Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[GrammasGarden]

I'm interested in raising a large fowl heritage breed that can handle the South Florida heat and is a very good large egg layer. Any suggestions ?

 

[Beekissed]

How about the Rhode Island White? It sounds like they need more advocates for their breed. If too difficult to obtain, RIRs are always a treat to raise and are so very beautiful, with the same wonderful laying performance.

Quote:

Or Leghorns...they never go out of style. Both breeds~Leghorns and Rhodes~ do well in hot climates and are prolific layers of large eggs.

Or even Black Australorps, a personal favorite of mine that have no down sides and will do well in hot climates as well..also one of the better layers out there. Hardy, sweet, docile, hard working, great feathering and will lay their butts off for a good many years.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Ok, all sides basically the same except wherever I decide to put doors.






Note: all openings will have hardware cloth encased or heavier 1 x 2 welded wire. I cannot hope to keep mice out but I will only feed outside the building unless weather is inclement and even then, all feed will be cleaned up or tightly covered at night so as not to encourage the rodents.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Ridge vent-- used in all roofs frames this way here, coop to house, to horse barn. Doesn't work as planned depending on the other openings of the building.

Are you saying that a ridge vent doesn't work if windows are open?

 

[Canieldonrad]

I'm interested in raising a large fowl heritage breed that can handle the South Florida heat and is a very good large egg layer. Any suggestions ?

Sounds like you want a Mediterranean breed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicke...rican_Poultry_Association#Mediterranean_Class

is going to give you a good start for ideas!

 

[Laingcroft]

Langshans will be found at the North Eastern Poultry Congress in January. They're having their meet. Last year the display was stunning!

That's a four-day weekend for me! Might be able to go if I can work out the logistics. Hard to get a farm sitter in January.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: In our house attic, the air is not drawing correctly. Vents that run from the gutter don't seem to be drawing in enough air . . . to keep the roof on the south side evenly heated/cooled. ANd this is based on the deteriorating shingles that have curled in a very specific pattern that I can clearly identify with the structure of the second floor.

I have wondered if the large vents at the 2 ends of the house have played a negative role in the situation.

Or the ridge vent is not big enough = air moves too slowly to provide adequate ventilation.

I am not an engineer-- I can only report my observations, but I'm not clear on why this happened.


In general with all the coop designs that we have tried-- some 6-- lack of ventilation is the biggest issue. FLow of air seems to be a critical point, and Beekissed and other have helped me see an open coop is a better option. THat is when I re discovered the woods style coop. THere maybe newer coop designs based on this early 1900's design that I have yet to discover, but I do think that closing up a cooptight is worse than a coop that is too open.

With your last design above, have you considered the monitor type roof? Adding windows and a allowing for a larger air flow upward? I like the low vents on two sides, it seems like it creates two pockets of warm air IF the large windows are closed tight.

Which leads me back to why not just make a woods style coop?? YOu are 90% there already.

Please understand I am just putting ideas out there for you to ponder-- your coop, your design, your choice.

(My husband jokes that I should have been an engineer-- )

 

[GrammasGarden]

Or Leghorns...they never go out of style.  Both breeds~Leghorns and Rhodes~ do well in hot climates and are prolific layers of large eggs.

Or even Black Australorps, a personal favorite of mine that have no down sides and will do well in hot climates as well..also one of the better layers out there.  Hardy, sweet, docile, hard working, great feathering and will lay their butts off for a good many years.    

 

[GrammasGarden]

Thank you. I was worried about breeds from up north that they would not handle the heat well. I just got a black australorpe but wish i had seen this thread first so i could have gotten from breeder on here instead of feed store to make sure i have true bloodlines. I was looking at Delaware but none in my area so i thought they must not handle heat. I cant really breed for strong traits as im 100 yards outside of agricultute zoning so i am restricted to only 4 hens on my half acre.

 

[capayvalleychick]

I was looking at Delaware but none in my area so i thought they must not handle heat.

I think that it depends more on the line than the breed. I have had Delawares from three different sources. One line did not tolerate the heat, yet the others thrived.
There is a breeder of Dels in FL. I can't think of her name. Maybe you could ask on the Delaware tread or look at the breeder listing on the Delaware Club.