BDutch's bantam flock & natural breeding projects #5 🪺 🪺 and #6

[ManueB]

How are the broodies doing with the chicks ? No issues like they had while sitting on the eggs ?

I hope the new coop lasts as long as the previous extension! What will you be doing with the small run, will you put it elsewhere for the chickens or just not use it ?

 

[BDutch]

How are the broodies doing with the chicks ? No issues like they had while sitting on the eggs ?

The mama’s and chicks are doing great together. Only eager to go outside. I opened up the gat to the extension. The mama’s started to dig fanatically in the extra space.

I left it open and will see tomortow what will happen. My only concern is Tintin. But he and Katrientje (broody ) are locked inside the second run now.

Things never ever go as planned with chickens.

I hope the new coop lasts as long as the previous extension! What will you be doing with the small run, will you put it elsewhere for the chickens or just not use it ?

The coop was a real disaster. The size of the roost compartment is not as big as the shop told me. Which was a disappointment.

The main problem were the many ‘cracks’ between the laths/slats (?). . As if the factory assembled the laths/slats (groove and tongue) with wet wood and it got cracks in between when the wood dried. One ‘crack’ was so big I could see through from the inside out, all the way to the sky.

I only build the 4 wals and re-assembled immediately after I realised this coop is/was an invitation for a nasty red mite infestation.

Going to bring it back to the agri-shop tomorrow.

 

[BDutch]

The 2 mama’s getting bored in the small coop.

Pretty boy Tintin

One of the ‘cracks’ in the new coop

 

[fluffycrow]

The 2 mama’s getting bored in the small coop. View attachment 3874915

Pretty boy Tintin
View attachment 3874914

One of the ‘cracks’ in the new coop
View attachment 3874919

Tintin is becoming prettier by the day. I don't think he'll try to go after the chicks, though. That should mean having to go through the broodies, and very few cockerels are dumb enough to do that

 

[MaryJanet]

The coop was a real disaster. The size of the roost compartment is not as big as the shop told me. Which was a disappointment.

The main problem were the many ‘cracks’ between the laths/slats (?). . As if the factory assembled the laths/slats (groove and tongue) with wet wood and it got cracks in between when the wood dried. One ‘crack’ was so big I could see through from the inside out, all the way to the sky.

I only build the 4 wals and re-assembled immediately after I realised this coop is/was an invitation for a nasty red mite infestation.

Going to bring it back to the agri-shop tomorrow.

That's a shame.

 

[ManueB]

That's a shame.

Well better to see it now when it's still possible to bring it back !
If it's the same in the Netherlands as in France, the cost of building materials has exploded since Covid and the war in Ukraine. Think two or three times the price it was before. Whenever I pay something the price I still have in mind... it turns out to be very low quality.

When we bought materials to build the small coop in winter 2022, which is slightly bigger than the one you bought, I could hardly believe it... the panels, the screws, were twice the price I thought...and we already had the side lumber and corrugated sheets and isolation for the roof. I could have bought a ready made coop for the price I paid : https://www.cucciolotta.com/en/prod...laio-con-cassetto-removibile-per-4-5-galline/

Tintin is looking very nice now. Are you still thinking of breeding him to your hens, or if you have two female chicks will that be enough ?

 

[BDutch]

This morning the chickens and chicks where all in the largest run. The mommas protecting and chasing Kraai (didn’t see why).

I let the hens and Tintin out free ranging and closed the gate to the second run so all had food and water if needed.

A few hours later the mommas and chicks all returned to ‘their’ coop. Just like Perris I am amazed about how smart the mammas and chicks are finding their way up the ramp, and through the openings .
I shot the door to the largest run opened the gate and lured the hens inside again with scratch and a few mealworms. only Tintin was a nuisance to get inside, as usual, but he’s improving. The mealworms and no hens near the run door, made it easier for him to step inside.

Katrientje (broody )

She found a new nest to be broody in the nestbox in the second run. Got her off the nest a few times …Took away all eggs and it seems this was just the last push she needed to stop sitting.

I returned the flimsy coop to the shop. They were keen to know what was wrong. Got a refund strait away.
I bought another flatpack online. A childrens playhouse. It needs some rework like:, adding roosts, a wide back door for maintenance an a poop board. It seems they choose good materials for this ‘mansion’ . FSC wood with 10 years garantee. The reviews were very positive.

The floor space is Maybe it helps to settle and integrate the chicks if the hens get more space to roost.

Playhouse Lodge has a total height of 133 cm. The playhouse is 135 cm long and 111 cm wide. With an internal dimension of 97 x 89 cm and a ridge height of approx. 128 cm, Lodge is a small wooden playhouse.

 

[BDutch]

Tintin is becoming prettier by the day. I don't think he'll try to go after the chicks, though. That should mean having to go through the broodies, and very few cockerels are dumb enough to do that

Almost missed this. Thanks for posting your opinion/ experience.

Yesterday most chickens were together (sort of) in the coop/main run. The mama hens were chasing a few laying hens away from the chicks in the main run.

Tintin and Katrientje were in the separated in the second run until I let the laying hens and Tintin free range.

Tintin is looking at the chicks sometimes but like the hens he seems more interested in the food they get, than the chicks.

The mamas eating pear with the chicks. (In the extension beneath the poop board).

 

[BDutch]

Well better to see it now when it's still possible to bring it back !
If it's the same in the Netherlands as in France, the cost of building materials has exploded since Covid and the war in Ukraine. Think two or three times the price it was before. Whenever I pay something the price I still have in mind... it turns out to be very low quality.

Yes I was pleased to find out right away. So with the next one I was looking for better wood/thicker with good reviews.

When we bought materials to build the small coop in winter 2022, which is slightly bigger than the one you bought, I could hardly believe it... the panels, the screws, were twice the price I thought...and we already had the side lumber and corrugated sheets and isolation for the roof. I could have bought a ready made coop for the price I paid : https://www.cucciolotta.com/en/prod...laio-con-cassetto-removibile-per-4-5-galline/

You probably have better quality building it yourself.

The cucciolette is not for sale here. And to be honest I was looking for something with windows.

Tintin is looking very nice now. Are you still thinking of breeding him to your hens, or if you have two female chicks will that be enough ?

If I have two hens I hope that will do for another 2-3 years. But we are never sure with chickens in the future, do we?

I remember a very bad year (14 months) when I lost 4 chickens on a row. Guesses: One to a buzzard, one to no shell eggs that turned into an egg yolk infection, one to a fox and one to a heart attack or stroke.
Going from 9 chickens to 5. With Kraai who came later I have 6 now. The 2 pullets I kept last year didn’t last long unfortunately.

Two more pullets would make 8. But I keep my fingers crossed for predators and my old chickens who might not live forever.

So yes I want to keep one rooster for the time being. Best would be Tintin. Hes not related and maybe he’s going to be a fine cockerel/rooster if I can keep him.

The auto-sexing bantam Amrocks are not clear in their genders at all to me. It seems the experts find the bantams difficult to ‘read’ to.

For the moment I just wait and see. If someone comes for Tintin and has a real good home for him I will be sort of happy to say goodbye. If no descent people come for him I just keep him til he is a nuisance to the neighbours.

 

[BDutch]

Yes, Amrocks are sex linked.
The males have a white spot on the head from the very first day.

The picture was send by a neighbour/friend who has chickensView attachment 3867376The chicks on the photo must be around a week old according to the feathering in the wings.

My 3 chicks all have a larger spot than the female in the picture and less than the male with the larger white coloring. None have the typical 'scarf' for male chicks. I really don't know what gender they are.