***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[faerielady]

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Yeah I've heard that before.... which is why they aren't on my list of things to raise. I lose too many as it is.

 

[Ksane]

I actually feel better to find out other people lose birds, too. Carl, I guess I assumed you'd never lost one.
I've lost 2 out of 17 Silkie chicks total, 2 out of 9 Cochin chicks, 1 of my adult Faverolles.....so I've lost 4 babies & 1 adult out of a total of about 55 total chicks and adults.
Sad as that is to me, is that to be expected? I've only been really into keeping chickens for 6 months. The original 3 who migrated from the neighbors years ago are still here and going strong.
How many did some of you lose your 1st 6 months? Am I expecting too much to expect everyone to live?

 

[Sooner]

Everyone looses babies & big one's alike. I know it is always hard to have a sick bird.

Love those A Frames.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Losing fowl is part of keeping them. I lose a few every year, be it from health, accident, predators, or unknown. I've lost two prized adult broodcocks to a simple thing like aspirating food/choking this year alone.

 

[sjarvis00]

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4 this morning alone.. I failed to re-adjust and cover the brooders for the temps last night. I really need to close the brooder building back up for winter. It's on my to do list.
Unfortunately with raising the birds comes losses. You can always expect to loose a few. Chicks are the worst some just are not hardy enough and all will make it the first few days then some fail to eat or drink after finishing absorbing thier yolk its a crap shoot, the ones that make it 12-14 weeks are often good to go for a long time.

 

[sjarvis00]

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So do i they have made things easier around here, and act like little isolation pens too. since the birds are never on ground another pen was on. It saves a lot of work on our part. I like the way they retain heat in cold weather and stay cooler in hot weather. of course with the CFL lights in them too I do not have to bring everything in for winter breeding.

 

[faerielady]

Thanks for the a-frame plans. I find myself wondering if there's a way to shorten them a little to be little breeder pens for a trio or quad of small bantams.

 

[sjarvis00]

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they can be reduced to 6 or 8 ft real easy. At 6 ft. enclose 3 ft. and leave 3 ft open. on 8 ft. enclose 3 ft and leave 5 ft open. It is very simple. I have 1 8 ft pen but it easier for me if all my pens match.. it makes it easier to move around.
I failed to mention for Large fowl just make the vertical runners 5'10 1/2 inches instead of 46 1/2 inches. then use 6ft wire instead of 4 ft wire. If doing that I would also recomend using 2x4 instead of 2x2 framing.

The 1x8 is the best siding we have found yet, although you could use 1x10 or 1x12 it swells when humidity starts to rise and shuts out the rain, while shrinking during hot dry weather to increase ventilation. During snow the snow builds up on the sides and provides natural insulation like an igloo. it took 3 days below freezing for the 1 gal. wateres I use to freeze and they are not heated.

 

[faerielady]

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they can be reduced to 6 or 8 ft real easy. At 6 ft. enclose 3 ft. and leave 3 ft open. on 8 ft. enclose 3 ft and leave 5 ft open. It is very simple. I have 1 8 ft pen but it easier for me if all my pens match.. it makes it easier to move around.

I may make them all 6 foot.

 

[sjarvis00]

Quote:
they can be reduced to 6 or 8 ft real easy. At 6 ft. enclose 3 ft. and leave 3 ft open. on 8 ft. enclose 3 ft and leave 5 ft open. It is very simple. I have 1 8 ft pen but it easier for me if all my pens match.. it makes it easier to move around.

I may make them all 6 foot.

Do you want me to re-draw it for you?