noob from Oxford county

pipes · Post by **pipes** » Thu Nov 17, 2016 7:01 pm

Okay. So I was surfing a topic on here and there was no real conclusion. I'm looking at my property, and realizes that the septic field is almost smack dab in the middle. You cant grow a garden, trees or shrubs on a septic field, Should it be fenced off so the chickens don't eat worms off of it??? Or are they safe to run anywhere?

Post by **Killerbunny** » Thu Nov 17, 2016 7:37 pm

They run all over mine! I always wondered why they put those in the worst place so it ruins the area you actually want to use or look at!

pipes · Post by **pipes** » Thu Nov 17, 2016 7:47 pm

Septic fields grow great grass. Just wasn't sure if it tainted the eggs or meat... I have to keep my new building so many feet from the field, so I just didn't want to end up with my run (south side) on top of the field if it would create a problem. Over regulation....

pipes · Post by **pipes** » Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:14 pm

One more almost dumb question... If I eventually get Bantams (smaller hens), should they be kept in a separate coop from the larger birds? Or can they be mixed into a large coop.

The area I have set aside in my building plans is 10' x 12' + shop/garage for my business + office & bathroom + mechanical room (hopefully geo-thermal with in-floor heat). So 10' x 12', I was thinking 2 chicken rooms, and then there would be room for feed/storage/shaving bales/etc. Or should I just do 1 big room and a door in the run for free ranging???

KimChick · Post by **KimChick** » Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:21 pm

pipes wrote:QR_BBPOST Septic fields grow great grass. Just wasn't sure if it tainted the eggs or meat... I have to keep my new building so many feet from the field, so I just didn't want to end up with my run (south side) on top of the field if it would create a problem. Over regulation....

As the saying goes: "The grass is always greener over the septic bed."

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:39 pm

My bantams and standards are together but if they have large head puffs that make seeing difficult such as silkies or polish they are better off in a separate pen as the others will pick on them and they can't see well enough to get away.

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Thu Nov 17, 2016 8:50 pm

for the most part my bantams live with the standards, I only seperate them for breeding purposes. the only time I could really see a problem was if there were to many standard roosters trying to breed the banty hens. as long as there is a good rooster to hen ratio there shouldnt be any problems at all. I have Rhode Island Red and Barred Rock Bantams.

Happy · Post by **Happy** » Thu Nov 17, 2016 9:18 pm

My banties are in with the big ones. My coop is 8x10 with an attached covered pen 8x14.
I guess it depends on the chickens you get. My banties think they are brahmas lol. As for 2 rooms my coop is divided ( a 4x8 "entry" room and a 6x8 room. Most of the time I am ready to rip that wall out in between and have one big space. The door is always open between rooms. However it does come in handy for new chicks or needing to seperate a bully for a bit or having a couple broody banties rearing babies. Same could be accomplished with a cage inside the coop though.

Happy · Post by **Happy** » Thu Nov 17, 2016 9:22 pm

Oh and my septic bed is between my house and coop. The girls find the best dandelions growing there lol

Poultryprincess · Post by **Poultryprincess** » Sat Nov 19, 2016 10:25 pm

I find as chicks, the bantams & standards do ok together.
Once they get older then sometimes I have to separate them.
If you get a cranky standard, they can be relentless to a bantam.
Either way you & your sons will LUV the journey!