moving kits?

[Anntann]

so....I have a problem. A couple of them, actually.

1) Mama-san and her kits. They're a week old now, and I'm wondering how soon I could think about putting them outside? (they're inside a bedroom now) I'm kind of aiming for 5 weeks old? (should be a decent weather pattern by then). OR should I wean the little guys first, and THEN try Mama and her older daughter (14weeks old now) outside into the outdoor colony?

OR do I first move them to a coop out at the farm, with outdoor access during the day..and THEN transition to the colony?

2) the angora girls. Do I move them to the farm and the unheated, but indoor, colony before they kindle? or wait until the kits are a few weeks old and can travel? (they should be kindling in 2 weeks? )hmmm. I think I just answered my own question. In 2 weeks we'll still be quite cold here. probably 40ish at night, with a risk of freezing temps.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[MaggieJ]

If you put Mama-san and all her kits into the colony, how are you going to get the extra males out for freezer camp? And how many of the current litter's does are you planning to keep in the colony as breeders? I'd suggest only putting the youngsters in that are going to stay there. Otherwise you will be sexing them as you catch them later on... not so easy.

With later litters this will not matter so much because presumably almost all will go to freezer camp... but this time you are likely saving some breeders. Hope this makes some kind of sense... I'm a little "off" today.

 

[Anntann]

Makes good sense. And I can put the kits into a hoop coop that has a wire bottom. OR there's the Ghetto. I've been thinking about how to use that...and it might be PERFECT as a hutch with an attached pen(with bottom). It's a 4'x8'x 4' tall "coop" that we built for the black jersey giant cockerals. It has a large door on each end and it's completely predator proof. I'm thinking the grow out guys would love it .... maybe.

I also have an A-frame chicken tractor, with wire bottom, that I"m thinking of for ... I dunno. someone Even has a nest box in it. Maybe I can hold it in reserve for a quarantine place. Or it could be used as it was originally intended...a silkie roo and 2 lady friends

 

[Brody]

the GHETTO??????

OMG I am SO STEALNG THAT NAME for somewhere at our place ...
it does sound like you have lots of spots to tuck various groupings - I'm mad jealous

I'd say if you can wait til weaning to move the meat bunnies that might be easiest

the angoras could move now or in 6 weeks I'd think ...

 

[ladysown]

I'd move the boys and any of the girls that you are NOT keeping into their own area at 6 weeks.
let the rest stay with mama san.

 

[Anntann]

I guess the Angoras will get to stay in the house another 6 weeks. I can't move them out just yet...But that's fine I think Mama-San and her daughter can move out at the same time. Let's see here...that will be what?...end of May. That's doable. I can get everyone used to greens from the yard here, and then they're ready to go outside into the real world

As to the coops.... We have lots of strange hoop coops, and coops and tractors and such. It's because I sort of went overboard when I started the chickens. We had one coop..nice thing And then I got...more chickens. And of course, I couldn't get rid of any of the FIRST chickens...so I needed a bigger coop for the new group, nd the new roo...and then somewhere for all the cockerals to grow out...and then I got meat birds so THEY needed something to live in...and then..TURKEYS! (and Jersey Giants). And then, when I went to pick up said turkeys and jersey giants...Cackle hatchery had sent 25 other birds. (they'd given me someone else's order as well as mine). SO....needed something FAST!

We have Pierre's Place (original coop), The Hen House (2nd, larger coop), The Ghetto, 3 Hoop Coops, Turkey hoop coop (big thing), The Conestoga (4x12'x 2ft high solid sides, with a hoop coop on top...looks like a big covered wagon...hence "the conestoga" ). Oh yes..and the Silkie Tractor. I think that might get to be "the Love Boat".

 

[Brody]

how do the hoop coops work for you?
I'm stressing about summer time living for everybody here

I have one nice small laying coop (8 square feet of floor space + nest box) - will work great for my new eggie chickens (YAY MK)

need something for the JW herd (in two, three or four groups - Dustbunny is probably coming back to us)
the meat chooks
Puff and Munch can have a hutch each - and hopefully share some run time - I'd like Puff to have a buddy - and he's big enough I'd worry about a wooly buddy
Franklin will stay inside I think ...

 

[Anntann]

I love hoop coops. We make them using rebar for the hoops into landscape timbers. (nice and cheap but STURDY) and then covering with 2x4 fencing. And a tarp over that for shade/rain protection. If you make them just 8x8 you can move them without too much difficulty. I'm just going to attach a couple to the side of the coop the angoras live in and cut door in the coop so they can hop in and out during the day.

http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u130 ... d%20hoops/ is an album with pictures of a couple of tractors and coops we have...finished and building. The "small coop" is "the ghetto".