Faverolles Thread

[ashandvine]

Bantamgirl, I was told burns are fine.

Mame1616 (and others) thank you for the advice on the new coop. I have now been dissuaded from the drop door. I really do like them and felt the chickens were more inclined to go out in any weather when they could drop out of the house to the safe underneath. Would sand inside on the floor be good for summers? I have this idea that it stays cool for some reason.

 

[Chickenmaster7]

i have so many chickens it can get overwelming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mame1616]

Ah - forgot about that one! I had something similar happen in the early spring of last year. I didn't think anything of them not laying eggs, but I was preparing a portion of the run for some babies. I was blocking up all of the whole I could find, and discovered that the bantams were sneaking under the coop through a hole I thought too small for them, and located a nest with over forty eggs! Who knows how long they had been laying there? I blocked up everything in the whole run after that!

 

[bird-brain]

Ah - forgot about that one! I had something similar happen in the early spring of last year. I didn't think anything of them not laying eggs, but I was preparing a portion of the run for some babies. I was blocking up all of the whole I could find, and discovered that the bantams were sneaking under the coop through a hole I thought too small for them, and located a nest with over forty eggs! Who knows how long they had been laying there? I blocked up everything in the whole run after that!

My plan worked brilliantly! Much like when your child has been ill all weekend and you beg the pediatrician's office for a same day appointment and the kids fever breaks on the way to the office, I posted in a panic, got great advice and had 4 NORMAL eggs show up today. I did do a bug check and got nothing. I did not mention it but they do have access to oyster shell so the weird eggs is a little baffling but they are all young hens so maybe that has something to do with it. They do free range but they don't get far from me. Follow me around like puppies. It would be tough for them to lay without me knowing it. I can't leave them alone cuz I have a bob cat.

also, seeing some increase in feathers everywhere. Might be a molt coming on.

and Mame if my hens hid 40 eggs from me, I might be tempted to put them all in a pot! Lol!

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

the funny shaped eggs can be from stress as well... when we have a large thunderstorm all my quail lay funny shaped and off colored eggs... and a few years ago had a neighbors dog come over and kill a couple chickens even the ones that where penned up and he could not get to layed a funny egg and then skipped about 2 to 4 days before going back into normal production...

My plan worked brilliantly! Much like when your child has been ill all weekend and you beg the pediatrician's office for a same day appointment and the kids fever breaks on the way to the office, I posted in a panic, got great advice and had 4 NORMAL eggs show up today. I did do a bug check and got nothing. I did not mention it but they do have access to oyster shell so the weird eggs is a little baffling but they are all young hens so maybe that has something to do with it. They do free range but they don't get far from me. Follow me around like puppies. It would be tough for them to lay without me knowing it. I can't leave them alone cuz I have a bob cat.

also, seeing some increase in feathers everywhere. Might be a molt coming on.

and Mame if my hens hid 40 eggs from me, I might be tempted to put them all in a pot! Lol!

 

[bruceha2000]

Thank you, such helpers!!! A hoe makes cleaning easier. I don't like the nest box sticking out so I have to try to figure an alternative.
This is the current thought I am having (forgive the hand drawing skills here)




A thick glass window I already have to put in
B currently existing door that could be used for egg collection and cleaning
C clear plastic for solar gain on the southern side, covered with net or wire in warmer months
D green tarp or FBBF... not sure. This is on the North east side so I wanted it to act as shade and wind protection a little
E Human door for those days when chasing a chicken is necessary and of course the regular feed/water schedule

I figure I will lattice the north side of the yard to offer a little wind protection come winter. I am considering putting a permanent dust bath under the house so its available all year round with a little maintainance. At present it looks to me as though I will be cutting another hole in the bottom to create a door for them to go in and out of and food will likely be hung down there. This will force them to come out and get fresh air regularly-- something even my children must be pushed to do, but the water issue eludes me. I do not wish to run electricity to this. I may have to do what I did this winter which was have two dishes and one gets brought in every night to thaw and a fresh ones goes out. I really hope the solar side of this plan works because it could help provide heat as well as grazing area even in winter, esp if I wall one or two sides with bales of hay. The more I think about this the more I see the Favs in there. I do worry about the raccoons etc but they get closed up every night. And I plan to rotate the different groups out so everyone gets a chance to free range the acreage twice in a seven day period. Its not the same as having a lovely mixed flock all running around but its easier in some ways too esp when it comes to separating cock/erels.

oh, and the alternative thought to this plan right now is to maybe arc pvc pipes instead of using the triangular shape. I like the triangle but IDK what will be easier at this point. This one I think.

And I had issues with Frostbite on combs this winter. We had bitter cold and large combs became ugly small ones despite our efforts so while I am not a proponent of heating a coop I am going into creating new ones with thoughts for passive solar gain at least to help in the winter.

OK, so based on the people door (assumed to be 6' high minimum, your coop is quite far off the ground?

I like the solar gain clear tarp idea. You'll have to support the C & D tarps REALLY WELL though or the snow will rip them down.

I have now been dissuaded from the drop door. I really do like them and felt the chickens were more inclined to go out in any weather when they could drop out of the house to the safe underneath.

You can put a ramp parallel to the side of the building, even turning the corner at the side if necessary, rather than straight out. Or, if the "head room" is there, turn it back under the coop. Either way, they will get to shelter outside the coop pretty quick.

I sent an email to the cloverleaf farms website. I do not know how to PM through this site. I am still a beginner at this.

Thank you, Mandolin

PMing is easy

Hover your mouse pointer over the poster's name to the left of a post and you'll get a drop down menu. The third item is "Send PM"

Bruce

 

[ashandvine]

OK, so based on the people door (assumed to be 6' high minimum, your coop is quite far off the ground?

I like the solar gain clear tarp idea. You'll have to support the C & D tarps REALLY WELL though or the snow will rip them down.

NO!!! I am short and the kids and I are the only ones going in there. Think old English buildings. The doors were low. I planned to duck my head. No biggie. I am not sure what C and D are.

Favs look so nice in the sun. They were out yesterday and today scrounging. I don't think I am going to be able to process them. Its like cutting the head off my teddy bear... only I can do that.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

The last three days of eggs many were nearly white with thin shells but very large compared to normal. (Not double yoked but very rippled and big.). My question, am I seeing these bad shells because of the month of southern states or the switch back to purina? Are they not laying because of the feed switch or because I have one broody hen? Their treats consist mainly of meal worms, kale, fruit and veggie tops (strawberry, carrot, turnip, and oat groats. They get two to one, feed to treat, plus free range when weather permits. It was very rainy (and snowed) while I was away but all winter has been this way and they laid great during earlier snows.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I remember reading somewhere that the color on the egg shell will lighten as the chicken ages and will become darker again after they take a "laying break" to molt or for the winter.

As far as ripply shells, I have one girl (a sex-link) who had a vent prolapse when she first began laying and now (she is 2 years old) she occasionally lays lumpy wrinkled eggs and I wonder if it is related to her previous vent issues?

 

[bruceha2000]

NO!!! I am short and the kids and I are the only ones going in there. Think old English buildings. The doors were low. I planned to duck my head. No biggie. I am not sure what C and D are.

Perhaps you are "Hobbitses"

Kids GROW! I know a woman who is maybe 5'3" and her husband is MAYBE 5'7". Their now 19 year old son is over 6'. On the other hand, my wife and I apparently screwed up the genetics and "how tall your kids will be" thing. She is 5'6", I am 6'2" and our 20 Y/O daughter can't quite claim 5'2". Same thing happened to my older sister so DD claims it is MY fault she is short.

C & D are the lines you drew to be the tarps coming from the roof to the ground.

Bruce

 

[ashandvine]

Duh. C and D are going to be supported either with bamboo rods or with 2x2s and probably with stapes and tape. I think I might try this foil tape I have seen but I will take suggestions. I know packing doesn't hold up under the sun or wind. I wonder if there is a glue I could use, or caulking in the seems? I am mostly worried about the wind. We get some really fierce ones where I am located and nearly all fall and spring. I think the wind comes off the road, down into the pond and then up the bank into our field as it heads onward across the road to the open field across the street. We really need more evergreen barriers to break it up a bit. The chickens around here need anchors or flight training and homing beacons.