Faverolles Thread

[ashandvine]

Thank you for the responses so far. It will hold half a doz birds and is 48x50x51". The idea for me is to be able to separate and in the long run not have to bring them all back into the barn again come winter-- as in, leave them in their own little coop just for that breed. It might not be the favs since I will have the two cockerels here. Its not delivered yet so when it is I will get pictures. I have been brainstorming but just realized that maybe this should go on a different thread. Sorry. I tried looking for a thread in here just for coop revamping but didn't find one.

 

[sandiklaws]

Thank you for the responses so far. It will hold half a doz birds and is 48x50x51". The idea for me is to be able to separate and in the long run not have to bring them all back into the barn again come winter-- as in, leave them in their own little coop just for that breed. It might not be the favs since I will have the two cockerels here. Its not delivered yet so when it is I will get pictures. I have been brainstorming but just realized that maybe this should go on a different thread. Sorry. I tried looking for a thread in here just for coop revamping but didn't find one.

I have a big one I have Cochin bantams in. I would suggest using the super sized metal rabbit nest boxes on the floor near the door- mine love their smaller ones.

http://www.bassequipment.com/Miscellaneous/Rabbit+Nesting+Equipment/default.aspx

The advantage of these, is you can easily remove them to hoe/hose out the house when needed... in such tight quarters every little bit of convenience for cleaning goes a LONG way. You can also upgrade to heated nests which prevent egg loss from freezing... although I never have bothered.

Also I would try hard not to have anything nailed to the floor, such as a support for a roost. I learned this the hard way and have to practically crawl inside to make sure the cleaning is 100% and there is no dirty pile behind the support.

 

[ashandvine]

I was thinking about using those half circle planters on the inside as nest boxes (the kind they put spanish moss in and mount on walls). Not sure. Here it is... bigger in person than I thought it would be and the guy has another one that is bigger that he used as a coop himself for a summer that he said he would sell and deliver for 50$. I just might take him up on it. Its not shingled or roofed as nicely but he said he would throw in some roof shingles to go with it.
Then ventilation question seems to be answered by the eve already being open behind the drip line. I will screen or mesh this and leave it like a soffit.
Sorry I can't rotate it. You can see the overhang which is nice and the asphalt roof and galvanized drip edge. The shingles on the base need some work on one side (have a little rot at the bottom) but standing like this it reaches my shoulder. Is there a way to figure out roughly how much space one bird body can reasonably heat? I would like to not put too many in there and it looks too big for six... maybe not. What's the rule of thumb? This might be the new Fav house... or Orloff house.

 

[sandiklaws]

I was thinking about using those half circle planters on the inside as nest boxes (the kind they put spanish moss in and mount on walls). Not sure. Here it is... bigger in person than I thought it would be and the guy has another one that is bigger that he used as a coop himself for a summer that he said he would sell and deliver for 50$. I just might take him up on it. Its not shingled or roofed as nicely but he said he would throw in some roof shingles to go with it.
Then ventilation question seems to be answered by the eve already being open behind the drip line. I will screen or mesh this and leave it like a soffit.
Sorry I can't rotate it. You can see the overhang which is nice and the asphalt roof and galvanized drip edge. The shingles on the base need some work on one side (have a little rot at the bottom) but standing like this it reaches my shoulder. Is there a way to figure out roughly how much space one bird body can reasonably heat? I would like to not put too many in there and it looks too big for six... maybe not. What's the rule of thumb? This might be the new Fav house... or Orloff house.

4 sq feet per LF bird minimum... I don't think the big guys would easily get into those hanging planters as most have a pretty thin edge to jump on

 

[bruceha2000]

Is there a way to figure out roughly how much space one bird body can reasonably heat? I would like to not put too many in there and it looks too big for six... maybe not. What's the rule of thumb?

HEAT? My 12 are in a 10 x 12 x 7' high stall in an old barn. They don't need no stinkin' heat!

Twice as many birds in 7 times as much floor space and over 10 times as much volume. 6 full sized chickens in 17 square feet aren't going to have ANY trouble staying warm.

My "general" rule of thumb for birds that are confined during the day is minimum 4 sq feet per bird. I look at it this way: A full sized chicken takes up about a square foot just standing. 2 square feet (the supposed minimum) barely leaves room to stretch both wings at the same time. Then I think: "Would I want to live in conditions where I could move no more than sticking my arms out once in a while?

Minimum roost space is a foot per bird and I'm sure that is generous in the winter when they all cram together. Then think about July when it is 90. A foot seems a tad tight when you want to cool off. I came home well after the birds went to bed Saturday but I had to check for eggs and since one set of 3 nests is in the coop, I had to go in with my flashlight. The low Saturday night was 39F and the girls were not in the "hunker to stay warm" position. They were spread out.
And some people heat their coop when it gets DOWN to 39

Bruce

 

[Eggcessive]

Wow that Merlin Cockerel is really, really nice.
I love the splash and blue or black Favs.

Could someone please explain cigarette burns on the hackle... or pics?

Thank you. Achickonthehill had 2 cockerels, and she kept the better one, but I think he is handsome. He is 13 months now, and has been siring some very healthy chicks so far.

 

[sandiklaws]

Lookie what I found... pictures from the Congress show

that's

Mary Hussey on the left, me in the middle in the purple, and Dick on the right in his awesome Fav jacket

 

[elizmartin]

4 sq feet per LF bird minimum... I don't think the big guys would easily get into those hanging planters as most have a pretty thin edge to jump on

Birds are going to get things dirty so think of how you can clean easily.
Maybe hinging the roof or hinging one whole side to open?
having a tray of sand under the roost that can be sifted out once in awhile, or a slick board that you can scrap?
adding a pair of nesting boxes on the outside with a roof that lifts up so you can collect eggs and clean the boxes since they do poop in them. ( many coop designs are like this).
water outside, like the water nipple idea,or a bucket with a clip that can be cleaned often.
Ventilation is good, my coops are 6' high 3 solid sides and chain link panel front runs, completely open....I have never heated, have a light bulb in the winter, so far lowest temp has been 8 degrees, keeping floor/coop dry(using shavings) and protected from wind.
I haven't worried about numbers in the small coops because they have access to free range many days.
Feeders that they cannot beak toss the feed around....messy
i also have a small bucket (Danish fruit jam) that has the oyster shell/grit.
I don't know if you have rodents, racoons, etc. but i don't place youngster out til warmer weather and only with small mesh (1"x1" min.) for their safety. I have had a racoon try to pull a turkey thru chain link.



So these are just some thoughts?????

 

[bantamgirl]

is it possible to breed white favs with salmons if so how i'd like to give it a try. i read about somthing called burns on the males hakels. so these are okay for showing because i think my roo has them. thanks.

 

[ashandvine]

Thank you, such helpers!!! A hoe makes cleaning easier. I don't like the nest box sticking out so I have to try to figure an alternative.
This is the current thought I am having (forgive the hand drawing skills here)




A thick glass window I already have to put in
B currently existing door that could be used for egg collection and cleaning
C clear plastic for solar gain on the southern side, covered with net or wire in warmer months
D green tarp or FBBF... not sure. This is on the North east side so I wanted it to act as shade and wind protection a little
E Human door for those days when chasing a chicken is necessary and of course the regular feed/water schedule

I figure I will lattice the north side of the yard to offer a little wind protection come winter. I am considering putting a permanent dust bath under the house so its available all year round with a little maintainance. At present it looks to me as though I will be cutting another hole in the bottom to create a door for them to go in and out of and food will likely be hung down there. This will force them to come out and get fresh air regularly-- something even my children must be pushed to do, but the water issue eludes me. I do not wish to run electricity to this. I may have to do what I did this winter which was have two dishes and one gets brought in every night to thaw and a fresh ones goes out. I really hope the solar side of this plan works because it could help provide heat as well as grazing area even in winter, esp if I wall one or two sides with bales of hay. The more I think about this the more I see the Favs in there. I do worry about the raccoons etc but they get closed up every night. And I plan to rotate the different groups out so everyone gets a chance to free range the acreage twice in a seven day period. Its not the same as having a lovely mixed flock all running around but its easier in some ways too esp when it comes to separating cock/erels.

oh, and the alternative thought to this plan right now is to maybe arc pvc pipes instead of using the triangular shape. I like the triangle but IDK what will be easier at this point. This one I think.

And I had issues with Frostbite on combs this winter. We had bitter cold and large combs became ugly small ones despite our efforts so while I am not a proponent of heating a coop I am going into creating new ones with thoughts for passive solar gain at least to help in the winter.