mrsmendlebright Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 With the economy the way it is going and both of us working more but bringing home less buying power....I am thinking of getting chickens. ( I am shocked as I write those words!) Here is my situation: We live in a rural area with 16 acres, some of which is in crop. I have a big fenced yard and the desire to succeed. I always have a big garden and can like a mad woman....jelly, jam, meat, fruits and vegetables. I also roam the rural side roads in search of wild plums and raspberries. I don't chew the leather to make my family shoes but I am used to working hard and putting by. I am currently looking into the coop stuff and breeds and feeds. I just have one big question: We live in the NE with its cold weather and snow. The coop I am looking at is one featured on the site. What do I do with them when it is really, really cold? Do they stay warm enough in the little coop or do I need a back up plan. Doesn't the water freeze up? I know my grandparents had chickens but they had a bona fide chicken house and I don't know what they did in the winter...probably went out in the bitter cold to tend to them while I sat inside and sipped cocoa. Anyway, I don't want to get into anything that I cannot do well. I need some advice from experienced chicken people (again...words I never thought I would be writing.....) I will appreciate any and all advice. Don't think anything is too basic....talk down to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Hello Mrs Mendlebright and welcome to the forum. I am sure that someone from the U.S will be along to advise you soon. The eglus/cube are pretty well insulated. Not sure just how cold it gets where you are?? Was -12C here in December and my hens were fine in their eglus. Am sure it gets colder than that where you are! Many U.S eglu owners do add bales of straw/hay against the sides of the eglus for insulation/to stop wind chill and to give extra protection. With regard to water, you can purchase heated 'plates' that the water containers sit on. Not sure how effectively they are, as I now use a metal drinker on bricks, with a candle underneath when it is below 0c. That works well, especially if you can get hold of 8 hour tea lights. Save you checking every hour! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Hello, welcome. I would just say the same as Christian. If you get a lot of snow then that would help insulate the house. I took the drinkers in at night but it is a worry when it's cold all day so often came home to defrost them. Take your cocoa out with you, you'll spend a lot of time outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Welcome . You need to "speak" to Bouldercroft in Boston . Looks like she and her chickens are used to the cold . I added a little heater pad to my last week when we hit a low of nearly -30C but in all honesty my 1.5 chickens survived day temps of -10C and night time temps of below -20C minus heater! Not quite sure why she has 1.5 chickens though . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BocBoc Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Same as above post - our girls survived quite happily in -12 degrees C this winter. The only problem we found was they got a bit bored and looked pretty fed up not being able to scratch about as the ground was frozen solid. A couple of treats hanging from the run helped sort this out. We also had a bit of an issue with the water freezing quite quickly but we took it in turns to come home at lunchtime to defrost it and put warm water back in their drinker. It was quite good fun to give the girls hot porridge on the cold winters morning - it was so funny to watch them eat it!! You'll love chicken keeping so hope you get the reassurance you need to go for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I sit a snugglesafe under my drinkers in the winter to help keep the water defrosted for as long as possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Not quite sure why she has 1.5 chickens though . I think it is because she has a hybrid and a bantam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txswanie Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Hi, welcome to the site, it is a really helpful place. Saved me a few times with illness etc. I am in California so cannot comment on the really cold weather but it does get below freezing in the winter and I haven't had a problem with my cube. I guess you could insulate with bales of straw and put the pet hot pads under the roosting bars. (I have one of those in my bed, they make excellent feet warmers) I would go for the full amount of chickens so that they could snuggle together. Look for heated bird waterers. Chicken raising seems more difficult here in the US. When I look at all the great things available in the UK I am so jealous. We seem to have to make do here. My biggest concern is with predators. Don't know what you have up your way but here it is coyotes, raccoons and hawks. With that in mind I have a big run (20' x40') with the fence concreted in at the bottom and a net over the top. So far no losses. As for saving money on eggs....well don't get my husband started on that. Taking into account the cube, run, organic feed, vets bills, toys etc we did work out the cost of a single egg and well, lets say it might have been gold....Thats just me though I am sure you could make it profitable. Chickens are great though. I was super nervous at first but I have calmed down a lot and am enjoying them so much and the eggs are the best I have ever eaten. So tasty. Good luck with your venture. Colette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouldercroft Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 hello fellow New-Englander... I have 1 full-sized and a bantam (hence my 1.5 count) in an Eglu Go and they are doing splendidly well. They have survived this winters record low temperatures, 5 feet of snow and seem to be happy, healthy and laying eggs. I added a kennel heater pad on that crazy -22F night - but then realized that I forgot to switch it on - Duh! At least it helped me sleep thinking that it was on I know another omleteer in a nearby town and she has 3 full-sized hens and they too are doing great so it's not just beginners luck. I'm in Bedford, MA - let me know if you want to stop by and check out the But I will warn you....it'll take quite a while to fully recover the cost of the coop. You can't do it for purely financial reasons... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I had to google -22f - that is -30c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouldercroft Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 (edited) Doesn't the water freeze up? forgot to answer this bit... I got a birdbath heater that sits in the bottom of the glug (water bowl) and a thermostatically controlled outlet switch - they keep the water from freezing without worrying about turning them on and off http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Products-Eliminator-BirdBath-50-Watt/dp/B0006U2FJ8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1297711784&sr=8-3 http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-TC-3-Thermostatically-Controlled/dp/B0006U2HD2/ref=pd_bxgy_ol_img_c Edited February 15, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouldercroft Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Many U.S eglu owners do add bales of straw/hay against the sides of the eglus for insulation/to stop wind chill and to give extra protection. I collected some of the fallen leaves and stuffed them into black bags and I use these around the run to provide a little extra protection. The black plastic bags have some solar gain which is why I used this method. I have a Brazilian friend who told me that with the trash bags of leaves and the plastic covered run that my eglu looks like a favela but at least they are toasty and warm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I have 1 full-sized and a bantam (hence my 1.5 count) Sorry . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouldercroft Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Not quite sure why she has 1.5 chickens though . I have 1 full-sized and a bantam (hence my 1.5 count) Sorry . hee hee....although Josie the bantam has enough attitude for a whole flock of hens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megalin Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Hello and welcome to the forum! Concerning the cold weather you could also think about the breed of hen. Here's a link to a page about good cold resistant girls. http://www.mysnazzychickencoop.com/raising-chickens/cold-weather-chicken-breeds I think generally they do pretty well in the cold but don't like draughts. You can do it cheaply or expensively, I meant to do it cheaply but It quickly became an obsession and now it's expensive. But sooooo worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmendlebright Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 Well, thank you to all who replied. First off...I live in Nebraska...not New England...but I think the weather is very comparable. This winter we have had -40 wind chills. I will give a thought to the bales of hay. We have an old shed that was used as a playhouse in the past. It has a concrete floor and an enclosed yard. But the yard encloses my beloved strawberries. Do chickens eat strawberries? Unless they are supremely stupid, they do! But I could put them there in the winter, I guess. I am in the initial phases of this and no one else knows I am doing it. I feel like I am carrying on with some sort of weird affair or something! We have predators...raccoons, possums, and our semi-feral shop cats. We feed them all (cat food) so if I brought in chickens they would probably think they had stumbled on to a casino-type buffet. I don't plan to save much moneywise but I am the type of person that likes to be as independent as possible and I figure that I can create all sorts of recipes with eggs. As for my husband, he would be onboard with the idea of chickens but not with the expensive eglu...but I need it to be pretty. As for the birds themselves...well, I have a not a love/hate relationship...more like an indifferent/fear relationship. The chickens at my grandparent's farm always pecked at me and my grandma would often relate how, as a little Swedish girl, one would always try to peck at her eyes. Note to self-keep face away from chicken's face. Also, my Aunt Olga had a mouse run up her leg and had to clutch her skirt and beat the mouse dead with her hands..it could have happened anywhere but it happened in the chicken house. But my attitude will be one of respect. I will be very solicitous and responsible and they will give me eggs...and keep my face away from their's. Again...thank you and I will be back with more questions, I am sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouldercroft Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 First off...I live in Nebraska...not New England...but I think the weather is very comparable. Doh! Sorry I wasn't thinking in state initials - being on the UK forum my british-ness tends to take over I think our winters are comparable but I think your summers are hotter? Everyone tells me that I need to worry more about the heat than the cold and from how well my girls have survived the winter - I'm guessing they are right Do chickens eat strawberries? My chickens don't - and they don't like raspberries either? but that could just be my girls We have predators...raccoons, possums, and our semi-feral shop cats. I have possums, racoons, fisher-cats, coyotes, foxes and black bears but the predators that worry me is the most are the hawks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 As for the birds themselves...well, I have a not a love/hate relationship...more like an indifferent/fear relationship. If you are a tad scared of the large girls (I know I was), why not consider bantams? They do lay smaller eggs but the proportion of yolk to white is bigger so they are lovely and rich for omlets and scrambled eggs. There are some breeds that come specifically in bantam size e.g. Pekins, but there are also bantam sized hens for most of the standard breeds e.g. Orpingtons and you could choose a particularly docile kind. If you go for those that say 'good with children' then you should be just fine - no pecked eyes. Take a look on the The Omlet Breed section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 As for the birds themselves...well, I have a not a love/hate relationship...more like an indifferent/fear relationship. I was scared of birds when I first got chickens. (I wasn't justscared of chickens, I had a general phobia of flappy wings, even on small birds). It didn't take me long to realise that when my girls flap, they aren't actually trying to hit me. They are either a bit scared, or just trying to balance themselves. I learned to just turn my head away if they flap, so that I don't accidentally get hit in the face. Now it doesn't bother me at all, and I have no bird phobia. We even raise birds for the table, from our own fertilised eggs, and I'm happy to have the chicks sitting on my shoulder. Actually, I'd be happy having the big girls sit on my shoulder as well, but most of them lose the inclination as they get older and heavier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
