Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

Could you not have given a separate pen with some of his own girls:D .
Fancy, with your breeding do you just have coops and runs for all of your different breeds or do you just separate desired roosters and hens into cages when you want to collect their eggs?
Also what seasons/ months do you breed and hatch eggs?

Luke I don't keep any xbreeds anymore. I have 4 large pens attached to the back of the hayshed. We designed the doors to open at each end and 2 facing the river. This way each pen can free range during the day. King George and his 7 girls have their own area around coro cottage and the silkies are in the garden.
I try to get all of my orders for eggs finished before mid December . There is no point in posting eggs to the mainland in the summer months, they could sit in an Aus post truck for days. I have my last lot of eggs under 3 Wyandotte hens ATM. Unfortunately by the time they reach point of lay we will be heading into the colder months, but that doesn't affect Wyandotte as much as other breeds. I was posting Wyandotte and silkie eggs in August. If you are wanting to sell pol hens you are best to get your eggs into the bator in August. That way by the time they are 6 weeks old it's getting warm enough for them to be outside. I have lots of people contact me for pol hens as Xmas gifts.
This is coronation cottage, which overlooks my ' grow out ' pen.
1000

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My breeding pens are 5 m deep and 2.3 m wide.
 
How do you get the eggs out?
How do you get in to clean it?
What will you make the floor out of? (remembering chook **** will rot most untreated timbers)
I would suggest a mesh front with a smaller door.
1.1 metres is not that deep. I will be able to reach in there to collect for eggs. The nest boxes will be up the front on the sides as well. For cleaning out, a rake will be fine for dragging out the material.
The floor is going to be made from treated wood sheeting ( my other roost has a floor like this ) with bedding on top. I may put a floor hole in with a top as well.
A mesh front would cause problems for cleaning out.

I can see your problem with coops that you are not able to fit in but one I am small so if I do really need to get in for what ever reason it's possible, 2 they are not so deep that I can't reach into and 3 these pens are not going so be in used all year every year. They will only be in use throughout breeding season.
 
Welcome back Sandee. Cooler here today we only got to just over 39c which was a nice change from the last few days. Big man my cochin roo is doing much better today. I gave him a bath in cold water and he is looking good now so i hope he stays that way. I have more bush babies too. My sizzle came out of the bush before with 11 babies in tow ... Over run with chicks at the moment lol.
 
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Welcome back Sandee. Cooler here today we only got to just over 39c which was a nice change from the last few days. Big man my cochin roo is doing much better today. I gave him a bath in cold water and he is looking good now so i hope he stays that way. I have more bush babies too. My sizzle came out of the bush before with 11 babies in tow ... Over run with chicks at the moment lol.

Sounds good Satay
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Are bush babies what you call chicks that are hatched by broody's that run off into the bush then appear 3 weeks later laden with chicks?
Do you have any pictures of your soaked Cochin? That would be a sight to see. Glad he's all better again.
 
Hi all. Just a quick question I have. GLW hen and when I bought her she had a fair few feathers missing from her back, rear back just before her tail. The person I bought her off said he thought she might be going broody. She continued to pluck her own feathers then about 2 months later went broody, she has since had her chicks they are 5 weeks old now and she is still plucking her own feathers, we have checked for mites lice etc but there is nothing there. None of the other chickens are doing this. She is a lovely hen but can't understand why she is doing this. Can anyone help?
 
Hi all. Just a quick question I have. GLW hen and when I bought her she had a fair few feathers missing from her back, rear back just before her tail. The person I bought her off said he thought she might be going broody. She continued to pluck her own feathers then about 2 months later went broody, she has since had her chicks they are 5 weeks old now and she is still plucking her own feathers, we have checked for mites lice etc but there is nothing there. None of the other chickens are doing this. She is a lovely hen but can't understand why she is doing this. Can anyone help?

Hi Karen, the initial feather loss around the tail area is more than likely due to over mating. When the hen is incubating her eggs she will pluck her belly feathers out to ensure good heat contact with the eggs. I would dust her with poultry dust and check her legs for mites.
 
Hi all. Just a quick question I have. GLW hen and when I bought her she had a fair few feathers missing from her back, rear back just before her tail. The person I bought her off said he thought she might be going broody. She continued to pluck her own feathers then about 2 months later went broody, she has since had her chicks they are 5 weeks old now and she is still plucking her own feathers, we have checked for mites lice etc but there is nothing there. None of the other chickens are doing this. She is a lovely hen but can't understand why she is doing this. Can anyone help?
Is she getting enough calcium? Try feeding her shell grit.


xxxx M
 
Welcome back Sandee. Cooler here today we only got to just over 39c which was a nice change from the last few days. Big man my cochin roo is doing much better today. I gave him a bath in cold water and he is looking good now so i hope he stays that way. I have more bush babies too. My sizzle came out of the bush before with 11 babies in tow ... Over run with chicks at the moment lol.


well, she coped in the heat. unless it sizzled her feathers. :lau

Glad you roo is going well. :D
 

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