Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[gjensen]

No I'm in the valley. We rarely see snow and get below 20 an average of about 6 nights a year. It's very rate to have a day that is not above freezing. Good ole Southeastern heat and humidity. And way too much rain the last few years, but with drought problems all over the rest of the country I hate to complain about the rain.

We call where you are up north. It is also elevation and proximity to the ocean. We are on a sand ridge before you get into the piedmont. We are in a transition zone of sorts. The old coast line.

Just east of us the elevation has a gradual drop to sea level. The elevation climbs steadily going west. It is a bit different between here and there. Our summers are dominated by Bermuda Highs that do not go that far west. If you want to see an illustration, look at a range map of the Alligator and some other things that would not survive Tennessee winters. We cannot grow the same plants varieties (often) that we would from the sandhills to the lowcountry. It changes fast. Georgia is like that to. There is a big difference in chill hours from west to east. It is more than double.

I am not trying to debate, just trying to illustrate the differences. There is a big difference between here and our coast because of the ocean. As we drop in elevation and head to the ocean there is a decent difference in just 120 miles. It changes fast. Faster than we would think looking at a map. I will put it this way, in that 100 miles, there is near a month of growing season difference.

I have often said that I should move 100 miles north or south. Being in the transition zone has some plant growing challenges. The advantage is that done just right, we have a large variety of things we can grow.

 

[RedRidge]

No I'm in the valley. We rarely see snow and get below 20 an average of about 6 nights a year. It's very rate to have a day that is not above freezing. Good ole Southeastern heat and humidity. And way too much rain the last few years, but with drought problems all over the rest of the country I hate to complain about the rain.

  We call where you are up north. It is also elevation and proximity to the ocean. We are on a sand ridge before you get into the piedmont. We are in a transition zone of sorts. The old coast line.

 Just east of us the elevation has a gradual drop to sea level. The elevation climbs steadily going west. It is a bit different between here and there. Our summers are dominated by Bermuda Highs that do not go that far west. If you want to see an illustration, look at a range map of the Alligator and some other things that would not survive Tennessee winters. We cannot grow the same plants varieties (often) that we would from the sandhills to the lowcountry. It changes fast. Georgia is like that to. There is a big difference in chill hours from west to east. It is more than double.

 I am not trying to debate, just trying to illustrate the differences. There is a big difference between here and our coast because of the ocean. As we drop in elevation and head to the ocean there is a decent difference in just 120 miles. It changes fast. Faster than we would think looking at a map. I will put it this way, in that 100 miles, there is near a month of growing season difference.

 I have often said that I should move 100 miles north or south. Being in the transition zone has some plant growing challenges. The advantage is that done just right, we have a large variety of things we can grow.

Yes, here in the valley we get the best of all world's. We can drive 2 hrs in one direction and snow ski. .. But spends most of the year water skiing instead. Our poultry and garden are right at 700' elevation, our home at 850'. Up sides are that we rarely have to worry about waterers freezing and we garden year round. Down side is that we rarely have it cold enough long enough for a good big die off. Meningial worm was a huge problem here last year with all the moisture we had. And heartworm prevention is required year round here - although I won't get into a discussion about frequency since most folks but into the monthly thing and don't understand the life cycle of heartworm. My 4 lgd's ate over 100 lbs each... We mix our own heartworm prevention and administer quarterly. Meningial worm in the sheep and heartworm in the lgd's are the only parasites I get shook up about.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Because of the suspension --I cut up cubes of bread and inject each cube with a dose. One cube per bird, the big boys get more, the turkeys several cubes. One chicken hen, Speedy,-- got more than her share-- didn't kill her.

 

[har]

Yep, I was going to suggest a bit more sunshine too.  How many birds do you keep in those 4x4s?

I just keep one rooster per 4x4. I have taken the center divide out and used it for a trio to get hatching eggs from. I can adjust the tarp to get more sunshine in it.

Thanks

Scott

 

[gjensen]

I just keep one rooster per 4x4. I have taken the center divide out and used it for a trio to get hatching eggs from. I can adjust the tarp to get more sunshine in it.

Thanks

Scott

Scott, I do not mean any disrespect, but I would modify that for something else. Then put something different together. Something a little larger and more open would help them. If you have a barrier around the bottom, when you let them out, you do not have to worry about them fighting through the wire. It does not have to be fancy, just functional. You can do it with pallet wood, if you chose. Wire hoops work for some.

That would be ok short term, but they will lose condition closed in like in that.

Just thing open, greens, protected from the elements, good feed, clean water, and the parasite load down. If they do not stay in good shape like that, they are not worth keeping. Generally one of those six things is wrong when they start going downhill.

 

[hellbender]

Alrighty then. I just wormed about 80 yearlings with Valbazen, according to the 'recipe'. I will repeat for two days.

If all goes well, we'll count it as a 'WIN'. If they drop like flies, I'll get the ol' meat grinder cranked up!

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Are Yokohama's Heritage Large Fowl?

 

[har]

...

 Scott, I do not mean any disrespect, but I would modify that for something else. Then put something different together. Something a little larger and more open would help them. If you have a barrier around the bottom, when you let them out, you do not have to worry about them fighting through the wire. It does not have to be fancy, just functional. You can do it with pallet wood, if you chose. Wire hoops work for some.

That would be ok short term, but they will lose condition closed in like in that.

 Just thing open, greens, protected from the elements, good feed, clean water, and the parasite load down. If they do not stay in good shape like that, they are not worth keeping. Generally one of those six things is wrong when they start going downhill.
[/quot

I understand what you mean and thank you. I want that rooster to be in top shape for breeding. It is a pain to keep at least two Roos per breed but I think necessary.

Scott

 

[NeilsHamburgs]

Cold weather does nothing to stunt the insect or parasite population. Insects go dormant over winter. They are still there. Alaska is sprawling with Mosquitos and all sorts of bugs come spring. Yet people still think winter temps affect them.

 

[3riverschick]

It was warm today! 61 degrees! Will miracles never cease! I am so happy all the laying flock is laying again. Now I just need to get the other two girls to lay.
Best,
Karen