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FWIW - I will have some data to share soon. The S&G broiler NN boys suddenly started the bad fighting that comes with cockerels who come into their testosterone, so I culled five of the eight yesterday at 17 weeks, leaving the top three choices to hopefully live more peacefully together while I...

I LOVE this!!! Unfortunately, I have solid limestone anywhere from 2 feet to as little as 2 inches from the surface. SOLID limestone. I garden with raised beds. (Around here, putting in a pool is no small matter....)

That's really good to know - using cages was something that was bothering me about the idea a bit...

How interesting - I will totally look into this! Thanks for sharing this! :thumbsup

Colony style outside? (Did you have parasite issues? It seems that I always was reading about that as the reason not to do that...) I can relate - I have a full time job (though am not committed to that many hours most weeks). I decided not to start with them until I knew that I could handle...

Interesting idea - BTW, do you do your rabbits colony-style? (I have considered meat rabbits, keep going back and forth on it... Did a lot of reading on it over a couple years before deciding it was too hot to commit myself to raising them here while I already had my hands full with the...

I do have to say... I have quite a few new birds for whom this is their first summer. This last weekend we were at 101F - they did ok, though looked a bit unhappy. And today it was 96F, and they were all like "No biggie" whereas previously they seemed uncomfortable at 96F. This is my goal - keep...

x2 - would specifically be interested in how your Dorkings do if you can share. You sharing your experience is what kept me from getting Bielefelders - can't be getting any birds that can't take the heat...

Oh my goodness. How are you keeping them cool? Only up to 102F here, nothing to complain about. Some of the California folks are in the 110s, though. :sick I'm taking some days off work later the week to get the misters set up, as they work well for me. Generally, once it is consistently over...

I hope no one minds the cross post - I never know where to post my data for NNs that are also bred for production, so I tend to post them both places. I got 15 week weights on the S&G broiler NNs. I did it in the morning so we weren't doing this while it was super hot, but it was not pleasant...

Thanks! She's a cross between a lavender ameraucana and a blue copper marans. Agree - she's gorgeous. She's pretty sweet, too, just not as sweet as the black girl, who I think is the daughter of Alice, my super friendly black copper marans.

Here are some photos (I've also posted them on the NN thread - apologies for the repeat for those on that thread). The S&Gs have started fighting more, I need to do at least a first level cull soon. S&G boys (~14 weeks): NN (Tank) x GNH group (~21 weeks):

Love them all - LOVE that rooster! I got some updated photos of the Tank x GNH birds today - I'll post them in just a bit... S&Gs continue to look great.

I have a series of shade structures for them that I use. Nothing fancy - four cinder blocks (taller side going up and down) with a 4 x 4 piece of plywood on top. Sometimes they sit on top, other times they like to be under. Helps with hawks as well. I was considering putting some shade cloth...

Yes, they do, but it's not like they stay glued to them. But they spit a little bit, and also make the ground damp near them, so they probably also are enjoying that part as well. I don't really have a way to wet the ground without it all running somewhere quickly. They DO all have water pans...

You could get some burlap and soak it and hang it on an open part of the coop or a shade structure (in the shade) - plus/minus a fan blowing on it. That could give some local cooling with less water use, possibly.

Oh, and if it was going to be cooler than 95F, I wouldn't use them.

I have found that misters really help a lot with hot weather. I bought some of those stiff stand-up noodle mister things, and had one pointing into each paddock (if you have a lot of birds in one area, you may wish to set up a few). Hooked up all the hoses, etc., and as a routine, once it was...

I have to agree - unless you are actually in the business of selling eggs, you may find yourself overwhelmed in the spring, but then again, in the winter, may have none (depending on your hens) - you can freeze them, but in the end you still may have too many. I'm always awash in eggs and trying...

Oh, man. What a drag. :hugs