Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[Lacy Blues]

I read that, it was written by Rip Stalvey who is one of the judges at the show. Figured I ought to pay attention Thinking my most challenging thing will be getting them dry after their baths. Don't want to use the blow dryer on them and I think the temperature outside may be a little cool next week for air drying outside. This week would have been ideal, 80's + and all. Read an old showing chickens book and it said to put them in a room with a wood stove..........

Drying them with a blow dryer isn't difficult but it is time consuming. You have to be careful not to break feathers and you need to be sure they are dry all the way to their skin. If you have a room with a wood stove, you could start the process with a blow dryer and then let the birds basically finish themselves in the very warm room.

You might consider putting down plastic on the floor and putting your cages or whatever you plan to use in on the plastic and then let them spend the night inside to be absolutely sure they are dry and don't catch a chill.

 

[Wisher1000]

Wouldn't a brooder type arrangement work? Lightly covered cage with a brooder lamp in one end so the bird could regulate it own temp requirements until it was completely dry? I dunno, just a thought.......

 

[Zanna]

Drying them with a blow dryer isn't difficult but it is time consuming. You have to be careful not to break feathers and you need to be sure they are dry all the way to their skin. If you have a room with a wood stove, you could start the process with a blow dryer and then let the birds basically finish themselves in the very warm room.

You might consider putting down plastic on the floor and putting your cages or whatever you plan to use in on the plastic and then let them spend the night inside to be absolutely sure they are dry and don't catch a chill.

Thanks Lacy, good advice. I will figure it out.

Our home is up some very steep stairs in an appartment in the hayloft of a horse barn so the logistics of getting the 6 show cages up here and leaving the birds inside overnight would be a challenge. I might be able to turn up the heat in the barn bathrooms and put the cages in there for the day if I can bathe them first thing in the morning, I have a nice large horse washrack to put my tubs in to bathe them. My other thought was to hang a heat lamp over the cages if the day is too cold, they will be in the show cages in horse stalls for their training period and that would not be too difficult to do. The wheels are spinning......

 

[Zanna]

Wouldn't a brooder type arrangement work? Lightly covered cage with a brooder lamp in one end so the bird could regulate it own temp requirements until it was completely dry? I dunno, just a thought.......

My thoughts exactly Read this after I responded to Lacy's post. Just need to be careful in the horse barn. I use ecoglo's for the chicks.

 

[Zanna]

You all got me thinking and wandering around the barn figuring out how I was going to do this. We have a large tackroom with a concrete floor where all the cages will fit between the clients tack boxes. I can close the door and plug a heater in if it is too cool and leave them there overnight if need be. No Clients or the Owner come out to the barn on Monday or till later in the day Tuesday so I think I can acomplish this! Thanks everyone!!!!

 

[armorfirelady]

 
I didnt use them in the coop but I used them on the walkway to the coop. Dumped a few bags, watered

It gets so wet here I would be concerned it would turn to muck.  Sand solves the mud problem.

Mine has been out since the spring. No muck at all and it was wet often every time it watered the veggie garden. I did lay it thick tho, about 4-5 inches, so the little peeps didn't scratch it up. It's very compacted.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
This Fall I am hoping for sand in my runs.
Best,
Karen

 

[capayvalleychick]

It gets so wet here I would be concerned it would turn to muck. Sand solves the mud problem.

Taking six birds, 4 NH and 2 BCM to my first show the 18th. I think there is a good line up of judges and it is a double show so if you pay twice, birds get judged twice. Have no clue what I am doing Anyone have any advice for me? My birds are calm so I am only going to cage train for a week. They get penned up Sunday.

I don't have a solution for you. You might ask Linda Haggarty (Pathfinders). I've only bathed birds when it's warm enough to air dry them.

I did want to wish you the best for your show!!!

 

[capayvalleychick]

Hi,
This Fall I am hoping for sand in my runs.
Best,
Karen

Karen, congrats on your new badge! I'm sorry that I never was able to find the owners of those Sussex. I will try again, next time that I go to a show.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Laura Haggarty doesn't get on BYC anymore. She's too busy with her buckeyes and the buckeye club... her words. You can find her on facebook though.