There was no plan, but here I am

[CheerioLounge]

Well the Americaunas will grow up, should start laying around March 1st I'm guessing. But I didn't know last year that I needed a 2nd shift, so I didn't get more chicks. I also need a 2nd coop and run, which I was going to build until my truck got wrecked.

Yeah having two shifts of chickens and 2 coops makes the world a better place.

Sorry for hijacking your journal Gypsi, but I just had to ask...

BB - what do you mean by a 2nd shift? I have 5 Production reds and they really haven't slowed down laying like it seems alot of folks hens have.

 

[BarredBuff]

Well you have different weather but I have found that to be in eggs constantly with no interuptions have two shifts of hens. One is a year and a half old, the other is 8 monthes. They dont moult at the same time, and each shift has a different laying pattern. So this works. We havent been without eggs in almost 4 years.

 

[CheerioLounge]

Duh! I understand... I wasn't thinking about moulting. That makes perfect sense now. Thanks!

 

[Gypsi]

My production reds laid an egg a day for the first year and 4 months that I had them. This summer's heat was extraordinary - about 70 days over 100, and laying slowed down, then they started to molt this fall. Because I have 4 birds, they have molted in a chain - I have one laying at a time it seems, and my little barred rock, she lays an egg a couple of times a week.

Too late I realized I needed more hens of a different age, so I have 5 americaunas growing up, 4 will be layers, the 5th is my grandchildren's pet. (crooked beak, probably won't make it to a year, probably will never lay, but kids learn from lots of things.)

Gypsi

 

[BarredBuff]

I also like to diversify each shift with different breeds, ones good in cold weather, ones good in hot, etc.

 

[Gypsi]

I also like to diversify each shift with different breeds, ones good in cold weather, ones good in hot, etc.

Well, I mainly need breeds good in hot weather. After last winter, I built a place to move the chickens if it gets really cold again. Because I am NOT going to try to keep them in water when it is below freezing again. I'll build a tin can water heater and get them a 2 gallon bucket of water, or I will shove them in the greenhouse. Either way, barring climate change, it will never be 10 below in Texas.

I do not know what breeds are good in hot weather though? Care to point me?

 

[CheerioLounge]

I also like to diversify each shift with different breeds, ones good in cold weather, ones good in hot, etc.

Well, I mainly need breeds good in hot weather. I do not know what breeds are good in hot weather though? Care to point me?

Ditto! I'm assuming that the feed store here wouldn't sell anything that doesn't do well in the heat, but you know what they say about assuming!

 

[BarredBuff]

I know that Leghorns do well in hot weather, and I wouldnt care to bet that a Red Star is good in heat too. A red star is a leghorn cross. Pure leghorns lay white eggs and red stars lay brown eggs.

 

[CheerioLounge]

I'd really love some Wellsummers, but they are kind of expensive from the hatcheries and I'm not sure they could handle the heat.

 

[BarredBuff]

Also Naked Necks, Fayoumis, and any medditeranean breeds.

Feed stores will probably have leghorns, Cheerio. We always mail order.