If you have another place to put a questionably sick bird, you are best to not put it in the brooding area. IF your older bird were sick, then you have risked infecting that area. When I went through the state testing class, one thing they pointed out is to keep birds going "up" with older birds, not "down" with younger ones, especially when there may be an illness. Whatever may be bothering your hen would be harder to fight by a younger bird and may actually kill it, so it is best to use that rule as your biosecurity plan for keeping them healthy. Ideally, you should have an isolation area for new birds or for sick ones to keep away from the rest of the flock. I did say Ideally, so if you don't, you have to find a way to make due, right?
Both were developed to be cold weather birds. The Buckeyes have a pea comb and very slight wattles, and the Chanteclers a cushion comb and slight wattles, both are good things to consider to save yourself worry over frostbite. I do keep larger single combed breeds, but they do get hit every winter, but to a much lesser degree if they are kept DRY! There are plenty of folks here that have experience with the cold and their chickens, so you will get good advice on that. I don't recommend heat lamps in anything but brooders for chicks, so I will say that. Heating a coop can do as much harm as good if you don't watch very closely how it is effecting the environment. Condensation will not only cause frostbite, but it can make your birds sick too, so you need to be careful if you go that route.
Really? Ducks are better layers? I suppose for Muscovies and Khaki Campbells (I really want some!). But others only lay 60-100 per year, tops. Some lay less, too. I've heard duck eggs are huge.
That's pretty good for a Pekin. Do they lay during a certain season. One of my mom's friends had some geese, and they only laid in the spring.
