And the thingie on top!....

I will let you know that you should change out that large gauge chicken wire for hardware cloth. It's a bit more money. But the Weasels can get through those holes and a coon can actually tear one of those holes open to slip his body in. Maybe it's something you are already going to do.

Ahh yes the chicken wire. That was the hubby's "get started before consulting the wife" contribution which he actually stapled in under the window frames. I don't think we have weasels around here but we do have raccoons. My dad actually used hardware mesh in the cupola. I'll have to figure a gentle way to break it to him that we should maybe replace that .... "thank you for doing all this work but ..." yeesh

 

[jerryse]

In town again . Started planing 3/4 lumber yesterday . Getting ready for the subfloor . Got to set up the router tables for tongue and grove for the boards . Worked through rest time the last 2 days . Yeah ! Improving on the aches and pains . Going to see BC at lunch . Ralphie I may have some Legbar cockerels . Have to see what I have when I return home .

 

[duluthralphie]

In town again . Started planing 3/4 lumber yesterday . Getting ready for the subfloor . Got to set up the router tables for tongue and grove for the boards . Worked through rest time the last 2 days . Yeah ! Improving on the aches and pains . Going to see BC at lunch . Ralphie I may have some Legbar cockerels . Have to see what I have when I return home .

Jerry, you're a life saver..How about a couple Pullets I can borrow? OR you can show here?



BC nice catch on the poultry netting, I never noticed it...

Elise,, What are the directions to your place so I can pick up my new coop? That is an amzing coop!