Is there a breed for me?

[Ribh]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. I love the speckled Sussex! My dog is speckled so I'm quite partial to the pattern.

I think the wing clipping idea is fantastic and the added peace of mind I need.

I can definitely connect the two runs. My thought process was that with two smaller runs made of lighter weight material would be moveable. That way once the birds had produced a fair bit of compost I could switch them to another run, move the old run and easily access all of the compost. Though you are right that two runs aren't necessary. I wanted to have moveable preferably bottomless coops for the same reason. With the heat and humidity it doesn't take long for it to start wreaking be of ammonia

I use deep litter mulching in my run in a sub~tropical climate [think HIGH humidity] & get very little odour. If I do I simply add more leaf litter or straw. Also I'm not sure what predators you get in your part of the world but without a wire bottom or a collar things can dig in under & get your chickens so you may need to rethink that one.

 

[Halfpasthen]

The first breeds I thought of were Buff Orps and Easter Eggers, but don't forget to look into Barred Rocks and Speckled or Light Sussex. My BR was the sweetest chicken ever and I've heard such amazing things about Speckled Sussex that I want to get that breed in the future. If you can't decide, you could always go with a mixed flock. Similar dual-purpose breeds get along fine even in a very small flock, especially if they're raised together from chicks. The most problems arise when the birds are not similar... like mixing crested Polish, silkies or bantams with other large fowl.

Any chicken is capable of flying over a fence, so a secure covered run is a great idea. If you're worried about escape from your backyard, you could always clip one wing. One of my little EEs would fly over the gate from their chicken yard to my backyard, but once I clipped, she never tried it again. And in nearly 3 years of chicken keeping and letting them free range in my small suburban backyard, I've never had a single bird try to fly over the fence to escape, clipped or not. They love being on the grass! Even loose in the front yard with no fence, they never wander too far.

If you're thinking about building 2 runs to rotate between, why not make them connected to a single coop with a pop door on each end? That's how I built mine (see link under my avatar). It makes it easy for me to integrate new birds, or keep one separate if I need to. The expense of building multiple coops and runs can add up quick. Why do you want to rotate runs? To keep the grass green? Unfortunately, I think even just a few chickens will have that space all worn down over time... they are notorious destroyers of greenery. Nothing wrong with one larger run and using deep litter, it's very easy maintenance. Plus you will end up with some amazing compost!

Keep in mind that all chickens will decrease their egg production over time, especially during winter and molting season... some may even stop laying entirely after just a few years. If you're willing to rotate your flock regularly, this article may give you some ideas:
A 3 Year Chicken Rotation to Optimize Year-Round Laying

Just read and saved that article. Love the concept. Not sure if I could get husband on board but I'm all for it lol.

Good luck with your planning!

I use deep litter mulching in my run in a sub~tropical climate [think HIGH humidity] & get very little odour. If I do I simply add more leaf litter or straw. Also I'm not sure what predators you get in your part of the world but without a wire bottom or a collar things can dig in under & get your chickens so you may need to rethink that one.

This is good to know! I will happily mulch the beejeezus out of that run to prevent odor.

This is something I am very curious about. I have a lot of questions regarding it but l will post in the appropriate forum to avoid hijacking my own thread lol.

 

[IamRainey]

Take the heat very VERY seriously. Don't worry that much about the noise of hens. They won't make enough to disturb anyone. But do look for heat-tolerant breeds and choose a spot in your yard where there is shade and as much cross ventilation as possible to make the optimum use of any breezes.

I live in Southern California where triple-digit temps are becoming more and more the norm for months at a time. I've had to add shade cloth where the sun shines on my coop. And I provide box fans -- and even ice blocks for the worst of it! -- when the Summer rages. Even then I lost a hen last year.

Make it easy on yourself and your flock by choosing well.

What's the point of 2 separate runs and coops for 6 hens? You might sometime need a wire kennel for some temporary isolation but I don't see what separate facilities accomplishes.

 

[Halfpasthen]

Take the heat very VERY seriously. Don't worry that much about the noise of hens. They won't make enough to disturb anyone. But do look for heat-tolerant breeds and choose a spot in your yard where there is shade and as much cross ventilation as possible to make the optimum use of any breezes.

I live in Southern California where triple-digit temps are becoming more and more the norm for months at a time. I've had to add shade cloth where the sun shines on my coop. And I provide box fans -- and even ice blocks for the worst of it! -- when the Summer rages. Even then I lost a hen last year.

Make it easy on yourself and your flock by choosing well.

What's the point of 2 separate runs and coops for 6 hens? You might sometime need a wire kennel for some temporary isolation but I don't see what separate facilities accomplishes.

Thanks. I appreciate differing opinions. As you can see the information about heat tolerance especially can be conflicting. My next door neighbor lost her pet bunny due to the heat last summer. I will heed your warning and err on the side of caution. Box fans are a great idea!

Yes my only thought with the two separate runs was to provide as much space as possible while allowing me to move them. You are right that with a smaller number of chickens I could just pop them in a big dog kennel if I need to.

The consensus seems to be a more permanent larger run would be preferable.

 

[IamRainey]

I just saw that Sicilian Buttercups are on the heat tolerant list.

My SB is a relatively small hen -- not bantam size but definitely on the small end of the scale for full-sized chickens. She's calm. She lays a lovely rose quartz colored egg of good size. Her production is good. I don't know if I've ever heard her voice. AND her pretty speckled feathers are like velvet to touch which would be nice with small children.

Give Sicilian Buttercups a thought. I love mine.

 

[IamRainey]

The consensus seems to be a more permanent larger run would be preferable.

I agree!!! And make whatever it is, tall enough to get in their standing straight. You'll be so glad you did!

 

[Halfpasthen]

I just saw that Sicilian Buttercups are on the heat tolerant list.

My SB is a relatively small hen -- not bantam size but definitely on the small end of the scale for full-sized chickens. She lays a lovely rose quartz colored egg of good size. Her production is good. I don't know if I've ever heard her voice. AND her pretty speckled feathers are like velvet to touch which would be nice with small children.

Give Sicilian Buttercups a thought. I love mine.

View attachment 1657371

Thank you for that recommendation! Another one I have never seen!

 

[Halfpasthen]

I agree!!! And make whatever it is, tall enough to get in their standing straight. You'll be so glad you did!

I will keep that in mind. Lol, I'll have to trim some trees back a little but I can make it 6ft tall.

Does your Sicilian buttercup get along with your larger birds despite the size difference?

 

[IamRainey]

I have a mixed flock. Great big rotund Orpingtons, a big old Wyandotte, a nice medium-sized Plymouth Rock, a Cream Legbar who's just a little bigger than the Sicilian Buttercup and a big manly Black Copper Marans rooster. Once everyone found their spot in the pecking order they all get along great.

Interestingly, the ones who always end up on the lower roost are the Wyandotte and one of the Orps. My Sicilian Buttercup and the Cream Legbar are right up at the top with the big guys.

Don't know if that's how it would work out for you, but the bottom line is SBs fit into a mixed flock just fine and chickens will always have to work out their pecking order.

 

[feathermaid]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. I love the speckled Sussex! My dog is speckled so I'm quite partial to the pattern.

I think the wing clipping idea is fantastic and the added peace of mind I need.

I can definitely connect the two runs. My thought process was that with two smaller runs made of lighter weight material would be moveable. That way once the birds had produced a fair bit of compost I could switch them to another run, move the old run and easily access all of the compost. Though you are right that two runs aren't necessary. I wanted to have moveable preferably bottomless coops for the same reason. With the heat and humidity it doesn't take long for it to start wreaking be of ammonia

This is good to know! I will happily mulch the beejeezus out of that run to prevent odor.

This is something I am very curious about. I have a lot of questions regarding it but l will post in the appropriate forum to avoid hijacking my own thread lol.

You have plenty of time to research and gather more opinions, so no rush to figure out the exact plan yet. Everyone's situation is different, and what works great for one may not be the best for another.

Your idea of moving the runs around is called a tractor. I personally never saw the point, usually because they have to be small enough to lift & move, and that means a small area for your birds to hang out all day. And ones made from lightweight pvc pipes will become brittle and break after being exposed to sun and cold temps. Not very long lasting.

I can tell you in observing my own free ranging birds all day, they spend little time on the actual grass. They're mostly dust bathing in the garden beds, preening on my patio, scratching up my landscape, perching on my lawn chairs or going back to the run to get food.


I think if you can build one large run and let them out to the grass occasionally, just an hour or 2 in the evening, they will be super happy. Deep litter is by far the easiest maintenance program, if you can keep it covered. If exposed to rain it'll become a slimy mess. Start shallow, add more dry bedding as they poop, they scratch and turn it, a little micro ecosystem is formed that brings in beneficial microbes and other bugs and yummies for your chickens to snack on, all while compost action is happening and you keep adding more litter. You only clean it out once a year (but leave some behind to jump start the next batch). Because there's always fresh poop and recent litter, the old bedding is not finished compost. I move mine to a separate bin where it can finish composting another 6-12 months, then it's the richest most beautiful garden soil you can get. It takes a while to get started but it becomes a sustainable rotation.

As far as ammonia fumes in the coop, make sure you have really good ventilation. Really good. If you can make a poop tray under the roosts and fill it with Sweet PDZ... ammonia fumes are practically nonexistent. PDZ is a sandy-type stall refresher, you scoop it out like cat litter, and it's also compostable.

There's a lot of info out there about deep litter, but don't mix DE (diatomaceous earth) with it. It can actually damage the microbes you're trying to bring in.