Vosterouxs
Chirping
- Jan 5, 2024
- 15
- 123
- 69
Thank you BYC for creating this lovely forum
We have moved to a plot in the east of Pretoria (South Africa) just over a year ago. The previous owner left the backyard barren and there was not a sprig of grass left after he used it to grow cannabis and to raise a few dogs. After removing wheelbarrows full of 'dogresidue', then we planted grass and shrubs, veggies, herbs and a few fruit trees. The scene was set... Towards the end of winter (August), we got our first chickens - 4 Potch Koekoek ladies, point of lay. At the same time my daughter (who lives only 100m away) aqcuired a few 6-week old Rhode Island Reds, BLack Orpingtons and Americauna (excuse my spelling) and two adult Barred Plymouth Rock hens. When the latter started bullying the juveniles, they joined our koekoeks and there was peace all around.
So we started out with 4 koekoeks and 2 BPRs, until a Koekoek got broody early December 2023, and we gave her about 13 eggs from my daughter's koekoek x orpington batch. The mom hardly ever left the nest and successfully hatched 10 beautiful chicks between Xmas and New Years. So we had 16 dotted pets in an instant! Not counting the blue eyed seal point Siamese cat who owns the place.
This Tuesday we ordered 30 BPRock chicks, but due to miscommunication, the ones that arrived were all Rhode Island Reds! My daughter has decided to keep 6 of these, and we swopped the rest back for BPRs, now between a week and 14 days old. This is why I decided to join BYC - for news and tips and interesting stories.
I love the BPRs most of all, because they are so comical, plump and friendly. They do not make as much noise as the Koekoeks, and lay eggs equally well, almost every day. They waddle through the house twice a day to inspect the front yard and enjoy the stoep, and then return later to join the others.
We had one mortality, when a South African large-spotted genet (endemic to South Africa) stole one of the koekoeks for his dinner. Since then my partner has overengineered a 2m high aviary, with the coop inside - made from recycled wooden pallets, and the ladies love the old bookshelf that we placed inside for nesting boxes. I am an Environmental Consultant, so I like re-using and re-purposing materials! Some of the nesting boxes came from the Hospice charity store - previously a rattang cat basket, and a pink laundry basket.
My biggest worry now is that the chicks will be safe, and then I am super curious to see what they will become. The chances are that they will be koekoeks and not BPRs, because the farmer we got them from did not show us the parent stock and given the mistake with the Rhode Island Reds, we know not to expect perfect results from him. We are prepared to find that 50% of the chicks will be male, in which case we'll sell the to the locals most likely - the plot we live on has two grumpy old individuals who chicknapped my daughter's black rooster who was a VERY early riser. Noisy and all over the place.
We have moved to a plot in the east of Pretoria (South Africa) just over a year ago. The previous owner left the backyard barren and there was not a sprig of grass left after he used it to grow cannabis and to raise a few dogs. After removing wheelbarrows full of 'dogresidue', then we planted grass and shrubs, veggies, herbs and a few fruit trees. The scene was set... Towards the end of winter (August), we got our first chickens - 4 Potch Koekoek ladies, point of lay. At the same time my daughter (who lives only 100m away) aqcuired a few 6-week old Rhode Island Reds, BLack Orpingtons and Americauna (excuse my spelling) and two adult Barred Plymouth Rock hens. When the latter started bullying the juveniles, they joined our koekoeks and there was peace all around.
So we started out with 4 koekoeks and 2 BPRs, until a Koekoek got broody early December 2023, and we gave her about 13 eggs from my daughter's koekoek x orpington batch. The mom hardly ever left the nest and successfully hatched 10 beautiful chicks between Xmas and New Years. So we had 16 dotted pets in an instant! Not counting the blue eyed seal point Siamese cat who owns the place.
This Tuesday we ordered 30 BPRock chicks, but due to miscommunication, the ones that arrived were all Rhode Island Reds! My daughter has decided to keep 6 of these, and we swopped the rest back for BPRs, now between a week and 14 days old. This is why I decided to join BYC - for news and tips and interesting stories.
I love the BPRs most of all, because they are so comical, plump and friendly. They do not make as much noise as the Koekoeks, and lay eggs equally well, almost every day. They waddle through the house twice a day to inspect the front yard and enjoy the stoep, and then return later to join the others.
We had one mortality, when a South African large-spotted genet (endemic to South Africa) stole one of the koekoeks for his dinner. Since then my partner has overengineered a 2m high aviary, with the coop inside - made from recycled wooden pallets, and the ladies love the old bookshelf that we placed inside for nesting boxes. I am an Environmental Consultant, so I like re-using and re-purposing materials! Some of the nesting boxes came from the Hospice charity store - previously a rattang cat basket, and a pink laundry basket.
My biggest worry now is that the chicks will be safe, and then I am super curious to see what they will become. The chances are that they will be koekoeks and not BPRs, because the farmer we got them from did not show us the parent stock and given the mistake with the Rhode Island Reds, we know not to expect perfect results from him. We are prepared to find that 50% of the chicks will be male, in which case we'll sell the to the locals most likely - the plot we live on has two grumpy old individuals who chicknapped my daughter's black rooster who was a VERY early riser. Noisy and all over the place.
Beautiful pets you have! Love the pictures!
