Barnevelder breeders lets work together and improve the breed

[tls_ranch]

104 today. The chooks like the frozen watermelon. Thanks for the tip Trisha. I'll bet it's hotter where you live. We are waiting for the cool ocean breezes to make their way over the mountains. Layers seem to be ok. Pullets and young cockerals are panting hard. I just wet down their pen again. Any other hints for hot weather?

Yeah, It's going to be a scorcher up here

I heard 105 to108 for at least the next week. I have water misters going most of the day. The birds absolutely love the misters, but the water is horrible for their feather condition. My blue roo looks like he got doused in peroxide (bleached from the sun) and stuck his beak in a power outlet (feathers are frayed from the water). I'm not kidding...he loves the misters and it doesn't help that the water pools on his wide back and the hens use his back as a drinking fountain.

The birds that love to stand under the misters for long periods have feathers that are all separated like they've lost all the oil to them. Many of them are starting too look like the blue roo. Oh well, at least it keeps them comfortable. If I could let them free range there wouldn't be a problem, but stuck in a dry pen during the heat of the day is just too hot when it gets to 105+. My broody hen and chicks are the lucky ones and they are enjoying free ranging with the cool dirt and grass all day long. They hardly pant at all.

Oh, I'm still getting quite a few eggs from my hens, I'm so proud of some of them as several of them have been laying non-stop since fall. Most of the ones that aren't laying are either broody, raising chicks or coming back from being broody. I just hope none decide to crowd in a nest box and overheat trying to lay eggs.

I have tons of frozen veggies from the garden like overripe tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and cucumbers to feed them. That also helps to keep them cool.

Trisha

 

[Tailfeathers]

Islandgal, I'm sorry to hear about the power outage. Thankfully she got the six that she did. Just for everyone info, I've had a few power outages over the years. One this year for about 12 hours. A couple of years ago I had power go out for 2 or was it 3(?) days. Even so, the hatches were good. Delayed but good.

Andy, I tried cutting a crop open one time and flushing it. I wound up culling the bird. Don't remember exactly why now but I think it just never healed up or put on weight. Mind you I have too many birds and other commitments to give a lot of individualized attention so I don't know how much that played into things.

God Bless,

Royce

 

[Helen in the Desert]

It is 116 here. I have misters and frozen food. I lost 3 Vb birds and almost a 4th in the first heat wave about 4 weeks ago and the other 3 had to live indoors for 2 weeks. Does anyone know if some lines are more heat tolorant than others? I have cochins, EEs and wyandottes that don't seem to have near the issue that the barnies are having. I also have hatchery barnies that are doing ok in the heat as well.

 

[pysankigirl]

I actually don't have any splash Marans...I was just trying towrap my head around the basics of genetics with that first question.

I DO have SG dorkings and would love to see your progress with the silver gene. I am brand new to all of this and my birds have never even laid an egg yet, but I find it so facinating that regular people are doing so much with genetics outside of a laboritory. you guys rock!

 

[AyaBlodgett]

Yeah, It's going to be a scorcher up here

I heard 105 to108 for at least the next week. I have water misters going most of the day. The birds absolutely love the misters, but the water is horrible for their feather condition. My blue roo looks like he got doused in peroxide (bleached from the sun) and stuck his beak in a power outlet (feathers are frayed from the water). I'm not kidding...he loves the misters and it doesn't help that the water pools on his wide back and the hens use his back as a drinking fountain.

The birds that love to stand under the misters for long periods have feathers that are all separated like they've lost all the oil to them. Many of them are starting too look like the blue roo. Oh well, at least it keeps them comfortable. If I could let them free range there wouldn't be a problem, but stuck in a dry pen during the heat of the day is just too hot when it gets to 105+. My broody hen and chicks are the lucky ones and they are enjoying free ranging with the cool dirt and grass all day long. They hardly pant at all.

Oh, I'm still getting quite a few eggs from my hens, I'm so proud of some of them as several of them have been laying non-stop since fall. Most of the ones that aren't laying are either broody, raising chicks or coming back from being broody. I just hope none decide to crowd in a nest box and overheat trying to lay eggs.

I have tons of frozen veggies from the garden like overripe tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and cucumbers to feed them. That also helps to keep them cool.

Trisha

ok. Misters it is. 115 at 2:30!! So far the barnies are still alive!!

 

[islandgal99]

Re: sour crop Barnie girl. I'm cautiously optimistic today. I have been feeding a mash of crumble, olive oil, baking soda, probiotic yoghurt and caraway seed, topped off with a handful of grit. The crop size was down by half this morning, good looking poops, so I think something is working. I'm glad to see her crop down in size. Happy happy.

 

[pickledchicken]

The blue cockerel is coming along can't wait to get some offspring from this guy !

 

[AyaBlodgett]

Love his lacy chest. So very pretty. It will be interesting to see if his female offspring have the same difficulty as the black BV? ie..messy lacing on the hens?

 

[AyaBlodgett]

107 today. Not as hot. Managable. I wonder if the Barnvelders acclimate over the generations to extreeme temperatures. We can get down to 20 on a cold night!! Does the single comb help with that? Aya

 

[ChickenExtreme]

The blue cockerel is coming along can't wait to get some offspring from this guy !