SO...feel like answering a few questions for a new chicken mom?

[ole-crone]

"Can I keep all the roos together in one separate cage in the coop or will they tear each other apart? I only want certain eggs fertilized (brown leghorns, cochins and RIRs) since I want to build up the brown egg layer stock."

You do know that brown leghorns lay white eggs?

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
This is true. Along with cochins being poor layers

 

[bearz]

Yes, I know the brown leghorns lay white eggs. I have 2 laying right now. I also know the cochins are poor layers but good setters, which is what I want for hatching eggs instead of using a bator. I want the leghorns because thats what the Hmong people around here like to buy for their celebrations. I want to use the cochins to set other eggs to increase my brown egg layer population. I wasn't very clear about what I meant...it was very late when I posted that last night.

THANKS!

 

[greenmulberry]

I only heat the coop if we are having a prolonged cold snap, like it won't get above 5 degrees F in the daytime, or it keeps getting well into negative teens at night.

But I only have about 6 - 8 chickens at a time. I would think 40 chickens could keep a shed fairly warm.

You will need something to keep the water thawed.

 

[lleighmay]

Silkiechicken- May I interrupt for just a moment to ask what breed that spectacular roo in the rear of your second "snowbird" pic is? He's absolutely gorgeous! Thanks- Leigh