Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[Leela NH]

Hi, I'm new to this thread, and I'm designing mobile coop tractors as well. I'm just starting up with Buckeyes and I have some standard Dark Cornish and others for a project I have in mind.
My plans are for modular 8x8 tractors that I can add sections to as needed. I have a few plans on the sketch pad. It's frustrating to be north of the border- the prices are insane. For example, a Tractor supply cattle panel is 20 bucks US and in stock. In Canada, it's not in stock, and it's $65 bucks for the same thing. I know the Canadian dollar has tanked, but seriously????

Y

You might try looking into welded wire rolls for your frame. You will need a center brace, and depending on snow load you may need some sort of center column. Good luck with your project!

Leela
Kindred Hill Farm
NH

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

You might try looking into welded wire rolls for your frame. You will need a center brace, and depending on snow load you may need some sort of center column. Good luck with your project!

Leela
Kindred Hill Farm
NH

Thanks Leela. We can get Red Brand fencing here, again, same problem with the pricing :-(
The welded wire rolls are even more painful than the cattle panels- so far the best bet has been concrete reinforcing mesh, but I still need a finer mesh like hardware cloth. So far this is a mixed media project, wire, wood, plastic........ bit I really hope these tractors end up not looking like I scavenged everything from a dumpster.

 

[hellbender]

Thanks Leela. We can get Red Brand fencing here, again, same problem with the pricing :-(
The welded wire rolls are even more painful than the cattle panels- so far the best bet has been concrete reinforcing mesh, but I still need a finer mesh like hardware cloth. So far this is a mixed media project, wire, wood, plastic........ bit I really hope these tractors end up not looking like I scavenged everything from a dumpster.

Do 'looks' really matter in the long run if your birds are secure and healthy?

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Do 'looks' really matter in the long run if your birds are secure and healthy?

Secure and healthy are more important than looks, but looks would be nice too! I want to be able to post pictures with pride!

I should add, my carpentry skills are so dismal, the materials have to cover for me.

 

[finnfur]

As I transition from the big laying flick to breeding, I'm thinking of how to break up the long coop into smaller coops, and also how to have rotational pastures ...

If I did the movable hoop coops, I'd make the frames from PVC pipe for easier dragging.

@LindaB220 We're practically neighbors now.

Yes to move forward with a breeding program I am going to need smaller breeding coops - don't know which egg is from who currently

 

[finnfur]

@finnfur I'm actually considering making the panels out of PVC and covering with 2''x4'' dog wire and a 2' strip of chicken wire along the bottom. I know this would not be too pred proof, but I have two LGDs that keep the nasties away. I am thinking I could secure them together with zip ties at the top and a 2"x2" along the bottom of each end. It would be a large A frame with 8' panels and a little over 6' of head room in the middle. Just a thought......

Oh, and BTW, there is an article on the Silver Gray Dorkings in the APA yearbook (2015) for those interested in them.

Sounds interesting - we will definitely need PICs

 

[3riverschick]

Yes to move forward with a breeding program I am going to need smaller breeding coops - don't know which egg is from who currently

Try here:
small breeding pens: https://www.fayrehalefarm.com/poultry-breeding-pens/
Best,
Karen (who likes walk in pens, smile)

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:
I have Black Javas from two different lines. One line is predator savvy but calm around people. The other line is flighty. The flighty birds will screech and hit the wire when I walk up to the door of the coop. It's annoying as heck. Chicks from both lines are brooded together and the behavioral differences hold across generations. It's not a management thing. I'm hoping I can eventually breed it out. Time will tell.

 

[finnfur]

Try here:
small breeding pens: https://www.fayrehalefarm.com/poultry-breeding-pens/
Best,
Karen (who likes walk in pens, smile)

Karen we agree - if I can't walk in I am not building it anymore- we have one chicken tractor from our original setup and I dislike it immensely - to old for the stooping and crawling

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I have Black Javas from two different lines. One line is predator savvy but calm around people. The other line is flighty. The flighty birds will screech and hit the wire when I walk up to the door of the coop. It's annoying as heck. Chicks from both lines are brooded together and the behavioral differences hold across generations. It's not a management thing. I'm hoping I can eventually breed it out. Time will tell.

MagicChicken, I was wondering how you are breeding for calm temperament? Temperament is very important to me too, and so far I've just been culling the nasties which I'm not even sure is the proper way to do it. But, it was mentioned on another thread that birds that are too mellow might have poor fertility, which I find disconcerting. Have you seen any evidence of that?