So, I have finally managed to turn a crate I brought home into chicken housing. That, coupled with the fact that I have several groups of birds growing out caused the weekend to be spent working on the birds so to speak.
Saturday I roofed in said crate, elevated it on a platform, cleared an area out by the Austrailian pen (named so due to it being "out back") and generally got a meager start.
Sunday, outfitted the crate with roofing, added a small run, ramp, roost, nest box with access door, waterer platform, feeder etc. Doesn;t seem like much typed out, but I managed to spend the day at it.
So, the crate coop is ready, now the reorganization strategy. I had extra space in the Austrailian coop, as we had just down sized on the golden cuckoos and set up breeding pens.
Clean extra space, and while I was at it, clean the golden pen. I thought the goldens were going to fall over dead for a minute, the new shavings really, and I mean REALLY, freaked them out. Task completed, now to move birds.
Moved the Black/Cuckoo Marans trio to the Austrailian coop. A single barred Rooster over a black hen and a barred hen. Hoping to work on a black line.
Moved the Buff Brahma Trio to the crate coop. Boy are they a docile group.
That leaves pen 3 empty, needing a good overall cleaning.
Clean coop, and run. Taks complete.
Move two grow out brooder//pens to coop 3. So, Araucanas, Ameraucanas, and BLRW birds in the 6 - 10 week age group got moved.
Woo hoo, open spaces for more chicks
Trust me, we will need it.
So, in a few weeks, we get to start working on the buff brahmas and black marans. Both groups have been laying, but everything has gone towards eating eggs so far.
The Goldens Cuckoos have been in breeding pens for three weeks now, time for a fertility check, and to see how our breeder selection is working this year.
So it turned into a 12 hour day. A bit too much sun, sore back, etc. but it feels good to have them all moved into new digs.
Saturday I roofed in said crate, elevated it on a platform, cleared an area out by the Austrailian pen (named so due to it being "out back") and generally got a meager start.
Sunday, outfitted the crate with roofing, added a small run, ramp, roost, nest box with access door, waterer platform, feeder etc. Doesn;t seem like much typed out, but I managed to spend the day at it.
So, the crate coop is ready, now the reorganization strategy. I had extra space in the Austrailian coop, as we had just down sized on the golden cuckoos and set up breeding pens.
Clean extra space, and while I was at it, clean the golden pen. I thought the goldens were going to fall over dead for a minute, the new shavings really, and I mean REALLY, freaked them out. Task completed, now to move birds.
Moved the Black/Cuckoo Marans trio to the Austrailian coop. A single barred Rooster over a black hen and a barred hen. Hoping to work on a black line.
Moved the Buff Brahma Trio to the crate coop. Boy are they a docile group.
That leaves pen 3 empty, needing a good overall cleaning.
Clean coop, and run. Taks complete.
Move two grow out brooder//pens to coop 3. So, Araucanas, Ameraucanas, and BLRW birds in the 6 - 10 week age group got moved.
Woo hoo, open spaces for more chicks
Trust me, we will need it.
So, in a few weeks, we get to start working on the buff brahmas and black marans. Both groups have been laying, but everything has gone towards eating eggs so far.
The Goldens Cuckoos have been in breeding pens for three weeks now, time for a fertility check, and to see how our breeder selection is working this year.
So it turned into a 12 hour day. A bit too much sun, sore back, etc. but it feels good to have them all moved into new digs.
