North Carolina

[ramirezframing]

Quote: Sad to hear that the old is being replaced by new....seems to happen everywhere. I have driven past some empty towns in the desert out on the west coast. Interesting to see, but sad also. The popularity of chicken keeping here seems to be the same. Back in the day everyone had, but now it is coming back into favor. I live in the country, never have lived in town and personally don't think I could. I grew up with chickens and horses and I still have them along with gardening with my kids.Some places you can't have birds, others you can with limits and all. Depends on where you live from home owners association to the government.

Would love to see some pictures of the breeders andaluz azuls, as I love their lacing.

 

[elaineinspain]

Would love to see some pictures of the breeders andaluz azuls, as I love their lacing.

...sorry, can't help you there. I only have 2 buff orpingtons, one blue cochin and one lemon blue cochin - all 11 week old pullets. My first poultry ever!

 

[elaineinspain]

@ramirezframing

what do you do to help your birds in the heat? We have 86º in the shade at the moment and it's going to get warmer, I know. My girls are already suffering, very lethargic, sitting down with their wings spread out away from their body, and mouth breathing. I put ice cubes in their water and freeze 2 litre soda bottles and lie those in the bedding. There's no electricity outlet out near the coop so a ventilator is out.

But what do you do?

 

[NatureChica]

I run a cord out the coop and give them a fan. During true heatwaves I could put an AC unit in their shed...normally I use a fan...
The free ranging girls I spray with water sometimes, I give them a shallow kiddie pool to dunk in...ice doesn't work as well as I thought it.

 

[BurbanWoodsFarm]

Greensboro/Summerfield here!

 

[ramirezframing]

@ramirezframing

what do you do to help your birds in the heat? We have 86º in the shade at the moment and it's going to get warmer, I know. My girls are already suffering, very lethargic, sitting down with their wings spread out away from their body, and mouth breathing. I put ice cubes in their water and freeze 2 litre soda bottles and lie those in the bedding. There's no electricity outlet out near the coop so a ventilator is out.

But what do you do?

I do the same as you. I also wet the dirt in their dust bath areas with cold water and give them cold/ frozen fruit to eat. If you ever make it back to the breeders house, I would love to see some pictures of his flocks if the breeder and you don't mind.

 

[YaYa27889]

I am fortunate in the fact that hubby ran an electric line to the hen house. We put a double vent in the door and a fan in the window. We also put insulation in the walls when we were building. Our hen house is an old pump house that we remodeled. The vinyl floor has pine shavings on it. We are planning on putting a mister around the coop

 

[elaineinspain]

. If you ever make it back to the breeders house, I would love to see some pictures of his flocks if the breeder and you don't mind.

well, I certainly don't mind. But I don't know the next time we'll be going over to the breeder. He is in Aguiles, which is a 3 hour drive away on the motorway, and with the price of gas being so high.... I guess the only time we'll be going is if (when!) we want to extend our flock and I'll want a cochin rooster.
I'll keep your request in mind though, on that you can rest assured!
Did you know they have 5 toes on each foot?
I let my chicks out for the first time yesterday and again today, so they can go under the citrus trees. They weren't impressed! They didn't stay out long at all, and returned to the coop on their own! And it wasn't dusk!
today I let them out again, and they are not so interested in the great outdoors. They prefer to stay in the coop with the ice bottles.
My coop has open sides so they get a breeze.


They have an upstairs part with nesting boxes and a roost, but they don't use the roost, and we have to carry them upstairs when it gets dark! They CAN use the ramp - I've seen them going up and down on it!
Maybe I'm expecting too much of them. They are only 11 weeks old, and have only lived in this coop for just over a week. What do you think?

 

[elaineinspain]

I am fortunate in the fact that hubby ran an electric line to the hen house. We put a double vent in the door and a fan in the window. We also put insulation in the walls when we were building. Our hen house is an old pump house that we remodeled. The vinyl floor has pine shavings on it. We are planning on putting a mister around the coop

wow! sounds like your chickens are living the life of Riley!

 

[ramirezframing]

Quote: I didn't know spanish cochins had 5 toes. Here in the USA the cochins have the normal number of toes (4). Silkies (a chinese crested breed) has 5 toes and black skin. The houdan also has 5 toes along with the sultans.
Chicks and some breeds as adults like silkies don't tend to roost, but most chicks as they get older will do it on their own. So I wouldn't worry too much there.