Re: Reply to Jill

Jill. wrote: 
unicorn wrote:


This time round, I am thinking that I will start on the Seabrights,
Japanese bantams and OEG Bantams again and am tossing up Leghorns
(white and blue) Hamburgs (silver spangled and gold penciled) and
Andelusians as a sideline.

This is probably not what you had in mind Jill, but the breeders and
strains you mentioned are not all that important to me.  Genetic
diversity is.



Exactly what I had in mind  - thanks. Its always very interesting to hear
how other breeders work and how they choose to do what they do.
What a great shame about your Seabrights.
Do you keep your birds outside, inside or in avairy type situations?

The bantams basically have to be kept in an aviary type situation, the little buggers can fly like birds and a 12 foot fence is no problem for them at all. Also having a roof stops the hawks and falcons making a meal of them.

I tend to let hens and chickens run where they please, as the chickens really show a huge improvement if there is plenty of opportunity for the hen to find them live things to eat. It does increase losses a bit through predation, but most years the risks are worth it. 
Are there a good number of shows to go to, or does it mean a lot of
travelling?

Oh, I will probably knock up 3-5 thousand kilometers of travel in the next 12 to 18 months. At least some of it dragging a trailer to bring home my finds. Having made the mistake of putting 30 birds in the back of a van to travel once, and having half of them die from heat etc in the 4 hours they were in there, I am really careful these days to ensure they get plentiful flow through air and a trailer or flat bed is best for that.



--

regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks
Housing; Equipment,  Books, Videos, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Working Holidays in Scotland
http://www.kintaline.co.uk

Matt 


.

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