Last fall I separated all roosters & cockerels from the females; moved to 3 cages. 4-6 weeks ago I found a egg in a cage that contained 3 birds; obviously a female. Or is it?
I have since moved the pullet to an isolation cage then into an integration brooder space inside the coop where my...
I have nine Chant males, mix of cockerels and 18-20 months. I will cull a number but open to keeping 3 for use in controlled breeding.
One I was recently given to provide a different gene pool, so will keep.
Of the others I have two that have 2-3" spurs. The rest hatched June 2024 and all are...
I removed all cocks & cockerels to separate cages last fall. My main motivation was/is to control breeding but my hens often looked bedraggled from damaged feathers. So far I am pleased with the results: i have 27 pullets & hens, they look better and behaviours are much calmer; multiple roosters...
I discovered (via ChatGPT) that "Prince Tannat Woods" has a second book titled "How to Raise Chicks". (first book is "Modern Fresh Air Poultry Houses")
Available on Amazon, have ordered.
I bought a bagged bale of large flake pine shavings and it is frozen. Now out of bag but several days latter still a large frozen brick.
Suggestions?
Subsequently bought a bag of pine pellets but one needs to wet it down some to cause it to expand. -20C here, not anxious to add water into my...
[Struggled to physically install timed light in coop. Finished install yesterday but timer on was 12 hours off; pondering... My wrong setting of timer resolved. The timer has a 24 hour dial with a fixed pointer inside; pointer can be installed in either of two ways; I had it backwards so...
@paintedChix linked this video, kudos! If it works it is brilliant!!
I would appreciate any comments, links, etc. re actual use of this concept & design.
Thanks in advance.
After a delayed start to winter yesterday we got ~10" dumped on us; 6am today.
I clear snow for myself and neighbours so went out early to feed/water to find most of my flock inside the coop, normally they would be in the run. I checked the run to find that snow had blown in and covered the...
I got 2 of 12 hatch, now 4 weeks, lost one chick overnight. I have an enclosure in my coop; main flock of 25+ & 8 in their 5th month.
I assume best to proceed with planned integration to coop & run? Anything to ease the single chicks existence?
Some months ago I was given 3 large trusses - each 14' wide and 9' high.
Given experiences with excess roosters causing havoc, multiple breeds and no way to separate for controlled breeding I have wanted a 2nd pole shed to house cages to accommodate these and other uses. It has taken too...
All Chantecler eggs. I already have a 30+ flock so the 25 eggs seems a lot. I count on 50% live hatch and 50/50 female to male ratio.
My original birds are 3-5 years old. These are to replace older layers particularly for the coming winter. My target layer flock size is 24, producing a dozen...
I keep excess cockerels in cages. I have 3 cages on two levels - upper level has two 30" by 5' cages, bottom has one 30" by 10'. Each cage has 2 cockerels.
Is it better to remove the divider on the upper level and house 3 on each level?
I am extending my run & coop to include a pole shed to host cages including a bachelor grow out pen. I am thinking about providing access to an area that is only protected by electrical netting? Mostly concerned about foot based predators...
How effective is electrical netting?
Thank you.
I have a large coop & covered run plus a 8' x 5' x 3' cage I use for overflow, currently holding bachelors. I hatch at least once a year to refresh laying hens and to expand/refocus what breeds I have in the flock. My plan is keep cockerels for at least six months then process for eating.
I...
I created an article showing my coop build that is ~95% pictures. I am doing a major interior rebuild of nests coupled with a roost expansion.
I will like to create a second article that is co-joined with my first. Is this possible (I saw mention of a "series")?
Any help appreciated.
I expanded my 3+ year old flock in 2023, added 12 Chanteclers and 8 mixed coloured egg layers. I moved 5 males to an external cage but multiple males amongst other pressures arising from increased flock size required a change/expansion to my nest box arrangement.
This is what I had (actually...
I visited Tractor Supply in Ogdensburg NY yesterday. Main reason was to buy PDZ, got 16 bags (not sold in Canada).
My get list also contained a permethrin powder, I could only find Sevin dust. I have looked online, see use for chickens mites/lice is off label & quidelines for "safe usage".
I...
This article appeared on the CBC this weekend. For most of us who live in a proper winter climate, growing fresh vegetables and greens in the winter does not happen. The designer of this greenhouse claims any "cold weather" plant can be grown throughout the cold season without spending money on...