Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[LindaB220]

Last year I ordered Delawares from Sandhill. I have talked to others who have ordered from Sandhill. I think my hen to rooster ratio was about 1/5. Out of 28 birds (they sent 3 extra) I had nine pullets. I think the ratio was roughly the same for one lady who ordered a mix of the egg laying breeds. Can you imagine 20 large fowl Mediterranean and/or Continental breeds all crowing at the same time?

My Delawares were bad enough and they're nowhere near as loud but there was one that would crow endlessly for about an hour every day and it drove my neighbor and myself nuts. Guess which one went in the pot first?

Well, I'm really disappointed to hear that. I only ordered 5 ea of New Hamp, Lt Sussex, White Dorking and 10 assorted heavies. I'm learning to caponize and maybe I'll have lots of practice. Gotta keep positive.

 

[thedragonlady]

I'm now looking to a few other breeds of chicks not just buff Orpingtons. The #1 most important thing to me is their gentleness and easy handling with young children. I have 2 young sons, one of which is working hard to overcome a fear of animals so the LAST thing I need is a mean chicken. Any advice from experienced moms out there on a sweet egg laying breed?? Much appreciated!

Will a granny qualify ? SOP Buff Orps are gentle souls for the most part. Hatchery Orps are not. Orps are so gentle, that they are sometimes bullied by other breeds, so be careful what you


mix with them. Here is a photo of a 7 month old pullet I sold, with her friend, the owner's daughter. Large young pullet, small child. I stress good temperament in my breeding program Orps are too big to do otherwise.




Orps do need a big sleeping coop though, as well as an area to graze in. NO chicken tractors for them.

 

[bnjrob]

Sorry, I did want chicks. I just noticed that some people only sell straight run and we aren't allowed to have roosters.

Sexing chicks is not easy and even experienced people make mistakes and you can buy sexed chicks from a hatchery and still wind up with males. There are numerous sex characteristics that must be learned and looked at in order to sex a chicken - which is why it is hatcheries that bother sexing chicks because they deal in QUANTITY of stock in order to make a profit. It is rare to find a small QUALITY breeder that is able to sex chicks. If you want quality breeder stock but can't have males, getting older birds is a better option. Some breeders know their birds well and can tell the sex when the chicks are quite young. For our breed, we can usually tell the sex around 2-3 weeks old.

 

[bnjrob]

I found this website in my searches for Buckeyes: http://www.americanbuckeyeclub.blogspot.com/p/breeders-directory.html

I was thinking of going with one of the bigger hatcheries since they offer shipping. Is this a bad idea? I would end up paying like $60 for 6 chicks, but I don't know of any other places they are available that are within an hour or so drive. How long is it safe to drive with chicks?

You get what you pay for. You're going to get better quality birds if you go with a small, breeder who breeds true Heritage aka Standard Bred birds. Hatcheries are fine for some people, it just depends on your goals as to whether you buy hatchery or true standard bred birds.

Have you looked at the breeder list on the Livestock Conservancy website? They have breeders listed there as well.

As long as the chicks are warm and have access to food and water, you can drive all over the country with them. I've driven more than 6 hours with chicks in the back of my jeep, no problems.

 

[bnjrob]

I'm now looking to a few other breeds of chicks not just buff Orpingtons. The #1 most important thing to me is their gentleness and easy handling with young children. I have 2 young sons, one of which is working hard to overcome a fear of animals so the LAST thing I need is a mean chicken. Any advice from experienced moms out there on a sweet egg laying breed?? Much appreciated!

Having "sweet" and "friendly" birds is more about their handling than anything. The more that they are handled and learn to like you as well as what to expect from you and what you expect from them, the easier it will be to handle them.

 

[Amandas4hens]

Like with all animals! Thank you We settled on 6 Buff Orps straight run, 3 Barred Rock females, 4 Easter Egger females and 2 Olive Egger females. This way, we're hoping to have just a couple of roosters to help protect the flock. We live on 12.5 acre, secluded property on a mountain. Lots of dense woods surrounding our home. Lots of predators!

I have a couple questions about the chicks brooder pen, if that's what it's called. Are wall hanging feeders and waterers better than floor sitting ones? Should the bottom of the pen be wire with a cedar lined pan under it or should I put the pan right in the cage on the floor?
Anybody have tips? I'm building it myself.
Thanks

 

[bnjrob]

Like with all animals! Thank you

We settled on 6 Buff Orps straight run, 3 Barred Rock females, 4 Easter Egger females and 2 Olive Egger females. This way, we're hoping to have just a couple of roosters to help protect the flock. We live on 12.5 acre, secluded property on a mountain. Lots of dense woods surrounding our home. Lots of predators!

I have a couple questions about the chicks brooder pen, if that's what it's called. Are wall hanging feeders and waterers better than floor sitting ones? Should the bottom of the pen be wire with a cedar lined pan under it or should I put the pan right in the cage on the floor?
Anybody have tips? I'm building it myself.
Thanks

You may need more than just males to protect your flock. I've had a rooster snatched right out of the pasture when he was out with the free ranging hens. And had a pea hen taken from a tree. So be prepared for losses if you are going to be letting them range outside of a predator resistant fence. My good breeders are not allowed to free range unless I am out there, armed, to keep an eye on them. We've had coyotes stalking chickens in their runs while our large dogs were snarling and trying to break down the fence to get to the coyotes. Do not think that having a rooster or two will be enough protection.

Yes, IMO hanging food/water is better than floor sitting ones. Floor sitting ones let too much poop get into them and they get knocked over. I prefer to use nipple watering containers and the chicks learn to use them quickly. In the small brooders I use soda bottles with nipples put into the caps and in outdoor pens I use hanging buckets with nipples in the bottom of them. For feeders, I first use just a the bottom portion of a red plastic floor sitting feeder - so the newly hatched chicks are running and sitting in it and can easily figure out how to get food. Then the next day I usually put the other portion on it and they figure out how to stick their heads into the "holes" of the feeder. Few days after that, they go to hanging feeders. I use small 3 lb capacity hanging feeders with lids that fit into small spaces for my brooders. Hanging food and water is cleaner for both the chicks and for you. Sucks to have to keep changing bedding because they have spilled their water all over the place.

I don't use wire bottoms in my brooders but others do. It's a personal choice. Some say wire is best because they have problems with coccidiosis if they don't raise the chicks on wire. We have not had any coccidiosis problems so I just throw down regular pine shavings - the kind that you get for horse stalls. I also do not use medicated feed. They do get apple cider vinegar in their water for their health and it keeps the water containers cleaner longer.

I don't recommend cedar shavings. I do use cedar lumber for roosts in adult coops that have very good ventilation, but the oils in cedar can be a problem for birds and brooder don't usually tons of ventilation because you're usually trying to keep drafts off of them. I just throw down the pine shavings and on top of that I lay down paper towels to cover the bottom for about 3-4 days until everyone has figured out the difference between food and pine shavings, then I get rid of the paper towels altogether.

In anything you are building, think ventilation, ventilation, ventilation. Even in cold climates, ventilation is the most important. As long as the birds don't have the wind blowing on them while trying to roost, they can tolerate a good deal of cold, but lousy ventilation can kill them.

 

[Lacy Blues]

With my chick feeders, I do keep them on the floor but I have a square of plywood underneath so that the shavings don't get into the food. As the chicks get older, I'll raise their feeder a little at a time until they have to jump up to get to the small raised platform holding their feeder. I make sure to leave enough room on both sides for them to stand and eat.

 

[3riverschick]

You get what you pay for. You're going to get better quality birds if you go with a small, breeder who breeds true Heritage aka Standard Bred birds. Hatcheries are fine for some people, it just depends on your goals as to whether you buy hatchery or true standard bred birds.

Have you looked at the breeder list on the Livestock Conservancy website? They have breeders listed there as well.

As long as the chicks are warm and have access to food and water, you can drive all over the country with them. I've driven more than 6 hours with chicks in the back of my jeep, no problems.

~~Strevale,
This is some really good advice from bnjrob. Take it to the bank. You can buy grogel plus online and use that
when you drive with chicks or birds. Costs about 3.50 to 4.50 dollars for enough for 100 chicks. It is a complete
nutritional supplement . When you add water to the granules, it makes a jello like consistency. The chicks like it.
All the hydration and nutrition they need.

 

[brahmabreeder]

40° F here!!!