Surviving Minnesota!

[duluthralphie]

My only decent pumpkin this year..

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Beautiful pumpkin. That looks like a hernia waiting to happen.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

So I got it all figured out now on the new layers. That lighter colored smaller egg was the Barnevelder. Nice coppery colored egg too. All 3 new girls are laying. The speckled marans is Edith. The big round marans eggs Cosette's. And little bit lighter and 'normal' sized pullet egg--Loretta's. Whew. Glad to get that all worked out.
I know it may sound trivial but I do kinda keep track of who is doing what with an app I have. All Part of the fun with 10 hens only.

They have picked up on the feed eating. Bugs and frogs might be disappearing or hibernating. This time of year I will usually see the roo taking the girls out farther for foraging. Not a fan of that.

 

[jerryse]

My line decent pumpkin this year..

View attachment 1937948

I bet you bought that as in you didn't grow it . Cut down the dead oak . Lighting got it . 36 x 39 inches at the stump . Lots of limbs for firewood plus a 12' and 10' saw log . Got most of the links cut up . In for my lunch then back to it .

 

[gtaus]

Got a Minnesota question. First winter with chickens for me.

I am building a small chicken run for the winter. Probably no bigger than 4X8, using 2x4's and chicken wire, using maybe a sheet of plywood for the top and enclosing the 6 foot tall sides with plastic. I will be making a door to access the small run.

My question, should I make the door up off the ground? I am thinking it should maybe be 6 inches or 1 foot off the ground just to make sure that it does not get snowed in. Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[duluthralphie]

I bet you bought that as in you didn't grow it . Cut down the dead oak . Lighting got it . 36 x 39 inches at the stump . Lots of limbs for firewood plus a 12' and 10' saw log . Got most of the links cut up . In for my lunch then back to it .

I grew it with my two hands!!!


Nice saw logs. You have a mill?

 

[duluthralphie]

Got a Minnesota question. First winter with chickens for me.

I am building a small chicken run for the winter. Probably no bigger than 4X8, using 2x4's and chicken wire, using maybe a sheet of plywood for the top and enclosing the 6 foot tall sides with plastic. I will be making a door to access the small run.

My question, should I make the door up off the ground? I am thinking it should maybe be 6 inches or 1 foot off the ground just to make sure that it does not get snowed in. Thanks for your suggestions.

I would make the door a foot or so off the ground. The birds can jump out that easily.

I would not use chicken wire, a fisher will eat through it like it was sewing thread. Use hardware cloth.

 

[gtaus]

I would make the door a foot or so off the ground. The birds can jump out that easily.

I would not use chicken wire, a fisher will eat through it like it was sewing thread. Use hardware cloth.

OK, a foot off the ground sounds about right to me. Just don't want to be snowed in overnight and have to shovel my way into the chicken run in the morning.

I don't let my chickens free range because of Bald Eagles and hawks overhead. I only let my chickens out in their chicken run during the day. At night they are locked up tight in their coop. I was thinking chicken wire covered with plastic would be good enough for the winter run. For the summer chicken run, I have been using 2X4 wire fencing and have not had any predator problems. But I agree that chicken wire is not predator proof.

 

[jerryse]

I grew it with my two hands!!!


Nice saw logs. You have a mill?

Yes I brought the mill home this year . I have done some this big on it . Got to trim the flare near the stump end to make it fit .

 

[duluthralphie]

Yes I brought the mill home this year . I have done some this big on it . Got to trim the flare near the stump end to make it fit .

ahhhh!!

My mill would need a lot of trimming to get one that big through.

But I cheat by making a cant thus removing a slab on all four sides until it fits. I waste lumber doing it, but otherwise it’s just firewood.