Heritage Large Fowl - Phase II

[capayvalleychick]

I need suggestions: My breeding pens are mostly without males now and I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions on reintegrating the hens into one pen. My temperatures over the next two weeks are going to be close to and just over 100 degrees. Should I wait until we have some cooler days? I want to get it done but I don't want them fighting when its so hot as it provides an open invitation to heat stress. I don't need birds collapsing on me.

My hens rarely pick on each other, so it's less an issue. I reintegrate them at night, either in pairs or a large group at one time.

The heat may make them not want to use the energy to fight. On the other hand, the stress of being in a new place may add to heat stress, causing more risk of death from the heat. You know your birds best to be able to guess whether this might be a problem.

 

[bnjrob]

I need suggestions: My breeding pens are mostly without males now and I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions on reintegrating the hens into one pen. My temperatures over the next two weeks are going to be close to and just over 100 degrees. Should I wait until we have some cooler days? I want to get it done but I don't want them fighting when its so hot as it provides an open invitation to heat stress. I don't need birds collapsing on me.

Do you have a pen that none of the females have been in? I like to move at night also, but I prefer to move them to a pen that none of them have been in. That way no one has already claimed a spot for anything and when they wake up in the morning, they're all a little confused and have less time to argue because they're checking out the new digs and trying to figure out what happened to them.

 

[gjensen]

My Catalanas would have some scuffles in that situation. I wonder if your Andalusions are not similar.

The best I know to do in that situation is to add them all at once, to a new pen, at night, and with a new mature cock bird. You can take him out later if you choose. Sometimes, his establishing himself tempers the infighting. It is not a cure, but an aid.

 

[subhanalah]

I don't like the bantams as much either. The only bantams I plan on keeping are silkies and the only reason for that is I can't get them in LF size. I wonder if anyone would be interested in LF...maybe not sue to their broody nature, the feed bill is increased, but the eggoutput is terribly lacking.

 

[Lacy Blues]

My hens rarely pick on each other, so it's less an issue. I reintegrate them at night, either in pairs or a large group at one time.

The heat may make them not want to use the energy to fight. On the other hand, the stress of being in a new place may add to heat stress, causing more risk of death from the heat. You know your birds best to be able to guess whether this might be a problem.

Andalusians are fairly aggressive birds and I'm not sure if making the night move would make a lot of difference. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Do you have a pen that none of the females have been in? I like to move at night also, but I prefer to move them to a pen that none of them have been in. That way no one has already claimed a spot for anything and when they wake up in the morning, they're all a little confused and have less time to argue because they're checking out the new digs and trying to figure out what happened to them.

That is something I was thinking about. I have a large pen that none of the large fowl girls have been in but it has a lot of bantam hens in it right now... which I need to cull. If I can get the bantams culled that need to be then I can clean up that coop and decorate it with new shavings and move the large fowl hens in there at night, that might be the way to go.

My Catalanas would have some scuffles in that situation. I wonder if your Andalusions are not similar.

The best I know to do in that situation is to add them all at once, to a new pen, at night, and with a new mature cock bird. You can take him out later if you choose. Sometimes, his establishing himself tempers the infighting. It is not a cure, but an aid.

I do have one large fowl cock bird I can add to the mix. He's not great in the lacing department but he is a good sized bird. I've had him in with two girls that are too dark and I've gotten a few chicks from that mix that I'm happy with. My last hatch will be getting set in about ten days... want to get as many from my senior hen as possible. She's not laying as much now due to the heat so we're about done for the year. I could put him in with the hens and he'd be really happy!

The pen that he is in can be used for the bantam hens I plan to keep, which is right next door to where the large fowl hens will be. It will be a good situation too as getting them out of the barn would be a good thing, I think. That way I can work on the barn roof without causing too much of a rucous.

Ok, so the suggestions seem to mesh. I'll work on getting those bantams culled and that coop cleaned up... problem is... the heat is almost as hard on me as it is on them and by the time night time gets here, I'm generally thoroughly exhausted and the mosquitoes come out then too and a person could get eaten alive out there but I will persevere!

 

[gjensen]

I like bantams and large fowl. I like chickens, LOL.

I have preferred large fowl, but have always considered adding a bantam. There is a lot of reasons to consider bantams. Nothing wrong with them.

Anyone with less than an acre should consider bantams, in my opinion. They can do all that large fowl do, even if they do not put a large carcass on a plate.

I certainly prefer large fowl. I have large fowl. Large fowl are in more need of breeders. Still they are not a practical option for all, and there is no shame in breeding bantams. Especially when you consider facilities, and feed. There is a reason that bantams are in better shape than large fowl.

 

[desertmarcy]

Ok, so the suggestions seem to mesh. I'll work on getting those bantams culled and that coop cleaned up... problem is... the heat is almost as hard on me as it is on them and by the time night time gets here, I'm generally thoroughly exhausted and the mosquitoes come out then too and a person could get eaten alive out there but I will persevere!

On my Yahoo Rare Heritage Turkey list, someone else who gets eaten up by mosquitos was telling us all about using Cedarcide. The discussion was using on turkeys for bugs but morphed into other uses. Here are her comments I cut and pasted:

cedarcide.com .. I believe you can google it and find it. Red Cedar Oil for pests has been around a long time but it was not until the bed bug epidemic in NYC that it really got mainstream. People did not want to use toxic sprays and bombs in their apartments around themselves, kids, food, pets. I buy the 1 gallon about once every 18 mos. or 2 years - depending upon what and how much I use. It first appears as a little oily but it dissipates quickly. It can be used in kitchens, around food, on bedding, directly on you or your pets. A little secret... before guests arrive I dust a little with it and the room smells wonderful - not overpowering just clean. Beetles and spiders are hard to repel but this stuff seems to work on them as well. If you have dogs with ticks just put one drop on and in a couple minutes pull it off. etc. It you occasionally get those little tiny rolly-polly black beetle-like bugs in your cabinets that get in to your flour, rice, pasta etc. just get rid of them one time and periodically wipe down cabinet on inside with cedarcide and you won't be bothered by them.

A little goes a long way as far as warding off flying pests. If you are putting it on animals to keep off fly's, gnats etc. you may have to use it several times a week especially if the animal is in deep woods or water. But you may find that the many uses are worth it. I think its great and I am attacked by skeeters (mo) if I even step one foot out of my door so I put it on and I don't feel like I have put poison deet all over my skin especially after a nice shower. I don't slather it on birds - just drops with a dropper if I need too.

 

[NeilsHamburgs]

I have an aisle down the center of my barns. I just leave the pen they are moving to open and let them have the whole length of the aisle plus the new pen for a day or two until everyone has a chance to meet. My rocks are fine just placing them in the pen together but the hamburg hens are a whole different story. they need the extra room.

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote: A little goes a long way as far as warding off flying pests. If you are putting it on animals to keep off fly's, gnats etc. you may have to use it several times a week especially if the animal is in deep woods or water. But you may find that the many uses are worth it. I think its great and I am attacked by skeeters (mo) if I even step one foot out of my door so I put it on and I don't feel like I have put poison deet all over my skin especially after a nice shower. I don't slather it on birds - just drops with a dropper if I need too.
I just looked up the Cedarcide and found this:

1. FTC takes action against companies marketing allegedly unproven narural bed bug treatments:

1. The Federal Trade Commission filed deceptive advertising charges against two marketers of remedies for bed bug infestations, who allegedly failed to back up overhyped claims that they could prevent and eliminate infestations using natural ingredients, such as cinnamon and cedar oil. One marketer also allegedly made misleading claims that its products were effective against head lice.

In one of the two cases, RMB Group, LLC and its principals have agreed to settle the charges relating to their “Rest Easy” bed bug products. In the case against Cedarcide Industries, Inc. and others, challenging their marketing of “Best Yet!” bed bug and head lice treatments, the defendants have not settled, and the FTC is beginning litigation against them.
Bed bugs have been a growing public health pest in recent years, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Consumers plagued with bed bugs experience considerable stress, discomfort, and expense in attempting to rid themselves of these pests, and many are unaware of the complex measures needed to prevent and control them, according to the EPA.
Here is the link to the webpage: http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/pres...gainst-companies-marketing-allegedly-unproven

 

[desertmarcy]

I just looked up the Cedarcide and found this:

1. FTC takes action against companies marketing allegedly unproven narural bed bug treatments:

1. The Federal Trade Commission filed deceptive advertising charges against two marketers of remedies for bed bug infestations, who allegedly failed to back up overhyped claims that they could prevent and eliminate infestations using natural ingredients, such as cinnamon and cedar oil. One marketer also allegedly made misleading claims that its products were effective against head lice.

In one of the two cases, RMB Group, LLC and its principals have agreed to settle the charges relating to their “Rest Easy” bed bug products. In the case against Cedarcide Industries, Inc. and others, challenging their marketing of “Best Yet!” bed bug and head lice treatments, the defendants have not settled, and the FTC is beginning litigation against them.
Bed bugs have been a growing public health pest in recent years, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Consumers plagued with bed bugs experience considerable stress, discomfort, and expense in attempting to rid themselves of these pests, and many are unaware of the complex measures needed to prevent and control them, according to the EPA.
Here is the link to the webpage: http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/pres...gainst-companies-marketing-allegedly-unproven

Hey, thanks for that additional information. I was interested in it mainly to deter flies and mosquitos. Just about to read customer reviews on Amazon to see if users think it really works....