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Cold climate chickens? | (Read 1266 times) |
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njoy
Posts: 7
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January 24, 2010, 04:49:24 AM |
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I'm a newbie here and qualify as "great white north" as I live about half way between the US and Yukon border at 3000 feet above sea level. Actually, I've lived a lot of places in the world and here is good. My DH and I are retired and have bought a small acreage and are looking forward to messing around with chickens, etc.
I hope there are other people from climatically-challenged parts of the world who will suggest what kinds of chickens to raise. We are mostly interested in meat so may not bother overwintering them. We have the space to do the paddock thing.
Cheers!
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JIGGY
Posts: 25
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January 26, 2010, 11:33:15 AM |
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I am from Quebec and Get down to -30C - defenately need to keep your chickens inside, ideally an insulated building with a heat lamp or 2.
1 breed I know works is the Rhode Island
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njoy
Posts: 7
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January 26, 2010, 01:00:42 PM |
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Thanks, Jiggy. I lived near Sherbrooke at one time. Different climate than here but comparable. We get a bit colder, though!
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« Last Edit: January 26, 2010, 01:02:29 PM by njoy »
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Chuck
Posts: 85
If you ain't goin' somewhere you're going nowhere
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February 07, 2010, 02:52:41 PM |
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We used to have chickens on our Alaska homestead. When we built our chicken house we made it pretty small 4'x8' with r16 in the walls and ceiling. We normally kept 20 to 30 chickens in it it was closed up at night but during the day we would open the door so the chickens could come and go as they pleased. they were fed high protein feed I also hung animal carcasses for extra protein. We never heated the coop and we only cleaned it out a few times each winter we always added new straw to give them something clean to walk on. Just letting the straw and poop compost along with the small size lept thing relatively warm even during the coldest spells, some times as low as -30 F. We had barred rock, banties, buff orpingtons, and rhode island reds. All of them did well in the cold the r.i. reds were very aggressive eaters so we didn't keep them long.
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"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of Human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." William Pitt FrontierFreedom |
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manitoulin mary
Posts: 6
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February 14, 2010, 11:17:28 PM |
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We are only in zone 5a -not as cold as you. I have a long standing interest in heritage breeds. A club I belong to- Rare Breeds Canada- has info on cold hardiness and helpful members who might be able to answer some of your questions.
My daughter and I have ordered a few Chanticler chicks for this spring -- a Canadian breed from Quebec once widely grown that is famous for its extreme cold hardiness. It has a small comb that does get frostbite easily, etc. It is now a rare breed but has received a lot of press over the last year, making it popular again with small chicken flock holders and sustainable living folks.
It is difficult to buy this year due to the sudden surge in buyers, but by next year supply should be much larger -- chickens reproduce as fast as bunnies.
I really feel we will need the deep and varied gene pool heritage breeds of both animals and plants carry. When the climate changes and agricultural practices are forced to change in response to peak oil, etc the extremely inbred limited number of breeds currently being produced in large numbers will not be the ones adapted to the new reality.
They will need "improving" from the old gene stock. Ironic, when they were originally created as "improvements" of the old breeds.
Our small flock of chickens overwinters well in their portable chicken tractor. We push it into one end of an unheated greenhouse, where it stays for the winter. We bank the outsides with thick straw for insulation. Inside,we keep adding thick bedding every week, but don't clean it out until spring. The birds and the composting bedding/droppings provide some heat for the plants in the greenhouse and some oxygen too. We do have to take them warm water every day- it freezes in there.
In the spring we move the chicken tractor back out side and are left with a very rich planting bed where they spent the winter. We shovel some of it to other beds and then grow mongo cucurbits there.
Hope this helps
Mary
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Working for the earth is not a way to get rich; it is a way to be rich.
-Paul Hawkin
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longwinters
Posts: 2
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March 12, 2010, 11:01:52 AM |
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We get several nights in the -10F range every winter, and a couple of solid weeks this year in the single digits F during the day. Red Star has been a great breed. Super friendly (aggressive toward the cats, which is probably just as well). Hardly slowed down laying even in the dark of winter -- and we didn't give them any extra light. They stay in a coop in an unheated barn during the winter, just half a dozen hens.
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suomi--Nicola Lloyd
Posts: 33
trying to live life lightly..in Finland.
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March 17, 2010, 06:12:09 AM |
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Hi Chuck 
We live in Finland and have cold winters just like you, its usually between minus 20--30C so pretty cold.
We are planning on building a new chicken house this spring and I was wondering what you used for insulation in your walls and roof?
Our current thought is to build a wooden structure and insulate with straw bales, but any comments and info is allways welcome!
Its still winter here.....we are waiting for spring......maybe begining of May!
Suomi.
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Chuck
Posts: 85
If you ain't goin' somewhere you're going nowhere
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March 17, 2010, 11:41:25 AM |
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Hi Chuck We live in Finland and have cold winters just like you, its usually between minus 20--30C so pretty cold. We are planning on building a new chicken house this spring and I was wondering what you used for insulation in your walls and roof? Our current thought is to build a wooden structure and insulate with straw bales, but any comments and info is allways welcome! Its still winter here.....we are waiting for spring......maybe begining of May! Suomi.
I used fiberglass for our chicken house but I don't see a problem using straw bales. I've seen homes made of straw bales up here they seem to retain heat well. I think the most important thing is to keep it relatively small. I trap so I would hang animal caresses for protein in the winter. We don't hve full time power on our homestead so our short days wreaked havoc on their laying during the winter.
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"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of Human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." William Pitt FrontierFreedom |
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suomi--Nicola Lloyd
Posts: 33
trying to live life lightly..in Finland.
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March 18, 2010, 05:01:39 AM |
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Thanks Chuck
I think we will go ahead with the straw bales as they are free!
We plan on the new chicken house being south facing to make the most of the light,although just like you our winters are long and dark, so we will put in a low energy light for them.
its always a challenge living in a climate such as ours, so we just keep experimenting.......
Im off to stack wood in the sunshine now....
suomi.
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Chuck
Posts: 85
If you ain't goin' somewhere you're going nowhere
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March 18, 2010, 03:40:42 PM |
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Thanks Chuck I think we will go ahead with the straw bales as they are free! We plan on the new chicken house being south facing to make the most of the light,although just like you our winters are long and dark, so we will put in a low energy light for them. its always a challenge living in a climate such as ours, so we just keep experimenting....... Im off to stack wood in the sunshine now.... suomi.
Free is my favorite word 
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"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of Human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." William Pitt FrontierFreedom |
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holisticist
Posts: 2
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April 19, 2010, 01:45:53 AM |
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Brahmas make good free range cold climate meat birds. they are an heirloom breed with small combs and feathered legs. Both good traits for cold places.
small, well insulated housing with south facing windows is best. Straw makes great insulation.
Tim
have lived in zones 2 or 3 manitoba and saskatchewan
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Chuck
Posts: 85
If you ain't goin' somewhere you're going nowhere
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April 20, 2010, 11:15:06 AM |
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Brahmas make good free range cold climate meat birds. they are an heirloom breed with small combs and feathered legs. Both good traits for cold places.
small, well insulated housing with south facing windows is best. Straw makes great insulation.
Tim
have lived in zones 2 or 3 manitoba and saskatchewan
One thing you have to watch about Brahmas in cold weather is if they get their feet wet they will freeze. Their feathers don't dry by theirselves.
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"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of Human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." William Pitt FrontierFreedom |
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holisticist
Posts: 2
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April 20, 2010, 12:59:18 PM |
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Thanks, I didn't know this. So I guess they are best for dry cold then. need to rethink which birds I'm getting. I'm on the coast of B.C. canada, on one of the gulf Islands..sorta like cascadia.. so our cold is usually wet, one of the features of a temperate rainforest.
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Chuck
Posts: 85
If you ain't goin' somewhere you're going nowhere
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April 20, 2010, 10:40:29 PM |
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Thanks, I didn't know this. So I guess they are best for dry cold then. need to rethink which birds I'm getting. I'm on the coast of B.C. canada, on one of the gulf Islands..sorta like cascadia.. so our cold is usually wet, one of the features of a temperate rainforest.
We had our best luck with banty's they seem to be the most adaptable.
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"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of Human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." William Pitt FrontierFreedom |
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Emerson White
Posts: 489
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May 07, 2010, 05:12:20 AM |
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Bantys don't handle cold well, in real cold all the animals seem to get bigger, better volume to surface area ratios that way.
Wynandotes, and orpingtons, both are good solid breeds for the cold.
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Nature will always move towards a balance, unfortunately part of that process is that high concentration of vegetables in your garden going to pests and disease striking one or more trees in your perfectly balanced stand of trees.
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Chuck
Posts: 85
If you ain't goin' somewhere you're going nowhere
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May 07, 2010, 10:10:04 AM |
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Bantys don't handle cold well, in real cold all the animals seem to get bigger, better volume to surface area ratios that way.
Wynandotes, and orpingtons, both are good solid breeds for the cold.
We had chickens for several years our banties fared the best over all. We had other large breeds that did OK but for over all adaptability I'll still put my money on banties. However I will that qualify myself, I would buy local stock and not from a mail order place in the south some where. We also feed them all the animal protein they wanted I kept carcasses from my trapline hanging in their house during the winter. Our part Alaska has temps from freezing to -50 Fahrenheit with an average snow fall of 15 to 20 feet mixed with rain during the warmer spells.
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"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of Human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." William Pitt FrontierFreedom |
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Kathleen Sanderson
Posts: 504
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May 18, 2010, 09:05:23 AM |
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I'll second what Chuck said about Brahmas and their feathered feet (hi, Chuck!). We had Brahmas, with some other breeds, when we lived in Tok, which is in the Interior of Alaska and gets even colder than where Chuck is, although less snow. Our 'barn' for a couple of milk goats, three rabbit cages, the chickens, and a pair of geese, was twelve by sixteen feet, only partly insulated, and not closed up very well (which was probably for the best, as all the animals need good ventilation). We had no electricity, no lights in the barn, and no heat out there either. The Brahmas would get ice balls in the feathers on their legs and feet. We also had, IIRC, a couple of Easter Egger/Ameraucanas, some Barred Rocks, and some Australorps. Those all did better than the Brahmas.
Chanticlers should do well in a cold climate, as that is what they were bred for. Also try Wyandottes, Buckeyes, Dominiques, the Ameraucanas (Easter Eggers) -- I think I'm missing one, but those will get you started. The Wyandottes will lay through the winter -- not at as high a rate as during the spring and summer, but if you can collect the eggs before they freeze, you will get some eggs even without supplemental light. Make sure they have water available and keep their protein levels up. Also, if you can, maybe sprout some seeds and give them the sprouts for winter greens. Or give them root-cellared rutabagas and such. They will do better if they get some fresh food all winter.
Kathleen
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ajandres
Posts: 2
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July 12, 2010, 09:01:00 PM |
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Hi Suomi
Friends of ours are using a mix of clay and sawdust in the north wall of their cob house, apparently the R value of this mix exceeds any commercial insulation they looked at.
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