You all are a bad influence

Got my new Duck Mansion finished finally. It is 17 x 40' with a about a 9 x 5' pool with a drain. 3 sections at the North end for nurseries are 10 x 5' It is so big and empty looking despite all my ducks. I decided I wanted a few chickens after seeing all of yours. I was looking for Golden Sebrights for their beauty but found Silvers. I couldn't help myself. I got 1 Roo & 2 hens all 1 1/2 yrs old and 1, 4 month pullet that is one of the hens offspring. Now to find some Golden Lace Cochins for eggs as well as beauty

the new cage showing the nursery end

the pool end

the mud dabbing hole which they ate out to the wood so DH had to line it with some bricks and cement the edges lol. It is to the right corner from the pool

Forgot to say I need all the advice i can get. These are my first ever chickens.

One thing I need to know right off hand is how do you vaccinate them. Sebrights are prone to Mereks disease but the previous owners said he has never had it in his flock and the people he got them from have never had it.

Also where do I get vaccines for everything they need to be vaccinated for. I sure don't want them to get something and infect by ducks. I have a small fortune invested in them and another small fortune invested in their new cage

Wow Donna! That is really a super cool set up!

You can only vaccinate for Merek's when they are a day old.. it's too late now.
I would guess that they are probably past the danger anyway..

They are very beautiful!

edited for a typo

This message was edited Sep 19, 2009 7:01 PM

Sebrights are such pretty birds and the hens lay little white eggs. Ours are energetic and don't like to be caught. They can fly very well too. Enjoy!

these were show birds and are used to being handled. The guy decided he didn't want them. They were afraid for about a hour then they were into everything. Just before dark I was putting up a stick cattycorner across one end of the cage for them to roost on and they were getting on it before I had it secure and the baby got on my back. I stood up so she would jump off and she climbed to my shoulder. I picked her up and she snuggled up to my chest.
Can I get a Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. I hooked for sure now

ZZ So I don't need to worry about Mereks disease now?? I was reading and it said they were really susceptable up to 16 weeks and mostly the hens. I want to have healthy happy chickens

of these what do I need to get
http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/products.asp?CID=2&Area=poultry&BrowseList=338&dept_id=473&sort=&c=&gclid=CJi0ktX8_pwCFYNg2godFBJraQ

Beautiful chickens, palatial accommodations! I'm very impressed.

I think I want to be one of your chickens., Nice barn they have there...

That is an absolutely GORGEOUS place and gives me some ideas concerning what I might be able to do. Thank you so much for posting and for the pictures.

Donna, what a wonderful home you've made for your ducks and chickens! It's just fabulous! How many ducks do you have and what kinds?

You might not be able to sit in that chair very long if you have chickens, though! They don't respect nice furniture, I've noticed ;-D

I think that's one of the nicest setups I've ever seen! you have some very lucky birds Donna.

Is there protection from animals that want to dig under?

Mereck's is always a worry.. your young pullet is still in the danger zone for age, but there is nothing you can do about it..so it's best not to worry too much. They can only be vaccinated at one day old.

Don't worry too much, just enjoy them.. having them climb on you is some big time therapy! LOL They sound like they are perfect birds!

Thank you everyone

Actually I wanted to make it 20 x 50' but the side of the cage and one end would have been right to the edge of the woods. I worry about fire as well as animals trying to dig in now. I had to make it big because hubbie won't be building/paying for me another one. The old cage down by the pond had to be added on to twice but is wasn't anything like this one. When spring comes and they start having babies it gets pretty full. I have a crazy duck laying right now. There was a little old nesting material that didn't come out of the box and she started laying ugh. I have 8 of her spring babies now still

Light I have the wire but it hasn't been put down yet. We do keep a flood light shining toward the cage at night.

Gal I have Ringed Teal, European Shelduck, Chiloe Widgeon, Reg & Silver Fulvous Whistling Duck, & Mandarin Ducks. For Christmas I am getting a Trio of Falcated Teal and pair of N. A. Shovelers. Well I will be getting them as soon as it is cool enough to ship. Wanting a Biakal Teal and Barrow's Golden eye. The Biakal is 400 a pair so I will probably be wanting them forever. I had a pair of Wood Ducks but the hen was a egg dumper and they never seemed happy being caged.

You can see their pics here http://pets.webshots.com/album/562207564unUUlW

What beautiful birds, Donna! Thanks!

Hi DonnaB,

I was wondering if putting down some of those cement blocks on the outside of my pen would work. Like those squares they sell at walmart. I haven't priced them in awhile, but they used to be a few dollars each. They are not very tall, but they are heavy.

One lady on here, I have forgotten her name, but she said a badger, dug very deep and tunneled his way up into the middle of her pen. He killed her chickens and duck. She was heartbroken. That's really bothered me since I heard her story. It was a long thread, and a very good one, and ended with a picture of the dead badger.

The man at the fair said to bury some metal down at an angle outside the pen. Other people on DG have mentioned that to me too.

There is always the option of laying down chicken wire in the pen and fastening it to the sides. At least that's what I'm thinking.

Holy moly, I don't think WE are the ones who are the bad influence. You seem to be doing okay on your own. What a palace for your ducks. LOVE it.

What vaccines should I give my chickens??

Yes, Gwendalou, it is a good thing our chickens and ducks can't visit this forum. We'd all be in trouble once they saw DonnaBs' accommodations!

Light it might be very expensive depending on the size of your cage.

I saw on a video, some type of "pin" for a lack of a better word, that they used to hammer down in the ground to hold wire down. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I was looking at the coop today, and I will need some 4X4's for reinforcements in there just to feel safe. I know that wood in the ground rots pretty quickly. Can I put cement in around wood so it won't rot so readily, or does that matter? I didn't think about that before, but it's possible I could put in some metal posts. It's obvious I need some good SIMPLE beginner carpentry books.

Well, that's the first thing, reinforce the roof to make sure it won't fall down on me and the chickens.

I think you're talking about Earth Staples, they are usually used to hold down the fabric (don't recall name) that you put over vegetables. You could also use them to hold down wire, my husband makes ours out of wire coat hangers.

You can also use tent pegs or some version thereof. We have some orange plastic things that we use for a variety of purposes in the garden and with our poultry, to tack down the edges of temporary fencing. They are sturdier than the staples. No reason why they couldn't be used for more permanent installations, either. They're sort of like these but ours are shorter:

http://www.amazon.com/GI-Style-Olive-Drab-Tent-Pegs/dp/B001JDY508/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1253758083&sr=8-15

The landscape fabric pins is what I am going to use to hold my chicken wire down. Lowes has them out in Lawn and garden. They aren't real cheap but not anywhere as bad as buying bricks

Yes concrete the wood in. I have no rot after 3 1/2 yr on my old cage down by the pond. It also stays 1 or more deep in water for about a month a yr when we get torrential rains and the pond floods. Didn't know that when we built the cage a few months after we bought the place. I wondered why there was a slope about 40' from the pond. When it floods that's where it comes to and puts my cage 3 to 4' deep in water. That and my health is why DH let me have a new cage built up by the house. He's been working 7 days a week to pay for it. I really love that man ;-) Having the ducks and now chickens is all that is keeping me moving and not giving in to the pain and staying in the recliner all day. It is simple to clean. The ducks do most of the pottying in the straw around the pool. I just hose it down. The pool has a pvc pipe drain. I just drain, it spray it and refill via water hose that is mounted in the cage. I drain it every 3 days. I keep a pool filter circulating the water and I am using a stock pond bacteria thingy in it to help keep the water pure. Supposed to be good for a month. Wondering if i should use 2 of them. I have no clue how many gals. it is. says good for up to 500 gal a day for 30 days

Anyone know how to figure gals by measurements???

Oh and what vaccines should i give my chickens

Donna: One cubic foot equals about seven and a half gallons.

Light: In our hot humid climate treated lumber survives in the ground better than when set in concrete. (The concrete shrinks away a little as it sets and creates a space that holds water.)