d'anver lovers,discuss the breed and post some pics!

[chickee]

All that remains to be done is construct the pop door and human doors and vent covers, shingle the roof, put up roost and paint. Then, we have to fix the pen so the D'Anvers cannot fly out since no fliers have ever been penned there before now. And we're ready for the big move.
Note the redneck insulation, aka Walmart plastic bags, various types of bubblewrap and painters sheeting all stuffed in cracks and crevices. DH has been caulking today as well. Hardware cloth over all vents, plus on ceiling where we cut in to put the turtleback vent on the roof.




Insulation photo b4 inner walls went up.

You guys are fast! It looks great! Plenty of ventilation and innovative insulation. That has been my biggest complaint with the two chicken houses I have, is that they don't have roof vents and the houses get so hot in the summer. This house will have lots of ventilation! We did get the shear today for the walls and hope to get it on tomorrow. My husband wants the siding to match our house so it is going to be Hardy board lap siding.

 

[speckledhen]

I asked DH about siding, but it's just way too expensive. Even plywood is way over what it was last time we bought it so this is the way it has to be for now, sigh.

 

[chickee]

I asked DH about siding, but it's just way too expensive. Even plywood is way over what it was last time we bought it so this is the way it has to be for now, sigh.

It sure is! This chicken house is costing us so much more than I thought it would!! We just happened to find a private party with left over Hardy planks for $3.50 a plank instead of the lowest in store price of $7.40 a board!

We got half of the chicken house sheeted today. Busy day tomorrow, so not sure how much we will get done. It is exciting to see it get closed in!

 

[speckledhen]

It sure is! This chicken house is costing us so much more than I thought it would!! We just happened to find a private party with left over Hardy planks for $3.50 a plank instead of the lowest in store price of $7.40 a board!

We got half of the chicken house sheeted today. Busy day tomorrow, so not sure how much we will get done. It is exciting to see it get closed in!

It sure is! Congrats! We're putting on the ventilation covers today, matter of cutting pieces of beveled pine siding to fit and adding hinges. Then, DH will work on the fencing while I begin painting the interior, though we may cut the roost bars to fit first. I have some sunny yellow Behr satin paint with primer that I didn't like in my house so will use on the top half of the coop walls since I think that dark teal-ish paint all on the inside would make it seem like a cave in there, but I have 3 gallons of that stuff, so plenty for the exterior and maybe the interior of another coop will get a freshening up, we'll see. DH will shingle the roof last since the felt paper is already up there protecting it.

The fog is dense this morning so have to wait for it to burn off before we can see anything. We have to get to cutting the tall grasses behind the coop areas because I saw a snake out there yesterday, just a rat snake, but Dottie has little chicks now and those would be in danger when she's out roaming around. It's been too wet to cut it and it's really thick and tall now. I get little bites from something every time I walk out there now and I'm tired of itching.

Human and pop doors are on as of yesterday. Pop door will slide upward. Nail goes thru door into 2x4 to "lock" and you remove that and raise the door, then there is a hole on the bottom of the door thru which to put the same nail to hold the door up during the day. Cheap, aren't we???? That's also the way we keep the human door closed, nails top and bottom going through the door and into the frame. Works like a charm!

 

[K Epp]

Things are looking great with the new construction.

My D'anver count is Rusty and his 3 girls all Milli. 2 porcelain pulets and a cockerel. My extra Milli roo was lost in the fox attacks. Everyone is locked up and on winter hours now which pretty much means no free ranging unless I'm home.

If something happens to either roo with those colors can't I breed another using the hens of that color?

How long are D'anver productive?


Cynthia how are you going to flight proof your new run?

 

[speckledhen]

Things are looking great with the new construction. Thank you! About to start painting the inside today. Roosts and vent covers are on now.

My D'anver count is Rusty and his 3 girls all Milli. 2 porcelain pulets and a cockerel. My extra Milli roo was lost in the fox attacks. Everyone is locked up and on winter hours now which pretty much means no free ranging unless I'm home. So sorry to hear that.

If something happens to either roo with those colors can't I breed another using the hens of that color? You can crossbreed the Milles and the Porcelains, Karen. I do. Rusty's mother is 1/2 Porcelain, though she appears Mille.

How long are D'anver productive? I have no idea since my oldest hens will be 4 years old next April. They're laying now, some of them.


Cynthia how are you going to flight proof your new run? Absolutely!

ETA: Change of plans, temporarily. Atlas, my BR cockerel, and his two pullets will move into the new coop at first. We are worn out, my back is even hurt and that rarely happens, so instead of continuing with the fence stuff, having to cover it for the bantams like we'll have to do, we can move Atlas in there so the old hens can be left alone again. He badly hurt my BR hen who is crippled from arthritis, her being an easy target, so he can't be with those old women anymore. Later, we'll make the change with the bantams.

 

[bhj123]

I was going to a show to buy some D'anvers for a friend. What advice can y'all give to me for purchasing this particular breed? I'll send photos and comments to my friend but what can I do at the show to pick out the best birds?

 

[chickee]

ETA: Change of plans, temporarily. Atlas, my BR cockerel, and his two pullets will move into the new coop at first. We are worn out, my back is even hurt and that rarely happens, so instead of continuing with the fence stuff, having to cover it for the bantams like we'll have to do, we can move Atlas in there so the old hens can be left alone again. He badly hurt my BR hen who is crippled from arthritis, her being an easy target, so he can't be with those old women anymore. Later, we'll make the change with the bantams.

Understandable. I keep changing my mind which chickens will occupy the 3 new chicken rooms/pens. I am in the same boat with needing one of the pens covered for the d'Anver, Polish and Silkies who all live together.

Worn out tonight too! Worked all day on the chicken house and got all the shear on. Now we need to remove the fence in front of the new house, but that means we have to dig a trench and bury expanded metal all along that side to close off under the house and keep predators out.

Sorry you hurt your back.

 

[speckledhen]

My back will recover, I'm sure, but thank you! Atlas and his two girls are in the new coop tonight though the front isn't painted and the trim isn't on yet, but he hurt Caroline today and this needed to happen. So, here is the inside of their new temporary home, soon to be the bantams new home.






DH may have to work hard by himself because we are changing hosts for our web business (Blue Roo Creations) and we are starting the changeover now. Lots of work to do, lots of tedious computer stuff and I have to do my part.

 

[SchipAlong]

I'm trying to figure out colour genetics, so please correct me if I'm wrong. From what I understand splash is basically a double dilute blue, so when breeding the chance percentages are...

Splash x Blue = 50% Blue and 50% Splash
Splash x Black = 100% Blue
Black x Blue = 50% Black and 50% Blue
Blue x Blue = 25% Black, 50% Blue, and 25% Splash

I've read it's not a good idea to breed splash to blue. Is this because splash can "wash out" or lighten the blue?

Edit: Another question. At 11.5 weeks old what faults should I be looking for, and how much can structure change between now and full maturity?