Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[3riverschick]

Karen,
How air tight is your coop? It should have ventilation even in cold weather. Chickens exhale a lot of moisture.To air tight of coop leads to damp conditions and ammonia. Wind is a bigger enemy to a chickens health than cold. Allow your coop to breath but still block wind from the chickens.

Ron

================================
Just a note, none of the coops below are mine. They are for illustration only.

The trios' coop is tight and cozy but ventilated. I have one of these vents on each end of the coop. http://tinyurl.com/azfsahh
4" x 12" White Aluminum Louvered Face On Vent. The end opposite the nest-box gets hit by the prevailing wind. So there should be flo-thru air. The louvers keep it from becoming a draft, I hope.
I read in one of the old books recently that shed-roofed coops only need vents/windows on the tall wall to be ventilated correctly. http://tinyurl.com/byghjc7
However, coops with peaked roofs need a cupola. http://tinyurl.com/au2x74u
All our coops had been long built by the time I read this article. Never the less, it struck a cord because our coops are in 3 designs.
The small coop, 7 1/2 sq. ft. , with the peaked roof has a moisture problem in the winter. It has one aluminum vent (as above), is empty now.
We increased the vent number in the trios' larger coop (24 sq. ft.) hoping to avoid the problem and still have it.
Yet, the 3rd coop (12 sq. ft. ) is different style. It is the 1st one we built. It has a peaked roof...however..we installed a cupola that runs the full depth of the coop from front to back. Like this: http://tinyurl.com/bj3lvyt
The ends of the cupola are solid wood. The sides are covered with hardware cloth and we installed Plexiglas sliders so we could open and close the cupola according to the temp needs. Kinda like a wafer thermostat on a incubator. We have never had a moisture problem in this 3rd coop. Hubby told me tonight he thinks the trio's coop needs a ridge vent. So we will be putting on in on payday. Lesson learned.
Karen

 

[Pozees]

================================
Just a note, none of the coops below are mine. They are for illustration only.

The trios' coop is tight and cozy but ventilated. I have one of these vents on each end of the coop. http://tinyurl.com/azfsahh
4" x 12" White Aluminum Louvered Face On Vent. The end opposite the nest-box gets hit by the prevailing wind. So there should be flo-thru air. The louvers keep it from becoming a draft, I hope.
I read in one of the old books recently that shed-roofed coops only need vents/windows on the tall wall to be ventilated correctly. http://tinyurl.com/byghjc7
However, coops with peaked roofs need a cupola. http://tinyurl.com/au2x74u
All our coops had been long built by the time I read this article. Never the less, it struck a cord because our coops are in 3 designs.
The small coop, 7 1/2 sq. ft. , with the peaked roof has a moisture problem in the winter. It has one aluminum vent (as above), is empty now.
We increased the vent number in the trios' larger coop (24 sq. ft.) hoping to avoid the problem and still have it.
Yet, the 3rd coop (12 sq. ft. ) is different style. It is the 1st one we built. It has a peaked roof...however..we installed a cupola that runs the full depth of the coop from front to back. Like this: http://tinyurl.com/bj3lvyt
The ends of the cupola are solid wood. The sides are covered with hardware cloth and we installed Plexiglas sliders so we could open and close the cupola according to the temp needs. Kinda like a wafer thermostat on a incubator. We have never had a moisture problem in this 3rd coop. Hubby told me tonight he thinks the trio's coop needs a ridge vent. So we will be putting on in on payday. Lesson learned.
Karen

Sounds like the ridge vent will work, and hopefully easier than trying to add a cupola.

Ventilation but no draft is a challenge. I added louvered vents to my current layers' coop on opposite corners - one on the front left, one on the right rear and I got the type that is used as a floor vent which can be opened and closed, in case the wind changes the ventilation to an icy breeze. Simple shed roof. Getting ready to put up a bigger building with a peaked roof, so this has been a very informative discussion.

 

[gallorojo]

You need way more ventilation. Seriously, check out the book fresh air poultry houses.
Also, you may want to read thus article.
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/6/6-5/want_healthy_birds_give_them_fresh_air.html

 

[Pozees]

You need way more ventilation. Seriously, check out the book fresh air poultry houses.
Also, you may want to read thus article.
http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/6/6-5/want_healthy_birds_give_them_fresh_air.html

Thanks for the link Where I live, the dusty air he discusses is a serious threat not inside, but outside. Three things combine to create this situation - "dirt" that is more like silt, extremely arid conditions, and frequent wind coming off the mountains. It is not at all uncommon to go collect a container that has only been outside 12 hours and find it completely coated with fine brown dust just from the day's breezes moving the dirt around. In the summer I lightly water the top layer of dirt around the coop after I'm done watering gardens and trees, because it creates a crust that holds the dirt in place in the wind, at least until I walk through it again. In the winter I can't do that.

My whole acreage, save the bit around the house where we've added topsoil to grow grass, is like one big dust bath. The drought conditions over the last several years have greatly exacerbated the challenges of the climate here. Today is a good example - the high today will be 40, which we will reach in the next 2 hours, but it will only be 40 for maybe an hour, then begin descent to 20-ish. No snow, just cold. The wind has been howling all night. It is predicted to blow all day with gusts as high as 65-70 in some areas. This happens at least a few times every year here, and it is rare to have a day where we don't have any wind at all during some part of the day. Wind here laughs at tarps. I had a 10x10 chain link pen lifted off the ground when I covered it with shade cloth. A gust once came up out of nowhere and tipped a coop over - a 4x4 3/4" OSB with shingled roof coop, which unfortunately is built with 2x2 legs which I really wish I had taken note of when I bought if from someone getting out of chickens. Fortunately no chickens were living in it at the time, and none are still, until I reinforce/add weight to the legs. Even then I'll probably anchor it.

So far I have not had any problems with adequate ventilation, but I also have hens who spend the majority of their time outside, they have only chosen to stay inside the coop 2 or 3 days this winter when it was both very cold and very windy. Just cold doesn't seem to bother them at all. They happily exit the coop when it's 10 degrees in the morning. I open the coop every day to check on the water (which will move back outside come spring) and to collect eggs, and it has never smelled of ammonia, or much of anything really, which I attribute in part to fermented feed and part to deep litter shavings. Maybe it's just due to the very dry climate. I don't know.

I love the concept of open air coops, I just live in an area I don't think they will work.

 

[maryhysong]

Thanks for the link Where I live, the dusty air he discusses is a serious threat not inside, but outside. Three things combine to create this situation - "dirt" that is more like silt, extremely arid conditions, and frequent wind coming off the mountains. It is not at all uncommon to go collect a container that has only been outside 12 hours and find it completely coated with fine brown dust just from the day's breezes moving the dirt around. In the summer I lightly water the top layer of dirt around the coop after I'm done watering gardens and trees, because it creates a crust that holds the dirt in place in the wind, at least until I walk through it again. In the winter I can't do that.

My whole acreage, save the bit around the house where we've added topsoil to grow grass, is like one big dust bath. The drought conditions over the last several years have greatly exacerbated the challenges of the climate here. Today is a good example - the high today will be 40, which we will reach in the next 2 hours, but it will only be 40 for maybe an hour, then begin descent to 20-ish. No snow, just cold. The wind has been howling all night. It is predicted to blow all day with gusts as high as 65-70 in some areas. This happens at least a few times every year here, and it is rare to have a day where we don't have any wind at all during some part of the day. Wind here laughs at tarps. I had a 10x10 chain link pen lifted off the ground when I covered it with shade cloth. A gust once came up out of nowhere and tipped a coop over - a 4x4 3/4" OSB with shingled roof coop, which unfortunately is built with 2x2 legs which I really wish I had taken note of when I bought if from someone getting out of chickens. Fortunately no chickens were living in it at the time, and none are still, until I reinforce/add weight to the legs. Even then I'll probably anchor it.

So far I have not had any problems with adequate ventilation, but I also have hens who spend the majority of their time outside, they have only chosen to stay inside the coop 2 or 3 days this winter when it was both very cold and very windy. Just cold doesn't seem to bother them at all. They happily exit the coop when it's 10 degrees in the morning. I open the coop every day to check on the water (which will move back outside come spring) and to collect eggs, and it has never smelled of ammonia, or much of anything really, which I attribute in part to fermented feed and part to deep litter shavings. Maybe it's just due to the very dry climate. I don't know.

I love the concept of open air coops, I just live in an area I don't think they will work.

Most of the plans I've seen of open front coops were buildings that were like twenty feet wide, with about ten feet closed in and the front ten feet open. Even then most recommended canvas curtains to cover the open part when it was really cold/snowing.

 

[gallorojo]

Well ventilated pens can be as simple as the "hoop" type pens, made by bending wire into a "U" and stapling it to a square of 2 x4 's. This is one of my grow out pens, but it could easily be scaled up larger and used for breeding.

The principle does not depend on size, just make your pens well ventilated.
Sorry if you live in a place where things are so difficult. You will have to ignore me then!! Honestly I wouldn't keep livestock or even live where there isn't green grass and trees. You may be tougher than me!! Lol!
A final thought- you can adjust your number of birds, breeds, feeding system, etc, to compensate to some extent , if you can't provide more ventilation. If you have a tight coop, you may want to keep less birds than generally recommended, at least if trying to make deep litter work.

 

[Pozees]

Most of the plans I've seen of open front coops were buildings that were like twenty feet wide, with about ten feet closed in and the front ten feet open. Even then most recommended canvas curtains to cover the open part when it was really cold/snowing.

I've seen several designs, as I said I like the idea, I just don't think it would be beneficial to birds here on my property because of the blowing dust. The combination of wind almost every day and the fine dirt it blows around lead me to believe they benefit from being able to get out of the dust just like we do. One thing I have thought about doing is using one open air design I saw that was just the whole top third of one wall covered in hardware cloth instead of wood, but making it out of wood and then putting a couple handles and hinges on it (i.e., make it a pair of cabinet doors almost) so it can be opened up, with hardware cloth inside. That way it could be closed to wind/dust/when I'm gone several hours at a time since weather forecasts are only about 50% accurate, but opened other times, so they could at least part time get the benefit of open air.

Lots of projects on my list of things I'd like to try, for now I have to stick with what has worked so far, which is ensuring the birds can get out of the blowing dust.

 

[Pozees]

Well ventilated pens can be as simple as the "hoop" type pens, made by bending wire into a "U" and stapling it to a square of 2 x4 's. This is one of my grow out pens, but it could easily be scaled up larger and used for breeding.

The principle does not depend on size, just make your pens well ventilated.
Sorry if you live in a place where things are so difficult. You will have to ignore me then!! Honestly I wouldn't keep livestock or even live where there isn't green grass and trees. You may be tougher than me!! Lol!
A final thought- you can adjust your number of birds, breeds, feeding system, etc, to compensate to some extent , if you can't provide more ventilation. If you have a tight coop, you may want to keep less birds than generally recommended, at least if trying to make deep litter work.

I have 7 hens in a 4x8 coop, and so far the deep litter is working fine, it takes a while to get composting because of the lack of humidity, but I don't have a problem with ammonia or moisture, no fights being picked, everyone seems pretty content right now. I have the two vents, 1 pop door and two large human access doors. Every day the litter is moved around in a slightly different arrangement so they are digging in it.

I envy your ability to use such light materials for housing, and your green grass everywhere. We have green grass around the house and in one small part of open land near the house where I also planted lilacs. We have planted hundreds of trees, the small ones often succumb to antelope and aridity, but what we've kept alive through no small effort has really helped make it a nicer place to live. We have a few trees large enough to give shade now, two apple trees produced apples last year, Peppers grow exceptionally well here, I keep an asparagus patch going ... so we work with what we have - just as Bob recommends we do with our birds

 

[neopolitancrazy]

I think your trio is so beautiful. I know you have your plan. I'd try to hatch every last egg. Just me.

I'd be hatching every egg I could get, too. That trio is lovely.
Angela

 

[Robert Blosl]

If anyone is interested in some good Standard Bred poultry, I just got this from Frank Reese, he is going to be selling chicks, hatching eggs and grown stock. His prices look very reasonable.


Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch Inc..
“THE OLDEST CONTINUOUS BREEDING FLOCK OF STANDARD BRED TURKEYS IN AMERICA”
The Mission of Good Shepherd Ranch is preservation of Standard Bred poultry
Life time member of the American Poultry Association and Master breeder
The hatchery and breeding birds are certified by the National Poultry Improvement Program (N.P.I.P.) through USDA
2013 Poultry sale list of hatching eggs, chicks, poults, ducks and geese:
All poultry at Good Shepherd are standard bred birds raised to meet the Standards of the American Poultry Association. Frank Reese has been raising, breeding, hatching and showing poultry for of 50 years. All the poultry raised at Good Shepherd can be trace back to known old American flocks. We have no factory genetics on our farm. All the birds, chicks and egg being sold are for breeding stock and not for just egg and meat. The main reason for selling our birds is to help people get started breeding and raising their own birds. We work very hard to keep our standard bred poultry at the highest of level for standard bred poultry meat production and eggs production. Many people are now calling standard bred poultry heritage poultry today but their real name is standard bred.
1. Barred Plymouth Rock of the Ralph Sturgeon strain. Got my first Barred Rocks in 1956 from Ralph from Ohio. Barred Rocks were King of the farm and meat world for over 50 years.
· Hatching eggs are 24 dollars a dozen
· Day old chicks for breeding stock are 5 dollars each for fewer than 100 chicks and 4 dollar each over 100
· Grown breeding stock 25 dollars and up from there depending on quality.

2. White Jersey Giants are pure Golda Miller strain. Have had Giants since 1962
· Hatching eggs are 30 dollars a dozen
· Day old chicks for breeding stock are 6 dollars each for fewer than 100 chicks and 5 dollars each over 100
· Grown breeding stock 25 dollars and up from there depending on quality.

3. Dark and White Laced Indian Game Cornish are pure Tommy Reece strain. Got my start in Cornish in 1994 when Tommy Reece passed away.
· Hatching eggs are 30 dollars a dozen
· Day old chicks for breeding stock are 6 dollars each for fewer than 100 chicks and 5 dollars each over 100
· Grown breeding stock 30 dollars and up from there depending on quality.

4. New Hampshire got my first New Hampshire back in 1956 from a friend of the family. My strain of New Hampshire’s is the old meat strain.
· Hatching eggs are 24 dollars a dozen
· Day old chicks for breeding stock are 5 dollars each for fewer than 100 chicks and 4 dollars each over 100
· Grown breeding stock is 20 dollars each and up from there depending on quality.

5. Columbian Wyndotte I have been working for years to make and improve my own Columbian Wyndotte. With the help from the late Cecil Moore I feel I have come up with a very good Columbian Wyndotte.
· Hatching eggs are 24 dollars a dozen
· Day old chicks for breeding stock are 5 dollars each for fewer than 100 chicks and 4 dollars each over 100
· Grown breeding stock 25 dollars and up from there depending on quality.

6. Bronze turkeys from Norman Kardosh, Rolla Henry and Cecil Moore. I got my first turkeys back in 1958 from Norman Kardosh and kept them ever since. The standard Bronze is the King of turkeys and cannot be beat for a fine heritage turkey.
· Hatching eggs are 5 dollars each for less than 4 dozen eggs and 4 dollars each egg above 4 dozen
· Day old poults are 10 each for less than 100. Their 9 dollars each for 100 to 300 and 8 dollars each above 300
· Grown breeding stock starts at 100 dollars each and up from there depending on quality.

7. Narragansett turkeys from Norman Kardosh, they were Norman’s favorite turkeys. Got my first Narragansett in 1966
· Hatching eggs are 5 dollars each for less than 4 dozen eggs and 4 dollars each egg above 4 dozen.
· Day old poults are 10 dollars each for less than 100. Their 9 dollars each for 100 to 300 and 8 dollars each above 300
· Grown breeding stock starts at 100 dollars each and up from there depending on quality.

8. White Holland is a sport of my Bronze as they were first made 150 years ago. Large self –breeding white turkeys with brown eyes. I worked with Norman Kardosh over a number of years to make a good White Holland.
· Hatching eggs are 5 dollars each for less than 4 dozen eggs and 4 dollars each egg above 4 dozen
· Day old poults are 10 dollars each for less than 100. Their 9 dollars each for 100 to 300 and 8 dollars each above 300
· Mature breeding stock is 100 dollars each and up depending on quality.

9. The Blacks were kept at Danny Williamson’s farm for a number of years and Danny did a great job of keeping size up and a good black bird.
· Hatching eggs are 5 dollars each for less than 4 dozen eggs and 4 dollars each egg above 4 dozenl
· Day old poults are 10 dollars each for less than 100. There are 9 dollars each for 100 to 300 and 8 dollars each above 300.
· Mature breeding stock is 100 dollars each and up depending on quality.

10. We do have smaller amount of breeds we are working on at this time to help save and preserve.
Rose Comb White Leghorns, Blue Andalusian, Rose comb Ancona, Dark Brown Leghorn, Buff Leghorn, Rose Comb Minorca, White Faced Black Spanish, Silver Laced Wyandotte, White Cornish that are Lou Straits old line, Golda Miller’s pure line of Black Jersey Giants which I got from Golda the first time in 1960 and Sadie Lloyd’s line of Bourbon Red Turkeys If there is a breed you’re looking for please let us know and we might be able to help you find a good old line of that breed. It is always best to buy poultry from a known breeder who has work hard to preserve and maintain an old line of poultry.

11. We also have Roger Stanford’s line of Rouen ducks, Gerald Donnelly’s line of Aylesbury ducks, Rolla Henry’s line of Dewlap geese both gray and buff and Roger Stanford’s line of African geese. Please contact us for pricing.

It is always best to come to the farm to pick up your birds. Give us a chance to teach about the birds you are buying. If you wish us to ship live birds we will only ship by air. The flight must be a direct flight to a major airport with no flight changes. You will have to pay to have us drive them to the airport and the cost of shipping.

Contacts for information about birds

Frank R. Reese Jr.
730 Smoky Valley Road
Lindsborg, Kansas 67456
785 227 3972
[email protected] email
www.reeseturkeys.com website
www.heritagechef.com website

Devon Reese
620 664 1778 phone
[email protected] email

Ryon Carey
620 245 7469 phone
[email protected] email

For all of you who wanted Standard Breed (H) Large Fowl maybe this was what Frank was waiting for. He asked me to get this off the ground about three years ago. This thread hit the 1,000 page mark and now he is ready to share his birds with you. Maybe this was his plan all along.

I hope many of you get his rare breeds of Fowl and then a year from now we can see what they look like. Some of the oldest gene pools in the country are here and ready for you to have.

In regards to the lighted pen Chris it looks neat. You need to have the front open and the back and the two sides covered good with plastic. Thats all I do down here. A chicken can do well as long as he has no drafts. Many think they are like dogs or people and need heat and electric blankets and such. Thats the silly people who dont come to this thread. They are chickens and can sit on a limb in a tree with two inches of snow on them and do great.

Got to protect the single combs, Vaseline on the males combs and I put my males in a card board box on freezing nites then put them on the floor with the females be for I go to work.