Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[RiddleMe]

 


That would be helpful.

I know having good ventilation and keeping the coop dry are two key factors.  I plan on having roof vents in the coop, along with two sheets of opaque fiber roofing on the south facing side.  Sand for the floor.

I know I need some other ventilation in there in the winter to keep the air fresh and the coop dry.  I'm guessing it should not be near the nesting boxes or perches to avoid drafts.

Really!! Great to know. How is the food conversation ratio? What strain are your birds from? Does the standard ratios of 4 sq. ft. per LF bird inside and 10 sq. ft. per LF bid outside work for them? Need more than that?
 Thanks,
 Karen

Hi Karen , I'm going to guess you meant to quote my post about the Chanti's. My birds are from Gina Neta. The other questions I can't directly answer since it sounds like our setups are different. My space ratios vary, but I average about 3 sq ft coop and 20 sq ft run per adult bird, with an additional ~1.5 acres free range area. I try to have a little more coop space in the winter, but it's rare we get enough snow to keep them inside, and they don't seem to mind the cold. On the flip side, I haven't noticed them being at all stressed now that they are confined in trios/quads to the 6'x11' breeding pens, it certainly hasn't affected their lay rates. Overall, I'd say they have a pretty good feed conversion ratio, but I only have a few Chantis at this point, running with a larger flock of Orloff and some mixed breed layers, ~40 birds total, so I can't give specific ratio per bird/breed. I do know the Chantis head out immediately when I open the run and only return to the coop to lay, then go right back out to forage, and they will go to all corners looking for tidbits to eat. Something I actually look for, birds that hang around the feeders are usually first on my sell list when I'm thinning the flock. Don't know if that helped at all.

 

[gjensen]

All of our coops are trailer because we rotate grazing with Enet - when I built the last smaller breeding Coop trailer we incorporated floor ventilation. I based the design on a post that was from Bob some time ago and the vent tube was made of wood planks nailed together to form vent pipe. It was a article from a early 1900s publication.
The difference in moisture in this coop and my first coop is amazing and I would never believe it if I hadn't tried it.
There are two forms of venting behind the roost.
The metal pipe is close to the floor and with a floor vent [4x8] . it vents to the attic which is vented at the roof.
The other venting are the auto opening house foundation vents [ black at left and right bottom of roosts ]
They do not open until 40 degrees . Unless its below 20 degrees I never lock my Delaware's in so the front hatch is almost always open allowing ventilation to the floor duct.
We use corse sawdust on the floor and this coop stays noticeable dryer than the older one.
I have already bought the ducts and piping to put in the old coop.
We have had one cock get a small place with frostbite but I feel it was related to 25 MPH winds at 20 degrees.
And we are in southern Virginia - It was cold this year for us Southern Boys.

This is a helpful post. You might not live in New York, but your winters this year put it to a test on some level. It is ventilated enough, and yet tight enough to retain some heat. The low ceilings should help.

Were they closed up when the cock got frostbite on his comb? Some need to avoid it in even colder winters.

You guys dropped to single digits once or twice this year. Did you get any damaged combs then?

Is Virginia still considered southern? I know that it used to be. LOL.

In larger coops a compact roost area like this with a curtain might be helpful for some. Especially if the roost area is appropriately sized.

The quality of craftsmanship on this is high, and the design is smart.

 

[finnfur]

This is a helpful post. You might not live in New York, but your winters this year put it to a test on some level. It is ventilated enough, and yet tight enough to retain some heat. The low ceilings should help.

Were they closed up when the cock got frostbite on his comb? Some need to avoid it in even colder winters.

You guys dropped to single digits once or twice this year. Did you get any damaged combs then?

Is Virginia still considered southern? I know that it used to be. LOL.

In larger coops a compact roost area like this with a curtain might be helpful for some. Especially if the roost area is appropriately sized.

The quality of craftsmanship on this is high, and the design is smart.

Thanks so much .
It got down in single digits several times .
I think the frostbite was from being outside in the teens. We live on a windy hill and it is usually blowing .
This cock is the #2 and during that time the hens would go in and out in shifts but if a hen is out he was going to be there so he was out most of the day protecting LOL

 

[gjensen]

Thanks so much .
It got down in single digits several times .
I think the frostbite was from being outside in the teens. We live on a windy hill and it is usually blowing .
This cock is the #2 and during that time the hens would go in and out in shifts but if a hen is out he was going to be there so he was out most of the day protecting LOL

Someone with a fixed structure could consider a similar roost area. Possibly with a curtain of sorts.

Vicky uses Rubbermaid cabinets as roosts and "sleeping boxes" (or at least she did). It works well for her. I thought it was a smart idea.

I had a bird get nipped last year. I failed to anticipate a change in wind direction. Only one bird in one pen of many. This pen was set in a way where the change in wind direction affected him alone. The temperature was 11 degrees.

I do not have any practical experience with this topic. I only live far enough north to get a taste of winter on occasion. I do nothing different in the winter than I do in the summer. Except being mindful of wind and the few mornings where the water might freeze.

 

[jonservidio]

I would not get rid of my birds based on what some weatherman said. Sundays forecast for Monday was wrong.
you can always dub your birds, we're talking about breeders here, right?
rose comb reds, rose comb leghorns,

 

[Zanna]

For those of you with experience toe punching......... I have toe punched for id for many years. My NH hatch with a lot of webbing so it is easy to do. My Kathy line Delawares have barely enough webbing to leave room for the hole. I jam the toe punch back as far as I can and still don't have enough room on some of the chicks.

Do any of you wait a few days till they have grown a bit then punch? If so, I need a way to identify them as I am hatching two separate matings and they all go into the same brooder. Zip tieing every little chick would be a pain. Anyone tried little strips of vetwrap? Thinking it might be difficult to get off, it sticks to itself very well, that's the point.

Anyone cut a slit through the web rather than punching the hole? Have heard that may cause toe curling problems.

Any advise would be appreciated!

 

[Beekissed]

I've tried the vet wrap and it was off in a matter of minutes.

 

[Zanna]

I've tried the vet wrap and it was off in a matter of minutes.

Great! That would be easy to do and then toe punch when the chicks have grown some if others have had success with that.

 

[Zanna]

I've tried the vet wrap and it was off in a matter of minutes.

Just re-read your post........ It was easy for you to get off or the chicks got it off on their own?

 

[Beekissed]

It just sort of unraveled on its own and fell off. No matter how many times I refreshed it or squeezed it, warmed it, etc. to get it to cling, it just wouldn't. Could be due to the DL in the brooder or something but I just couldn't get it to stay.