Euskal Oiloa ( Basque Thread)

[buckabucka]

Buckabucka, that sounds like more ventilation than you need for cold weather, especially since it is cross ventilation and at the roosting level.  You would likely get plenty of ventilation if you closed off one end, the north/west wall would be best, and provided a wind block on the other side.

Thanks. Maybe I'll look into closing the west end. Their roost is slightly closer to that end too.

 

[buckabucka]

The vent at the west end of the coop is now covered with more ratty old electric blanket scraps! That should help this week. Wednesday night says -12 with west winds gusting to 21 mph.

I hope this is the last really cold week (although I admit I already said that back a few weeks ago).

 

[Maggiesdad]

Brrr! gggGood luck!

 

[texasmomma]

Just an update on the chick with the bum leg. We left town and my dh decided not to cull. It is getting along ok. It looks like it might be one of the more white basques. It's hatch mate has a little bit of black on it's head. I haven't seen that before. These are from Greenfire's original breeding chickens.

I have four other basques. They are about 4 weeks old. They are living with two cream legbar roosters. I cannot believe how big they are. One of them is mostly white. This is for sure a cockerel. Another is the mille fleur pattern. I think it's a cockerel, but am hoping for a hen. The other two are more orange in color and I think they are hens. Both are a bit older than the two more white colored chicks. I put all of them outside last night for the first time. They have been inside all this time, and I'm really not excited about it. LOL

So, they did just fine. It was about 35 last night. They love being in the sun during the day. I really do like these basques. I find them to be as friendly as the swedish flower hens.

 

[ronott1]

Just an update on the chick with the bum leg. We left town and my dh decided not to cull. It is getting along ok. It looks like it might be one of the more white basques. It's hatch mate has a little bit of black on it's head. I haven't seen that before. These are from Greenfire's original breeding chickens.

I have four other basques. They are about 4 weeks old. They are living with two cream legbar roosters. I cannot believe how big they are. One of them is mostly white. This is for sure a cockerel. Another is the mille fleur pattern. I think it's a cockerel, but am hoping for a hen. The other two are more orange in color and I think they are hens. Both are a bit older than the two more white colored chicks. I put all of them outside last night for the first time. They have been inside all this time, and I'm really not excited about it. LOL

So, they did just fine. It was about 35 last night. They love being in the sun during the day. I really do like these basques. I find them to be as friendly as the swedish flower hens.

Stella, but Mil Fleur EO Pullet was out in back yard yesterday while I cleaned the coop. She was over by the layer fence fighting though it with a Production Red! I think I need to let them see each other more before I combine the flocks...It was real cute to see them fluffing and pecking at each other.

 

[Maggiesdad]

It's that hot latin blood... EO's got game!

 

[buckabucka]

It's that hot latin blood... EO's got game!

I wish my head roo would lose some of that hot Latin blood! He never really all-out attacks me, but runs up and bites my leg repeatedly. The last time I disciplined him, the submissive roo got all riled up, and when I set "Eddie" down, they had a big fight. No one was hurt, and Eddie came out on top, but it makes me hesitant to discipline him, if it is going to cause a big battle each time.
Recently, I've been making sure I have a scoop of feed or bowl of scraps/treats when I enter the coop. Eddie comes running over to bite me, but before he makes it there, I shove the bowl or feed scoop in his face. He is so distracted by this, he forgets to bite me.

I'm hoping I hatch a really friendly rooster this spring. If nothing else, I'll go with just one rooster next fall. They've been working things out, but it is definitely easier with just one.

 

[Maggiesdad]

If he isn't flaring his hackles and jumping to spur you, I wouldn't call that fighting. That's just unabashed Basque type A personality there - "Come on now, I know you've got treats on you!"...

However, I'll admit it's unnerving when I step in the pen with seven full grown boys and they all run at me full speed pecking my ankles... makes me want to take my nunchuks in there just in case.

 

[ronott1]

Quote:

If he isn't flaring his hackles and jumping to spur you, I wouldn't call that fighting. That's just unabashed Basque type A personality there - "Come on now, I know you've got treats on you!"...

However, I'll admit it's unnerving when I step in the pen with seven full grown boys and they all run at me full speed pecking my ankles... makes me want to take my nunchuks in there just in case.

One of my Hens does that! Other breeds go after my wedding ring too. The EO hen pecks at my hand if I do not have a treat for her. They usually do not bite hard enough to break skin and then stare at me waiting.

 

[buckabucka]

I've only been bit by the hen once. I was disciplining her rooster, and she came over and bit my leg in his defense .