Surviving Minnesota!

[BantyChooks]

Removable floors would work too... I’m just sick of cleaning multiple pens 2 times a week lol. I probably don’t have to clean them that often but I am a clean cage freak.

I put open bottom pens on grass & move them daily. Doesn't get easier than that.

 

[xXStringbeanXx]

Okay so I can’t seem to get accepted into the Duluth chicken swap FB page so I can start seeing who has what. I may be looking for turkey eggs soon (hint hint Ralphie) if I convince the SO to let me remove the wall that divides the coop into coop and storage space or convince him to let me turn the storage space into a second coop. I really want to try turkeys but think that will be a next year thing (along with the SS that y’all talked me into). But I really am trying to find someone with some African geese eggs or goslings. If anyone has insight please let me know.

Additionally, do you guy raise your birds mix-flock or would you if you weren’t showing your birds? Some things I have read say to keep turkeys separate.

Thanks!!

 

[BantyChooks]

Okay so I can’t seem to get accepted into the Duluth chicken swap FB page so I can start seeing who has what. I may be looking for turkey eggs soon (hint hint Ralphie) if I convince the SO to let me remove the wall that divides the coop into coop and storage space or convince him to let me turn the storage space into a second coop. I really want to try turkeys but think that will be a next year thing (along with the SS that y’all talked me into). But I really am trying to find someone with some African geese eggs or goslings. If anyone has insight please let me know.

Additionally, do you guy raise your birds mix-flock or would you if you weren’t showing your birds? Some things I have read say to keep turkeys separate.

Thanks!!

I do a mixed flock. I've kept guineas, ducks, and chickens together, and quail in the same area but penned. It worked okay except for the guineas. No geese or turkeys yet but my neighbour had a mixed flock with them in it, so I can't imagine it could go too wrong.

Birds I want to breed are penned separately. I don't show.

 

[holm25]

I have a flock of Turkeys, Guineas, Ducks and chickens and haven’t had issues... I had geese too but they were a pain in the arse....

I keep all my show birds in a different room of my coop... It works... I think we are gonna build some breeding pens this summer that are tougher than Fort Knox lol.. We have ALOT of predators here...

 

[BantyChooks]

I have a flock of Turkeys, Guineas, Ducks and chickens and haven’t had issues... I had geese too but they were a pain in the arse....

I keep all my show birds in a different room of my coop... It works... I think we are gonna build some breeding pens this summer that are tougher than Fort Knox lol.. We have ALOT of predators here...

Same here. This summer is when my breeding pens should be constructed and I'm planning to wrap the whole shebang up in enough hardware cloth that the hardware store employees will go out for a drink to celebrate. I don't feel like losing $500 worth of birds in a day... or any birds, really.

 

[holm25]

Same here. This summer is when my breeding pens should be constructed and I'm planning to wrap the whole shebang up in enough hardware cloth that the hardware store employees will go out for a drink to celebrate.

FIRST THINGS FIRST I want to build a bachelor pad because I don’t really want to buy any Cornish this year... I’d love to just finish all my extra Cockerels the way Ralphie finishes his turkeys... I am gonna Raise some Cornish for Market but that’s will probably only be a batch of 40?

 

[BantyChooks]

FIRST THINGS FIRST I want to build a bachelor pad because I don’t really want to buy any Cornish this year... I’d love to just finish all my extra Cockerels the way Ralphie finishes his turkeys... I am gonna Raise some Cornish for Market but that’s will probably only be a batch of 40?

I need one of those too but I just know my excuse-making self would use 'well, they're not harrassing the hens' as a reason to keep 20 sub par cockerels.

 

[holm25]

I need one of those too but I just know my excuse-making self would use 'well, they're not harrassing the hens' as a reason to keep 20 sub par cockerels.

I don’t have any issues butchering roosters... I think I butchered 2-3 of my favorites last summer...

 

[BantyChooks]

I don’t have any issues butchering roosters... I think I butchered 2-3 of my favorites last summer...

You. You're my kid now. Come help.

I am a squishy 'ol softie. I like the cockerels too much. Maybe I should raise them to be mean... that might make it easier. I think it's too late for this batch though; they're too sweet.

 

[duluthralphie]

I raise my birds all together as one flock, kind of.
I have a LOT of breeding pens and bachelor pads. If I need an extra pen I just close one up and I have a pen. If I have a rooster that needs a pen and I am without one, I have a killing cone hanging in the tree next to the roosters and my PVC cutter is always handy....(BTW we are having Skinny rooster for supper tonight)..

The turkeys do fine with the chickens here. just beware there are some diseases that can cross back and forth. Most are not fatal but will slow down growth, Blackhead is fatal.

I spent an hour in the January Chick Pen, I think i held half a dozen SS. It amazes me how friendly they are, after a minute of holding them, they sit on my knee and coo while I pet them.

I can see why Jerry calls them his favorite cuddling breed....