IRISH SOCIETY OF POULTRY FANCIERS
GETTING STARTED WITH POULTRY
Everything you need to know about starting with poultry.
Article by Hans L. Schippers for Fancy Fowl Magazine 2003.
Henhouse Alderfarm
Henhouses with runs are handy and popular. It is easy to enlarge or reduce the size depending on the chickens because in this case the partition in the run consist out of two parts. It could be changed easily to get a run with double space.This is an example of a henhouse with two runs, but you can make them with as many as you want. The night quarter is approx. 400cm wide, 240cm high at the top, 200cm at the walls and 150cm deep. On both sides it has doors of 65cm wide and 180cm high. The roof is covered with bitumen, corrugated sheets. On the front of the roof of the night quarter a small gutter is fitted to drain rainwater. In the front of it as you can see it has two windows in it to let in enough daylight. These windows can be opened in spring and summer and closed in other seasons. Between the night quarter and the run is a good sized pophole, which can be opened or closed. Each run measures 200cm wide, 180cm deep x 200cm high and is covered with transparant corrugated sheets of PVC, which slope a little to the front for good drainage and to keep the run dry under all circumstances. The doors in the front of each run are approx. 65 x 180cm. The chicken wire used is square, 19 x 19mm. This henhouse is made of pinewood and placed on kerbs just from the ground. For a good drainage of the ground a thick layer of gravel is under the sand. Each run satisfies the needs of a flock of eight bantams or maximum five large fowl.
Henhouse Rosegarden
Not too long ago, this was a well known henhouse in Holland for just a few chickens in the backgarden. It is characteristically painnted in Dutch green and white. This size of the night quarter is approx. 150cm wide, 150cm deep and at the highest point 185cm. In the front and right side of the night quarter is a large window. At the front of it there is also a pophole and at the back is a small entrance door. At present the roof is covered with bitumen flef; in the past it was covered with real red rooftiles. From the night quarter into the run a little 'chicken stair' is placed. The run measures approx. 120cm high, 125cm deep and 150 or sometimes 175cm long. At the extreme right end of the run is a large wire door. The night quarter is placed higher than the run to keep the wooden floor dry. The run is placed directly on the ground. Generally it is not covered, but to prevent it from rain, snow, etc. it is better to cover it with a transparant sheet or some such. The size of the chicken wire used is small enough to keep birds outside. In a henhouse like this you cankeep four layers, eight bantams or as in this case a hen with come chicks.
Taken from the article written by Hans L. Schippers for Fancy Fowl magazine 2003.
Article by Jenny Pritchard for Fancy Fowl Magazine 2003.
This is a guide to help those of you who may be asked to put your geese in a display, perhaps at a smallholder event, or at a agricultural show, not for those seasoned show hands of our members, who have thier own methods and secrets for preparing geese for a competitive show.
The unfortunate thing about geese is that you can't fir them into the kitchen sink for a wash! Even if you put them in the bath, the ensuing tidal waves will ruin your floors and ceilings, and take hours to mop up. If you are lucky enough to have clean, xpring fed ponds, then you will be spared a lot of work and can dismiss this next bit.
Purchase A Plastic Paddling Pool
I've found that the easiest way to get the feathers clean is to use a plastic paddling pool and change the water a couple of times a day, for the week leading up to the display. The geese will splash, clean and preen themselves, and you won't get soaked to the skin (don't stand too close to the paddling pool when the splashing is in progress). Do not use any detergent, as this will strip the natural oils from the feathers, and may result in the bird getting waterlogged, and also any mud or dirt will get absorbed into the feathers, and you will have to wait for the bird to moult to get pristine new feathers. The only time I use a detergent of any type is when it is a very important show. The cleanser is designed for animal use and I only put it on stained wing tips, very carefully, rinsing thoroughly, and not more than once in a season.
I live on red sandstone, which does tend to stain the feathers badly in wet weather. Other people I know live on slate, which again stains feathers. The ideal is to live on chalk or limestone grassland and your geese will hopefully remain the colour nature intended. Make sure the geese go onto clean bedding each night, shavings or hemp bedding are the best as straw often has a lot of dust in it.
Show Kit
On the morning of the display, I take a 'kit' with me consisting of a clean bucket, a flask of boiling water, a bottle of cold water, some fairy liquid, a sponge, soft nail brush/old toothbrush, a couple of old towels, some oil and some lotion. When you arrive at the display, put a squirt of fairy liquid into the bucket, add the boiling water and then enough cold water to make it tepid. Spread a towel across your lap and start to clean the bird's beak with the sponge and use the nail brush/toothbrush to clean the beak serrations. I then clean the legs and feet with the sponge if not too dirty, and with the nail brush if ingrained dirt is present. Dry off the beak and legs with another towel, and then for the final beauty treatment, rub a little baby oil or olive oil onto the beak to give it a shine, and I like to rub a little baby lotion or hand cream into the legs and feet.
Final Check
Do a final check of the feathers, especially if it a white goose, and if there is any soiling, gently clean off with the sponge and some clean water, and bolt off with the towel.
You can do this beauty treatment the night before the display if you wish, but be warned, they always seem to manage to spoil themselves in some way before you get to the display, which is why I tend to leave the final preparation until I reach the display. Finally rinse out the bucket, fill it with fresh water and leave it for your bird to drink during the day.
Taken from the article written by Jenny Pritchard for Fancy Fowl magazine 2003.
Article by David Bland for Fancy Fowl Magazine 2003.
Poultry Netting
This type of fencing not only keeps out foxes but also keeps birds in a given area. The advantage of netting is that it can be easily moved to fresh pasture as well as dividing off one flock one another. It should not be relied on with bantams or young growers as when panicked, a few may become antangled in the mesh. Flighlty breeds may need one wing trimming to prevent them from flying over.
Netting must never be left up when the power is off as the bottom and lower strands may quickly become holed by rabbits, spoiling the tension and in some cases ruining the net as a whole.
It is normally only the horizontal lines, which are electrified, and not the vertiical. The thick bottom strand is not electrified and normally the first to be chewed once damaged it is difficult to obtain a correct even tension. The disadvantage of netting, which also applies to all the other forms of electric fencing, is that growing grass or weeds once they connect with the lower electrified strands short out the electric pulses making the fence ineffective.
Between use, fold and roll netting up and store out of reach in dry shed or barn. With netting I would still personally shut the birds up in their poultry house/s each night.
Supported Galvanised Wire Mesh With A Single Electric Strand
An 1800mm (6ft) high galvanised netting fence may look high but it is no obstacle for a derermined fox. It can be improved by having either a 600mm (2ft) width at the top bent outwards or three single strands of barb wire also at the top leaning out at an angle, rather like prison of war fencing. It is quite tedious to put up, not very attractive to look at, and rather stupid if the fox buries underneath or finds a weak spot in the lower part of the netting. We have to think of a fox as agile as a cat with rather more cunning intelligence.
The 1500mm (5ft) fence have one electric strand at the top and the other near the base. The 1800mm (6ft) high fence has just one stand at the bottom although there is provision for another at the top. A top strand was fitted originally to this fence to prevent squirrels from going over as at that time I was blaming them for destroying the eggs in my ducks ground next boxes. Later I found the problem was a hedgehod, so the top strand was removed.
The bottom strand is approximately 22.86cm (9 inches) above the ground. This is all that is required to protect fowls of any kind. Foxes will always sniff and try and gain entry round the base of a fence so when contacting with a live circuit with their nose, it no only sends them off in haster, but that particular fox rarely if ever returns. Another fox will.
Although I have a single strand at the top of the 1500mm (5ft) fencing, this is not really necessary, but it adds to my piece of mind protecting such expensive birds. These birds are never locked up but stay out at night.
Electrified Lines Supported By Plastic Insulating Posts
At one look readers would probably think I am joking in respect of protecting my laying hens. This is after all what one would expect to see keeping ponies and horses in a restricted part of a field. Since its erection, I have found it invaluable for protecting my Free-Range layers from daytime marauding foxes. At first I thought that it would only protect the majority of birds, as there would always be those awkward hens straying out through the fence. These could and would I thought be picked up very easily by master Renard. To my surprise, chickens do not even stray through and have been protected 100% since the fence had been in operation. The power is sufficient to give them a nasty shock when touching it with their combs.
The problem with daytime foxes is twofold. (a) Living near suburbia, which we don't, (b) Living near someone who feeds foxes, which we do.
Genuine wild foxes are nocturnal, unlike those fed by fox lovers which gradually evolve ther habits to be more like dogs patrolling areas during the daytime where they are likely to find east pickings.
This system of fencing is very mobile, relatively cheap and can be quickly extended by adding a few more posts and wire. While I am only using four strands I would suggest that five would be better.
A Low And Attractive Fence For Waterfowl
This final solution is for those people with large attractive gardens, containing ponds, small or large lakes who would love to keep attractive waterfowl, yet do not want to turn the area into something resembling a prisoner of war camp. On seeing the photos of this low fencing it may seem to the reader to be very insecure. Freddy, one would think could easily jump over such low fench in a jiffy, not even straining a hamstring in the process. Foxes abound here and footprints are to be seen around the pond during periods of snow.
The fence is only 600mm (2ft) high, but its success is due to the fact that foxes first nor along the bottom, and one hit is sufficient. You will see that behind the post and rail is stapled 1,27cm (1/2 inch) mesh. At the front there are two low lines of electrified galvanised wire with one also along the top for good measure. From an overall view, the post and rail fencing looks very attractive and most visitors do not even notice that it is electirifed. Again, these birds are never shut in at night realing solely on the fence for safety.
Because the area has not been overstocked there is no attempt made by the birds to fly out.
Pay Attention To Power
The most important consideration to the success of all these different types of fencing is that the electrical unit (energiser) supplying the power os sufficient in stranghth and completely reliable. For this I prefer to use a mains fencing unit. There being nothing to loose but everything to gain in approach in using such a very powerful electrical unit.
Bttery fencing units are good to a point, but are reliant on the ability of checks to ascertain that they are always operation at maximun strangth, chaning to new batteries at the first sign of inefficiency.
Personally, I like to use galvanised wire where the installation is likely to be permanent, is gives a stronger pulse and is more capable of burning off grass shoots and tender weeds.
The strength of electric output can be reduced if the energiser is not properly earthed. It is possible the unit is best situated next to the water though ot tap. During dry periods or drought, keep the ground immediatelt around the earth rod damp, so that the electric energiser can perform to its full potential.
Finally, grass and weeds have to be kept in order, either with a strimmer or by using a weed killer such as Round Up to prevent their growth. If electric fencing is to be moced frequently, the area where the fence line is to be moved will need to be cut with a mower just preceding the move.
Taken from the article written be David Bland for Fancy Fowl magazine 2003.
Article by David Bland for Fancy Fowl Magazine 2003.
In the past, although red mite were about they were not the problem we see today, because standard practices of hygiene were generally more strictly observed than they are now by keepers of small flocks. Red Mite usually only occured when poultry keepers did not adhere to correct standards of management. The increase which part of the industry is now experiencing has been gathering momentum over the last two or more decades. due to several basic facts.
1. The lack of adequate annual poultry house cleaning.
2. The lack of supplying or building wooden units treated with creosote. This can also apply to some of the large mammoth alternative units we see today. A creosoted house was standard at one time.
3. Inexperienced staff and owners who are unable to recognise a red mite build up until it has become severe enough to affect egg production.
Poultry House Treatment
Creosote
I remember at one of the annual Rare Breed Shows being chastised by another small poultry house manufacturer for being old fashioned in still selling creosoted poultry houses. I later wrote an article for Smallholder Magazine, proving that creosote was a natural organic by-product, with a greater ability to withstand fire, and when burnt, remained poison free from to the atmosphere that everyone quite rightly wishes to protect. It is not the same as the new Poisonous Chemicals being used at the moment, which when burnt, let off poisonous and harmful gases into the atmosphere.
It is claimed that Creosote is pathogenic and can cause cancer. One should treat such research as doubtful to say the least. Work carried out in America on rats to demonstrate their resistance to high temperatures with creosote vapour, showed that at the very high temperature rats became comatosed, but when the temperature was decreased they made a full recovery. As a Poultry Student who did hi fair share of creosoting in the early days when it was much stronger that it is now, and I have creosoted on a regular basis for over 50 years, I have never had the misfortune of cancer, not to my knowledge have any of my friends. I admit that it is not good for those with a fair skin and that for them it would be unwise to work in creosoted houses or other areas during hot weather.
Annual creosoting is the one guaranteed protection against Red Mite. I must emphasise annual treatment. This in many cases is the problem with flocks kept too long in a house, some for up to three or more years. If, after a year the flock is still in residence, then creosote the outside of the house. This will not be a problem for the birds. Inside however, paint creosote in the perch sockets on at least a monthly basis. This will protect them from Red Mite attack. Creosote has been changed slightly in formula due to another EU regulation, but I was told only the other day that this is bein reviewed, so there is a distinct possibility that at some later stage it may return in its original form. I have never understood the reasons behind one or two Organia Associations who have constantly objected to the use of it by members. In my opinion, it is after all a natural organic product, it ia also welfare freindly to out ozone layer as well as poultry.
If a house has just been creosoted then birds must be kept out until throughly dry, about seven days. There is no such requirements for exterior treatment. With birds in a house, which is completely over run with mite, then creosote one wall at a time leaving two day intervals and plenty of open ventilation day and night. I have seen this method carried out extremely successfully with a dramatic increase in egg production.
What Alternative Are There To Creosote?
Other internal treatments with birds in residence include the following:
Harkers Duramitex - Duramitex is basically sold to the pigeon fancier, but it is also very successful when used to treat poultry houses. All you need to do is mix the appropriate solution, chase any birds still inside the house out, clean out all litter including nest-boxes and then thoroughly spray from the roof down. Having replaced with new litter your birds can be safely allowed back into the house. With a heavy infestation the house will need a further treatment after a seven-day interval to kill the Red Mite as they hatch out.
Clean-Shield - This is a relatively new spray on the market, the only one I know of at the moment, which kills the mite and its eggs all at the same time during the initial spray. Clean-Shield is manufactured and supplied by Micro-Shiled Solutions Lt. for the poultry and aviary industry to combact and control Red Mite and their eggs, It is a food safe liquid concentrate, diluted before use for spraying the poultry house or aviary. It is however essential that the Clean-Shield actually makes contact with the mite and their eggs. The reaction on contact is a break up of the protecting was coating causing dehydration and death of the mite. Clean-Shield at the same time penetrates the coating with the red mite eggs producing a similar reaction. The kill time from contact with the red mite to dehydration is approximately 48 hours. The residual effect is the destruction of mite eggs thus breaking the reproduction cycle. Like other solutions but unlike powders, Clean-Shield has a deep penetrating effect, reaching into craks, crevices and corners where the mite aggregate to sleep and lay their eggs.
Clean-Shield is a bactericide, a virucide and fungicide. It has excellent sanitising properties and will reduce cross contamination. The added deodorising properties will greatly reduce the ammonia content in the atmosphere. This solution has also been shown to be effective against maggots, Forage Mite, Litter Mite, etc.
Barrier Red Mite Solution - Offer a Red Mite Solution and a powder, which is for spraying on the birds or for dusting. I note that both formulas do not kill but are only a repellent. They continue in their instructions to inform us that these mite can live without the bird as a host for 36 weeks - I have always understood the real period to be at least 7 years. So the reader can appreciate why it is imperative to not only kill all mites in the house but also continue to be extremely observant. Red Mite do not live on birds but run along the perches at night, up the birds legs and directly on to their skin to take their fill of blood. The only sensible way to eliminate Red Mite once the house is affected is to kill them inthe house's caraks and crevices. This product is useful as part of a strategy to eradicate red mite totally and will give protection to birds badly hit by mite while you carry out an eradication programme.
Eradicate Lice And Mite Powder - We ourselves market a Louse and Mite Powder called Eradicate, this is manufactured for us as an extremely fine powder so that it stays on and in the feathers for a considerable time. While not detracting from the necessity to treat Red Mite in the poultry House structure, it is really just an immediate added protective. It will kill mite and lice as it contains not only Ceder and Tea Tree Olis but also Piperonal. All these ingredients are natural and will remain on the birds from 3 to 7 weeks, depending on the weather.
Johnson's - This firm has a very effective spray sold for cage birds and pigeons and has an important place in the fight against red mite. But using sprays or powders on the birds against Red Mite is not the answer and as I have already made clear, the only effective control is by treatment to the house.
Woodern Roofs
I have seen is suggested that poultry houses with wooden roof attract a build up of mite. This is not the case. If there are Red Mite nesting in the roof, then the house infestation is extremely bad. In such cases of high infestations, red mite will even settle on metal roofs and similar structures.
Show Pens
There will be possibly many reader who will point out the fact that they keep their show birds or trios in wooden show units throughout the showing and breeding season and, if these were to be dealt with by using wood preservatives, they would not be helpful to the health of their birds as well as the possibility of feather stain. I emphatically agree with this point of view, as during the days when I kept and showed birds, as well as breeding a few special bantams in such cages, the wood and ply pens were painted with white plastic emulsion paint, sealing every potential crevice or crack, they were also very easy to wash out with a good bacteria and virucide disinfectant such as Vnodine 18.
Recognition
When Red Mite have been allowed to take up residence in your Poultry House the common signs are as follows. On checking the underside of the perches a corase grey ash and possibly a few red mite will be present, although, after sucking their fill of blood they usually retire to a convenient crack or crevice to gradually absorb their gluttony. As the infestation gains momentum, the keen eye may observe extremely small black mite running over the eggs during collection tome, plus when they putting your head inside the poultry house you will feel the mite bite. The worst infection I have witnesses in where the farmer was loosing birds and on seeing the flock one could not help noticing their yellow combs. This was because there were so amny active mite that the poor birds were unable to replenish the blood they were loosing each night. Once you see signs of mite, the grey detritus around the walls, then you know that the infestation is already bad.
Prevention
To protect your birds against a Red Mite Infestation, the only way is to adhere to a very strict standard of hygiene within the Poultry House. Treat the wood outside and in each year with a control solution, continuously check on a weekly basis the indersides of the perch ends so as to see if there are mite present. There is really no excuse for allowing them residence. The only Red Mite I have seen is at other peoples units, we will not tolerate their presence here and ensure our poultry houses are annually protected. If such a hygienic programme is carried out then, whatever the breed, there will be no problem from such things as Scaley Leg Mite. This may not be the case with bldy lice, but that's anothe story.
As I said at the beginning. the contin uous increase in Red Mite population is because of poor hygiene, poor manageement and untreated houses. That it will continue to be a problem until keepers of flocks of all sizes learn the correct management to combat these deadly invaders.
Taken from the article written by David Bland for Fancy Fowl magazine 2003.