Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[tinkkletoes]

hi. I have been offered a pair of Cerve-coeur ladies. but after reading up on them I am concerned about keeping them in a normal wooden coop with outdoor run in the midlands. as it states that they don't do at all well in cold, wet & windy surroundings of which they would be in during the winter months. any help in keeping them happy and healthy in a normal garden would be of great help. also do they live well with other breeds as getting Ex- battery hens also. any help greatfully recieved

[Luvachicken]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I'm sorry, I don't know anything about Cerve-coeur ladies, but wanted to say well done on rescuing some ex batts.

I'm sure someone more knowledgable will come along and be able to help you.

Everyone on here is full of useful advice and very friendly

[Daphne]

Hello and welcome

 

Creve coeurs are extremely rare in this country so you are very lucky to be offered any. Are you quite sure it is 2 hens on offer, as a pair normally refers to a hen and a cockeral? Depending on where you live this may not be an issue, but if you have neighbours then a cockeral is often considered a noise nuisance, particularly with early morning crows.

 

You need have no fear about their ability to withstand cold, wind and rain Although no bird likes drafts and being incessantly wet isn't good for them either, presumably you have a nice snug secure coop which they can retreat to? You do need to provide a decent amount of cover (eg a covered or partially covered run) as when the crests get wet they tend to flatten, exposing the skin. As some crested breeds have thinner skulls this can become a target for pecking. Having said all that, they are a breed which originates from Normandy in France, and as I have family there I can promise you it is far colder, wetter and windier there than it is in England

 

I'm less convinced about their ability to live with other breeds because of their crests and limited vision which means they can get picked on. Other birds are fascinated with crests and tend to peck but if the crested bird can't see the aggressor, then they don't know when to move. Some crested birds survive by being constantly on the move around others, but I don't think this is very fair on them. I keep polands which are similar birds and I would not keep them in a mixed flock without being sure of the docility of the rest.

 

Ideally you should provide them with a narrow lipped drinker, to stop the crests from dipping in it each time they drink, and you will need to keep an eye on lice/mites which can take up residence in the crest. I tell you all these things you should be aware of, but I can honestly say in all my years of keeping polands they have been tougher and hardier than virtually all my other birds, and no extra bother at all

[daxigirl]

I've got 2 of these, had them for a couple of years now. Had to hatch mine to get them so your lucky to be offered them.

 

Love them to bits, they're a bit away with the fairies by nature and mine prefer to perch on an arm rather than have a squish. Not the most prolific of layers of cream coloured 60g eggs (sure that one of them doesn't bother at all just loiters in the nest box, that could just be mine though ). The cold and rain doesn't bother them anymore than the other mob members and they'll happily trot about outdoors. Not that noisy but I can tell them from the others as they have a bit of a gravely tone, I like to think it's the French accent coming out. They also come in blue and white colours. Mine live with Orloffs, Araucana, Orps, Legauna, SilkiexApenzeller, Marans and a Cream C Legbar and are somewhere in the middle of the pecking order out of 13.

 

They eat out of gravity feeders and omlet drinkers (just incase you wondered). The only thing I would say about mixing them with battery hens is that the gingers have probably never seen a different coloured bird so I'd take intros slowly. They should be quite a big heavy bird ideally but modern ones have lost some of the size. That's what the judge said when Fraggle went to the National Show, she got a 2nd (her size wasn't too bad).

 

If I ever get enough space they're my breeding group of choice.

[Redwing]

Ditto the points above - apart from their crests needing checking they should be fine

 

I have a friend who used to have a small flock of them that lived in a hedge! (their choice)