Hi Taimon
Well done for fixing up your friend's shed for your girls. It's good to know they approve of it. I'm a keen recycler and will be making my next coop out of an old trailer. I also make my beehives out of recycled materials.
I think you are pretty certain of at least one broody out of those breeds but it may be more likely that you are inundated with them and have a minority of birds producing eggs. I have just acquired two light sussex from my neighbour because he lost patience with their regular broodiness and lack of egg production. Not really sure why I took them as I already have broody hens, but we'll see. I had initially offered to cull (and eat them) as he was sick of feeding them and just wanted rid of them, so he could start again with some black sex links, so this is their final chance. Of course silkies are renouned for being broody and I imagine the Barbu d'Uccles will have a tendancy too although I have no experience of them. Will you buy in hatching eggs or hatch your own..... as and when the girls decide they want to start incubating. Do you have plans on what to do with the excess cockerels if you do get chicks?. I can tell you it's not easy culling them. I did two more last night and still have 9 to go but they were starting to harass my hens and egg production has dropped as a result, so it was time to go.
Anyway, good luck with your little flock.
Best wishes
Barbara.
Well done for fixing up your friend's shed for your girls. It's good to know they approve of it. I'm a keen recycler and will be making my next coop out of an old trailer. I also make my beehives out of recycled materials.
I think you are pretty certain of at least one broody out of those breeds but it may be more likely that you are inundated with them and have a minority of birds producing eggs. I have just acquired two light sussex from my neighbour because he lost patience with their regular broodiness and lack of egg production. Not really sure why I took them as I already have broody hens, but we'll see. I had initially offered to cull (and eat them) as he was sick of feeding them and just wanted rid of them, so he could start again with some black sex links, so this is their final chance. Of course silkies are renouned for being broody and I imagine the Barbu d'Uccles will have a tendancy too although I have no experience of them. Will you buy in hatching eggs or hatch your own..... as and when the girls decide they want to start incubating. Do you have plans on what to do with the excess cockerels if you do get chicks?. I can tell you it's not easy culling them. I did two more last night and still have 9 to go but they were starting to harass my hens and egg production has dropped as a result, so it was time to go.
Anyway, good luck with your little flock.
Best wishes
Barbara.
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& the thread! 
Even though he has gone to the coop in the sky, it sure does sound like it was the right thing for him. Did you get the others processed ok? Hope the peace treaty is holding up ok with the oik!! 
Still sore and the right is still worse than the left so it's going to take more time for that I reckon. I tell you what, I have never had them as bad as this before. Was stupid really as I had just taken my gloves off to mix feeds up and just never thought about putting them back on. Just ambled straight off down the fields!! Some how and I don't now how I've managed to keep the infection at bay. Got some good dressings on them for when I'm working and lots of soaking in dettol to get them off. Last couple of nights I've been drying them up and leaving the dressings off over night, going well barring a bit of weeping. Such a relief to get them back on in a morning though!! 
