Poultry in Urbania

Comment

Comment by Derek & Julie Craig on March 9, 2011 at 10:03pm

I have been growing watercress in a container next to our fishpond. This weekend the chickens where let out and discovered that they like watercress! So now it will take a bit longer before we have that watercress salad.

Comment by Derek & Julie Craig on March 9, 2011 at 10:01pm

Comment by Dirt Doctor Jacob&Hana on February 22, 2011 at 5:40pm

Anyone in the Wellington/Hutt/Kapiti area interested in having our 6 Rhode Island Red chooks from June 5 - Aug 25? With our awesome chicken ark/tractor? They are vigorous free rangers, love to be put to work scratching (might want to clear grasses around your orchard?), and are great layers! All organic, we'd provide feed etc. Check out our blog on chooks and ark, they're beauties.

Comment by Margaret Beers Oliver on February 18, 2011 at 6:27pm

Really well done Janet! I loved many of your videos!!

Comment by Pete Russell on February 18, 2011 at 4:38pm

That is a fab video Janet.  May I pop it on the Ooooby Blog?  With attribution to your blog of course.

Comment by Janet Luke on February 18, 2011 at 4:17pm

None of us like doing it but sometimes you may have to. If a dog gets into your coop and hurts your feathered friends it is important to know how to quickly and humanely kill them.

 

I have made this short clip to show you how I do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzCJeWt0-ns&feature=mfu_in_order...

Comment by Mo Buttner-Jenkins on February 16, 2011 at 3:39pm

All great info both Kristen & Petra, I currently have large breeds 2x barnevelder & 5x shavers. Am debating whether to add to this bantams for future chicks maybe. Should introducing 1 bantam at 12 weeks plus be ok to the older girls, or would I be better to get 2 bantams so they have each other for more company and to make introductions more smoother.

Comment by Kristen Morse on February 14, 2011 at 4:43pm

I wouldn't recommend introducing chicks younger than 6 weeks to a group of adult hens unless they have a hen looking after them. they will be pecked and bullied and not get a fair go at the food. Chicks need heat for the first 5-6 weeks and need to be in a protected space if around other poultry. If you have a broody hen you can place chicks up to 3 days old under her at night and she should accept them, then treat them as her own. She will keep them warm and chase off anything that threatens them until they are old enough to look after them selves.

Comment by Petra Dirkx on February 14, 2011 at 2:09pm

You shouldn't have too much trouble introducing some chicks or point of lay pullets to a group of Bantams,  Ideally you would keep them separate initially but so they can see each other and get used to the idea that there are others, then after a few days move them into the coop at night.

Comment by Petra Dirkx on February 13, 2011 at 9:52pm

Meredith it is the wrong time of year to be buying fertile eggs.  Fertility drops of from December onwards and many chooks will be starting to moult about now.  If you want the best results I suggest that you wait until October before buying fertile eggs, and don't have them couriered.  As a breeder I would be stoked if 3/12 hatched from a shipment from the south island and 6/12 from the north island.  I have had excellent results from eggs that my hens laid and that have been posted and couriered but it really does seem to depend upon which depot the eggs go through and the way the courier was holding his tongue at the time ;-)  My reccomendation would be to ask around and find a local breeder who has the type of chicken you want and pick them up.  Do not wash them let them rest for 24hrs and then under a broody chook in a good safe environment.  Under these circumstances you have every reason to be able to expect a 75% hatch rate.  Good luck.

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