Yukon ho! -Northern chickens.

[yukonchickens]

New to chicken raising - and wanting to get birds that are very cold hardy! This will be our first winter with birds, we have grand plans of building them a solarium so they can go "outside" during the winter. As winter will start in oct/nov and continue until april, I'd love tips about how to keep my birds happy and frostbite free!

 

[miss_thenorth]

Welcome! you are going to want to get chckens that have very small combs. there are a few cold tolerant breeds to choose from.

I know my chickens don't want to go out much when there is snow on the ground, so they spend most of the winter in the barn. Your gonna want to make sure they have s dustbath, and a big enough area that they won't get too bored in.
When I lived up north, I didn't have chickens, and our winters here don't get as cold as up where you are, but there are quite a few from BC and Alaska here. They might be able to help you out more.

My only recommendation is get lots---they keep each other warm in the winter.

 

[yukonchickens]

We have a well-insulated coop - R25, which is better than some home "down south" - and we plan to have only 16 over winter. and there's a thermostat and heat lamp. Some say the deep litter method helps keep them warm. thoughts?

We have austrolorps, americanas, orpingtons, brahmas, and redrock cross. I'd really like to find chanteclers, but they don't seem to be able to ship them up here. sigh....

The nights are already cool - 4c - but the chicks seem to be alright.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Those are all good cold-hardy chicks.

Good job! And welcome!!!

Only supply enough heat to keep the coop just above freezing... you don't want the eggs or water to freeze, but the chickens will do quite well if you don't overheat them in the winter. We keep one 250watt bulb on their waterer, and that's it. The new coop has a gravity-fed system for the water, so we're going to put the heat-tape on the pvc piping to keep it from freezing. Deep litter does help in the winter.

 

[LynneP]

Buy locally, you'll get the breeds or hybrids that so well in your area. I suspect red sex links with rose combs would be at the top of your list! Do you have a feed store or co-op that can supply you birds and feed? Maybe a local breeder?

 

[miss_thenorth]

I hear you say--keep you coop only above freezing. Ok, I realize I am "down south" now, but we still get around -18 or so. Idon't have an insulated barn, and I don't heat it. I use an electric dog water bowl to keep the water from freezing, and occasionally--if it is really cold (like below- 15), i keep a heat lamp on. Also, if I am expecting it to be very cold, I throw out a few handfuls of corn--its; supposed to generate heat..

Deep litter, if done correctly will keep thngs warmer too. It will generate heat as it composts. I do this in the winter. If your barn is insulated R25 with a heat lamp, I'm sure that your birds will be just fine.

Where in the Yukon are you? I used to live Near Timmins, ON. Still south compared to you. The coldest we got was around -35 to -40 usually in February. I would still trade that for the winters down here any day!! (as you can tell from my username-- I miss the north)