Beckys Birds
Songster
So I've been going through BYC for the last two hours, and though I've gotten a lot of great information, I am still uncertain on how to do things specific to my flock. I'll lay out what I've got, and wait for the advice to hopefully poor in!
Currently I have three 18 month old hens (one Golden Lace Wyandotte and two Black Jersey Giants), two American Buff Geese, three Welsh Harlequin and one Cayuga ducks. The waterfowl share the run but have their own house. They also self segregate from the chickens.
The run is pretty big. I'm not sure of the exact size, but it's two Premeir1 poultry netting sections that are connected. We also move the netting around to fresh grass every few months as needed. The birds also get to free range at least twice to three times a week, more when weather permits. We have two acres.
The chicken coop is going to sound raggedy and ghetto, but it actually really nice. It's a "cattle panel" fence section we bent in half and secured a huge, heavy duty tarp over. We pile bale's of straw around the outside on three sides for insulation. The back wall is made from pallets and hardware cloth and is wrapped in the tarp. The door is made from pallets with a handle, hinge and hardware cloth. We have multiple 2x4's as roosts. It's technically called a Hoop House. It's very secure and though we've had some predation, it's never happened inside the hoop coop.
On to my issues...
I have raised nine pullets that are now 7 weeks and fully feathered. We will probably keep them inside for another week, maybe two.
Next, I impulse bought four Light Brahma and four Road Island Red pullets that are at the most a week old. The little girls are in a separate "baby brooder" in a different room.
Lastly, I have the opportunity to get a 5 month old Light Brahma cockerel.
All of my current birds are laid back, except maybe DeeDee the 7 week old Golden Lace Wyandotte pullet. She's kind of a... brat. We will go with brat. LOL!
My hens are chill and good natured, Squirrel (JG) is my broody girl who steals ducklings if you let her.
I would truly appreciate some advice on moving the cockerel in, and then my older pullets.
If you've read my novella all the way through, thank you!
The picture is of my husband finishing the door of the coop. We now have T-Posts holding the straw bales to the sides.
Currently I have three 18 month old hens (one Golden Lace Wyandotte and two Black Jersey Giants), two American Buff Geese, three Welsh Harlequin and one Cayuga ducks. The waterfowl share the run but have their own house. They also self segregate from the chickens.
The run is pretty big. I'm not sure of the exact size, but it's two Premeir1 poultry netting sections that are connected. We also move the netting around to fresh grass every few months as needed. The birds also get to free range at least twice to three times a week, more when weather permits. We have two acres.
The chicken coop is going to sound raggedy and ghetto, but it actually really nice. It's a "cattle panel" fence section we bent in half and secured a huge, heavy duty tarp over. We pile bale's of straw around the outside on three sides for insulation. The back wall is made from pallets and hardware cloth and is wrapped in the tarp. The door is made from pallets with a handle, hinge and hardware cloth. We have multiple 2x4's as roosts. It's technically called a Hoop House. It's very secure and though we've had some predation, it's never happened inside the hoop coop.
On to my issues...
I have raised nine pullets that are now 7 weeks and fully feathered. We will probably keep them inside for another week, maybe two.
Next, I impulse bought four Light Brahma and four Road Island Red pullets that are at the most a week old. The little girls are in a separate "baby brooder" in a different room.
Lastly, I have the opportunity to get a 5 month old Light Brahma cockerel.
All of my current birds are laid back, except maybe DeeDee the 7 week old Golden Lace Wyandotte pullet. She's kind of a... brat. We will go with brat. LOL!
My hens are chill and good natured, Squirrel (JG) is my broody girl who steals ducklings if you let her.
I would truly appreciate some advice on moving the cockerel in, and then my older pullets.
If you've read my novella all the way through, thank you!
The picture is of my husband finishing the door of the coop. We now have T-Posts holding the straw bales to the sides.