Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[mrheinz77]

Hi All!

I found where my naughty little hens have been hiding eggs! I don't know how they could get in and out of there, it was a real tight space. I think I got it plugged up.

Wow mrheinz! you had quite a trip for your birds!

Night All.

It was about 90 miles one way. It is worth it for good birds.

I'll post pictures later.

 

[jvls1942]

good late morning,
breakfast is out of the way.
after I check in on the chicks, I am going to haul a few wet bales of straw to the green house.

one of these days I have to drag the lawn mower out and get it ready for the mowing season. I don't mind mowing, I just don't like the first start-up in the spring
Probably will have to charge up the battery, and more than likely at least one tire will be needing air. and I know I have one blade mount to change .

ended up with 6/10 on the egg count yesterday,

...........jiminwisc..........

 

[chikenscratch]

Being a city girl up until I moved to a rural neighborhood 10 years ago, chickens were a mystery to me! An animal lover all around, I would never be comfortable being responsible for animals without first knowing what I'm doing. Honestly, hubby gave me the green light on the whole "Chicken thing" (as he calls it, LOL) for this summer but I'm just not ready. Medical care is my biggest concern. Looking for runny noses, pasty butts, bumble foot, or questionable droppings is about the extent of my chicken medicine knowledge. (And even that is just what I've read here at BYC) And then the vaccine debate. Oy.

I would love to get a few Wyandottes (sp?) but am hesitant due to some broodiness mentioned in owner reviews of the breed. (How much of a pain is that to deal with?)
Sex Links are on the top of my list too. Not sure if the different colors have different temperaments.
Also Rhode Island Reds, but again, I'm reading that they can get aggressive if they come from the wrong blood line. (Production vs heritage, I believe. How would I know the difference???)

Any hens I bring in would need to be docile as they will be pets first, then layers. Since my coop will not have electricity they have be ok with our lovely WI winters and walking on snow.

Has anyone used solar power to power a dog bowl heater? Or do I bite the bullet and run an extension cord to the coop in the winter?

I am glad that you have done some research, but the medical issues (IMHO) are easy to eliminate. My 1st choice for avoiding illness is to bring home eggs only, not live birds. This way you aren't transferring bugs, viruses, bacteria, etc. My 2nd choice is to let the mother raise the chicks and not me. This way I don't need to worry about temperature, feeding, protection, etc. My 3rd choice is to not have too many birds for the size of my hen house as over population increases disease rates. We have been extremely fortunate to not have had any health issues with our birds.
I love Wyandottes (very friendly), Orpington (friendly but to go broody), and RIR.
I recommend that you just jump in and enjoy the experience!

Hi All-

So I'm the new kid here... and I hope this is ok to do... But I am writing a research paper on- you guessed it- CHICKENS and would love it if a few fellow Wisconsinites could take a few minutes to answer a some general questions. Nothing Earth shattering, just a few areas of my paper that would benefit from a wide range of responses. I know the BYC website and this forum cover these topics in depth, but I am curious to see what my fellow WISCONSIN residents have to say. Also, my paper requires that I generate my survey questions and compile responses myself.

This little survey is geared for what I assume to be the traditional backyard chicken keeper (under 10-ish birds), and not so much farm/large flock settings. I will be summarizing your responses in my paper and will not include any identifying information. Write as little or as much as you want!

THANK-YOU in advance to those who participate, and please let me know if this not appropriate for this board and I will promptly remove it.

1. How many, and what breeds do you own? Any roosters?

2. How did you decide those on breeds?

3. How is your coop and run set up? Would you change anything if you could? Feel free to send a picture!

4. Do you allow for free range or foraging time? If so, how is that space defined?

5. How do you winterize your coop/run?

6. What are the best tips to save time/money on maintaining your flock?

7. How do you handle medical care for sick or injured birds? At what point do you see a vet or euthanize?

8. Do you have dogs or cats as well? Any issues with pet vs. chicken attacks?

9. Do you know the zoning restrictions on chickens for your county or town? Did you have to fight to be allowed to keep poultry?

10. What is the hardest thing about keeping chickens that people may not be aware of?

Thanks for your time!

1. How many, and what breeds do you own? Any roosters? I have 7 hens, no rooster. I have 1 wyandotte, 1 lavendar orpington, 5 black orpingtons, and one cross of orpington nature.

2. How did you decide those on breeds?Recommendations from friends and research!

3. How is your coop and run set up? Would you change anything if you could? Feel free to send a picture! 10x17 run with an upper portion for laying. If building it again, I'd definitely have the door open outward!

4. Do you allow for free range or foraging time? If so, how is that space defined? I do allow free ranging in a fenced area that is along the side of my house.

5. How do you winterize your coop/run? I didn't "winterize" it, but I did run an extension cord out to it for heat lamps if it gets below zero and for the water heater.

6. What are the best tips to save time/money on maintaining your flock? Once you have adult birds, don't buy crumble (it gets every where) but instead get pellets or make fermented feed (it is healthier for them and goes a lot further). Also, don't fall prey to all of the precautionary health vaccines, etc. If your flock gets sick, treat them.

7. How do you handle medical care for sick or injured birds? At what point do you see a vet or euthanize? I've never had a sick bird.

8. Do you have dogs or cats as well? Any issues with pet vs. chicken attacks? I have 2 dogs (one terrier and one Maremma) the terrier has never been given the chance to be around the birds as I am sure she would kill them. The Maremma is a LGD and is really good with the birds. Of the 2 cats, only one is outdoor and we will soon see how she reacts to the birds.

9. Do you know the zoning restrictions on chickens for your county or town? Did you have to fight to be allowed to keep poultry? I do know the zoning for my area, they are not allowed, therefore I ignore all of it except I don't have roosters.

10. What is the hardest thing about keeping chickens that people may not be aware of? Finding someone that is comfortable watching them when you go on vacation!

Finally all the girls in the big coop laid!!!! 13/13

Yea! I wish I could say the same.

The LGD is hard at work watching over the new piglets.

LMAO!!!!

 

[mrheinz77]

Just some pictures of my new birds.

Black Langshan Cockerel

RC RIR Cockerel. Not the best picture

9 RC RIR chicks

 

[jvls1942]

good early evening,
I had a not too bad of a day.

I got the 5 water soaked straw bales into the green house.

the lawn mower started up without having to charge the battery..

I was right about flat tires. but,,, I got the tire off of the rim, cleaned the beads and got it back on with air. it has a bad weather check on the side wall so I kind of doubt that it is going to hold air .. I will know in the morning, if no air, I will go get a tube and put it in.. after all, I am not running down the highway with it.

I found the part I need to fix the broken blade adapter, so maybe tomorrow I will get the mower deck all fixed and ready to put back on.

all in all , not a bad day..

I think there is one corona left to reward myself with.

The rooster figured out how to get out of the chicken yard.
I hope no hens saw him leave or they will try it, too..
I think flew out.

Nice looking black rooster, jim..
.
.........jiminwisc........

 

[Cindlady]

Hi All!

Nothing new here.

Night All.

 

[GranolaGirl72]

Love the roo photos, still don't want any myself. We did outside things as well this weekend. Took of the snowblower and put the deck on the mower, oldest mowed the lawn while Steve and I got started on the coop foundation. Couple trips to Menards, some sore shoulders and a few bad words later we are ready to go with the actual build. He made a rough sketch last night based off my shoot for the moon requests. We shall see what actually happens. The only heavy discussion was about the value of windows under a covered run.

 

[jvls1942]

good afternoon,

having a good day so far.

put a tube in the weather checked tire.
got the mower deck all fixed.
just have to mount the deck to the tractor.
I had company for awhile so that took me away from my project.
Now it is beginning to get windy and it is sprinkling a little

If you have to change a small tire, I have a good tip for using a vice grips to ease the project.

.........jiminwisc.......

 

[chickendreams24]

This is a question for everyone who incubates.

What humidity do you run your incubator(s) at both for incubation and for lockdown?

 

[chikenscratch]

Love the roo photos, still don't want any myself. We did outside things as well this weekend. Took of the snowblower and put the deck on the mower, oldest mowed the lawn while Steve and I got started on the coop foundation. Couple trips to Menards, some sore shoulders and a few bad words later we are ready to go with the actual build. He made a rough sketch last night based off my shoot for the moon requests. We shall see what actually happens. The only heavy discussion was about the value of windows under a covered run.

My "windows" are cut out from the panel, then I stapled hardware cloth to the 2x4 frame around that cut out, and I have a flap of panel cut to fit over the "window" hole in the event that I ever want to put the flap down. Otherwise, there are no official windows in my coop or run.