That's awesome! I thought I was the only steemian homesteader in these parts! I went for engineering at UND in Grand Forks and then moved back home to the Perham MN area.
Ok, you are a ways south then. But still a lot closer than any steemian I'm friends with! We want to do chickens but how do they fair during the winter time? Does it get too cold for them here?
The chickens do just fine in the cold. A few tips we have learned: Supplement light a little in the morning/evening with an LED bulb to keep egg production going through the winter. Keeping their feet dry is important, so as long as you get a waterer that prevents them from stepping in the water, then they should be fine. They do seem to roost longer and lay a little less when it is -20 and colder for longer periods. You also need to check on eggs frequently as they freeze and crack quickly. They eat a bit more feed than the rest of the year because they cannot forage through the snow and they burn more calories to stay warm. Don't use a heat lamp, unless you want a barn/coop fire and a high electric bill. Feel to message me or my wife anytime if you have questions!
That's awesome! I thought I was the only steemian homesteader in these parts! I went for engineering at UND in Grand Forks and then moved back home to the Perham MN area.
Ok, you are a ways south then. But still a lot closer than any steemian I'm friends with! We want to do chickens but how do they fair during the winter time? Does it get too cold for them here?
The chickens do just fine in the cold. A few tips we have learned: Supplement light a little in the morning/evening with an LED bulb to keep egg production going through the winter. Keeping their feet dry is important, so as long as you get a waterer that prevents them from stepping in the water, then they should be fine. They do seem to roost longer and lay a little less when it is -20 and colder for longer periods. You also need to check on eggs frequently as they freeze and crack quickly. They eat a bit more feed than the rest of the year because they cannot forage through the snow and they burn more calories to stay warm. Don't use a heat lamp, unless you want a barn/coop fire and a high electric bill. Feel to message me or my wife anytime if you have questions!
Thank you for all the information! And thank you, I will keep that in mind next time I have a question!