Written by Outpost Buildings on May 5th, 2017.
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Rearing calves is a great way to make a bit of money on your lifestyle block or farm.
You can usually buy calves from dairy farms or beef cattle farms. Most Dairy farms will have calves available between June & September depending on the climate in their location and their preference.
Calves will cost you somewhere between $80-$150 each depending on the season & breed of the calves you are buying. You can make a profit of approximately $70-$150 per calf at weaning time. There is potential to make more of a profit if you keep beef calves until around 18 months of age, presuming you have raised quality animals.
Here’s some information that will help you decide if you want to rear some calves on your block.
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Written by Outpost Buildings on March 9th, 2017.
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Chickens are affected by dropping temperatures & the change in day light hours during Autumn. Most hens will moult during late summer or early Autumn.
Keeping Warm
Chickens have a natural way of keeping warm and in general, most chickens tend to be cold hardy enough for NZ conditions. Chickens can actually handle the cold of winter better than the heat of summer. They have an instinct to fluff their feathers to keep warm. They also have the natural instinct to roost together.
Some people choose to heat their hen house over winter. Many argue that a heated coop is not only a fire hazard, but also not healthy for chickens. Their bodies may not easily adjust to the drastic temperature change inside and outside of the coop.
Also, remember that heating the coop can increase moisture. Too much moisture inside the coop can cause illness or frostbite to your flock.
We recommend that if you have an Outpost Hen House that you reposition it so that it is facing away from the prevailing wind during the winter months.
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Written by Outpost Buildings on January 26th, 2017.
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Chickens are great food-munching machines - they will eat almost anything and my hens love a bit of variety in their diet.
But, just because they eat it doesn’t always mean it’s good for them so it's important to know what to give them and what you shouldn’t give them.
It’s great to feed your chickens table scraps. I hate throwing things in the trash, so it seems logical to me that I can feed some of our half-eaten meals to the ladies in the backyard. However, there are some foods that you should not feed to your hens.
Here is a list of the most common foods that you should not feed to your hens.
Not safe for Chickens
- Potato Peels
- Raw Potato or green potato
- Chocolate
- Citrus fruits
- Candy
- Avocado skin or pit
- Dried lentils or beans
- Uncooked rice
- Onion
- Raw Eggs
- Salty foods
- No spoiled or mouldy foods
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Chickens should not eat green potatoes or green tomatoes!
Dried beans are known to create very serious illness and even death for chickens.
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Written by Outpost Buildings on January 5th, 2017.
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Check out our new display site in 533 Matakana Road, Warkworth.
There is a Horse Stable & a Garden Shed on display so you can see the quality our our buildings for yourself!
We don't have any staff at the display site so please call the Outpost Team on 0800 688 767 if you have any questions about our buildings.
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Written by Outpost Buildings on November 17th, 2016.
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Like with humans, water is the most important requirement for your livestock. But how much can you expect each animal to consume?
A number of factors can affect your livestock’s water consumption, including temperature, diet, pregnancy, lactation and animal weight.
Healthy levels of water consumption ensure that an animal will maintain its body weight, body temperature and overall health. Without enough water they will become dehydrated and malnourished.
The following chart can be used as a guide, but please note that these calculations are approximate only.
ANIMAL
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Litres of water per head per day
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| Poultry |
100 - 250mls |
| Sheep |
3 to 12 litres |
| Goat |
4 to 10 litres |
| Alpaca |
2 to 12 litres |
| Deer |
6 to 12 litres |
| Pig |
10 to 35 litres |
| Horse |
18 to 45 litres |
| Beef Cow |
30 to 55 litres |
| Dairy Cow |
30 to 75 litres |
*The higher numbers represent the amount of water recommended for lactating animals or hot conditions. |
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Written by Outpost Buildings on October 19th, 2016.
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What do chooks eat?
Kitchen and vegetable garden scraps can be given to chickens everyday, ideally as a supplement to good quality poultry pellets. Weeds also have high nutritional value, but avoid giving them weed types that are unfamiliar to you or that may have had pesticide added. Potato skins are poisonous to hens so don’t feed them raw potato or potato peels.
Chickens are not vegetarians. They love eating meat. Chooks will forage for insects, slugs and worms and they will strip the meat off bones, catch mice and eat dinner meat leftovers to get their protein.
Pellets are an efficient, cost effective food source which are easy for birds to pick up and swallow. When buying pellets remember that cheaper feed with lower levels of crude protein will not give your hens what they need to be top producers. Commercial poultry feed has a shelf life of around 12 weeks, so keep it fresh. Try not to use different feed brands, or you could upset their laying routine.
Read More...
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Written by Outpost Buildings on October 4th, 2016.
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"Outpost Sheds make a real statement on our property. Over the years we have purchased 5 buildings, one being for calves and the other 4 for alpacas.
We always use the permanent green roofing as it blends in with the surroundings and I think it has a calming effect on stock (and also us humans). The latest shed has a tack room which is ideal for holding hay as it is at the back of the property and I don't have to carry feed across the paddocks. Delivery from Timaru is always prompt and without hassles and the assembly instructions are so precise that even a child ( or maybe a teenager ) could follow them for construction.
Visitors to the farm always comment on the sheds and I must say they look very appealing to the eye and make the place look tidy.
Click here to see more information on this building
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The alpacas go in for shelter and I can feed them in there out of the rain saving on feed which they won't eat if it gets wet.
On my other sheds I can shut the gate on one side of shed to keep mum and cria dry and warm during inclement weather and at birthing time.
The fact they can be moved if you don't get it right first time is a bonus.
The staff at Outpost are very cooperative and helpful and always available if you have any questions re delivery or assembly.
If we ever need a shed or shelter for chooks, calves, alpacas or in fact any stock Outpost would be my first option their sheds are built to last and last.
Susan
Waikato
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Click here to see more information on the Upland Shelters pictured here |
Written by Outpost Buildings on September 5th, 2016.
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Sunflower Seeds are a healthy treat for your hens. We have 10 bags to give away so you can grow your own sunflowers & harvest the seeds for your hens!
Grow your own beautiful Sunflowers this summer & then harvest the seeds to feed to your hens.
Read More...
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Written by Outpost Buildings on August 24th, 2016.
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There’s some good reasons why herbs are a good for your hens.
When it comes to our chickens and their eggs, it’s important that we keep our feathery friends happy and healthy and avoid costly vet bills.
There are great reasons for using herbs to aid chicken health, such as preventing illness in your flock, repel insects and calm your hens if they are stressed or upset. You can also use herbs to promote better laying and to get your hens to lay in their nests, if they don’t already do that.
So, lets get into the best herbs for chickens to eat and how to use them!
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Written by Outpost Buildings on August 19th, 2016.
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When building a new stable or stalls for horses, what they will be standing on is a very important consideration.
Horses that are kept in have to stand still on whatever is on their stall floor for long periods of time, which can be hard on their legs. For this reason, from a leg health perspective, flooring needs to be chosen carefully.
Maintenance is another factor. The upkeep of some types of flooring is easier than others. The type of floor you will choose for your new stable will depend on the existing natural soil, what materials are available to you, and your budget. Here's a look at the types of flooring found in horse's stables.
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Written by Outpost Buildings on August 11th, 2016.
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DIY Old Tyre Chicken Dust Bath
Do your chickens have a dust bath? This great idea gives your girls a place to have a dust bath and keep themselves healthy. It's easy to make these diy old tyre chicken dust baths.
This is a super cheap project you can pick up old tyres for free, if you do not have any. You may need to purchase one or two of the other materials but they are not expensive at all. Grab wood ash from your wood stove or fire and remove any large charcoal chunks.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- old tyres
- wood ash
- sand
- soil
- food grade diatomaceous earth
- shovel
- paint (optional)
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Written by Outpost Buildings on July 27th, 2016.
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Livestock appreciate shelter from bad weather
- Livestock can usually cope fairly well with either rain or wind or cold temperatures.
- When two or more of these conditions occur together, livestock can quickly become chilled.
- If they get so cold that they shiver, their requirement for feed increases hugely, and if they don’t get extra feed they soon lose weight.
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Written by Outpost Buildings on July 19th, 2016.
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Have you seen our Borderland Shed?
It's a great size for your new workshop, bike, or ride-on lawn mower storage. Strong & relocatable design made with high quality treated timber framing & Zincalume cladding. Kitsets delivered nationwide to transport depots.
On SALE NOW!
Click here for more information on the Borderland Shed |
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NZ MADE
