Breda Fowl thread

[Sylvester017]

I'm glad that has been effective for you and your flock. Our flock has a ton of places to hide, including numerous shrubbery, secondary growth trees, and old growth trees. We have a garden and landscaping designed with them in mind. That did not deter a red-tailed from killing my hen this winter in a narrow span a few feet wide between mature trees and a garden (along the giant sunflowers), nor did it help my hen who was under a canopy evade a falcon the year before. The hawks I've scared off this last week were all in the branches of a giant fir tree. The rooster had all the ladies bunched up under a branch and was yelling out the alarm, thankfully. For sure, plenty of cover is key, but even so, when you live in a raptor migration area like we do, the pressure can get pretty serious. Falcons particularly are built for getting prey in forests. I've thought about adding guinea fowl to the farm. We are too close to neighbors for peafowl..

I think the fact we've cut down all the old tall trees all around with the neighbors has added to the safety of our flock - no place for critters to hide and pounce. I hope your Guinea Fowl idea works for you. I always feel so bad for chickens getting caught by those nasty aerials! Our neighborhood Crows in big flocks are excellent chasers of the lone hawks that come around!

 

[gritsar]

The hawks are migrating through here too. We use a method that gives us a good measure of protection without damaging the environment - crows. I give the crows all my duck eggs, dirty eggs, heck even an overabundance of eggs. The other day I had no eggs to offer them, so I threw a scoop full of scratch out for them.
Crows hate hawks and other birds of prey. Our resident flock of crows will relentlessly chase the hawks and falcons until the BOP moves on. The racket the crows make also warns us to be high alert for aerial predators. I once watched the crows tag team a golden eagle until I thought the eagle would fall from the sky from exhaustion. Crows are highly intelligent and always have at least one lookout watching for invaders to what they consider their territory.
Some people don't like the crows for fear they will help themselves to chicks or perfectly good eggs in the coops. My coops are constructed in a way that the crows can't get in and our chicks are always locked up safely. I

crows!

 

[BlueJayFarm]

The hawks are migrating through here too. We use a method that gives us a good measure of protection without damaging the environment - crows. I give the crows all my duck eggs, dirty eggs, heck even an overabundance of eggs. The other day I had no eggs to offer them, so I threw a scoop full of scratch out for them.
Crows hate hawks and other birds of prey. Our resident flock of crows will relentlessly chase the hawks and falcons until the BOP moves on. The racket the crows make also warns us to be high alert for aerial predators. I once watched the crows tag team a golden eagle until I thought the eagle would fall from the sky from exhaustion. Crows are highly intelligent and always have at least one lookout watching for invaders to what they consider their territory.
Some people don't like the crows for fear they will help themselves to chicks or perfectly good eggs in the coops. My coops are constructed in a way that the crows can't get in and our chicks are always locked up safely. I

crows!

I envy you guys with crows!! This winter I did some research on how to attract and keep crows. Our crows just pass through. I always tell them,"stay here!" haha. I am a big supporter of crows. A lot of people around here feel like they are just there for target practice. Not me, I am always telling folks how smart they are and how they form extended families, etc. The corvids are all admirable birds (except the scrub jays who were my egg-sucker problem this summer, but an egg full of orange dish soap cured them of that!). You're lucky you have crows on your side!

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Quote:
That is awesome! I never thought about crows being our friends before. I will have to do some research on that.

 

[Sylvester017]

Quote:
Our neighborhood Crow flock will hop around on our front lawn looking for bugs, or they'll occasionally sit on rooftops or backyard telephone poles and do their loud squawking. But they never bother our backyard hens or help themselves to the chicken feed. They are more interested in protecting their territory and chasing off aerial predators. Crows will attack helpless chicks or ducklings so it's wise to keep all youngsters out of an open yard but the Crows do not bother the adult chickens or their feed. They don't even bother with the wild bird seed or chicken scratch in the backyard. I used to think they were nuisance critters but have a great respect for them now. We are near a freeway with tall growths of trees and when I hear a flock of loud Crows in those trees I know they are chasing off the resident Cooper's Hawk.

 

[DutchChicky]

Wow, never thought of crows that way either. We did have crows nesting last few years just 30 feet from our house. Never liked it because we always had broodies we let hatch chicks. Was afraid they would snatch them up. This year they didn't come back, don't know why. Now kinda sorry. Realize that we haven't had any attack in a long while, probably because they where there! It's a shame our dog hates to be outside by herself, otherwise would use her as a protector. She does get's along with the chickens.

 

[gritsar]

Wow, never thought of crows that way either. We did have crows nesting last few years just 30 feet from our house. Never liked it because we always had broodies we let hatch chicks. Was afraid they would snatch them up. This year they didn't come back, don't know why. Now kinda sorry. Realize that we haven't had any attack in a long while, probably because they where there! It's a shame our dog hates to be outside by herself, otherwise would use her as a protector. She does get's along with the chickens.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/765797/crows-are-protecting-my-flock-from-a-hawk

Crows are so intelligent that they post lookouts. One or more birds sit high up and keep watch while the others eat, then they change shifts and others take over guard duty so the first lookout(s) can eat.

If I hear random crow calls I know they are just letting the other crows know that the humans are out and about. When I hear multiple calls I know they are chasing something.

 

[SilkiesForEver]

@Chalk

Do you have any Breda roosters for sale?

 

[crazy Sandy]

I have a small flock of really nice Blue Breda fowl available 2 pullets 2 roos 19 weeks old and another ..?pullet? 15 weeks. so 5 birds for $100.00.the eggs came from 3 different flocks. these are wonderful RARE and gentle birds.will lay white eggs. birds normally sell for $45.00 each. they are winter hardy,This breed has a very small to non-existant comb.the 2 roos are non-agresive and can be kept together. a great starter flock and you can wait to decide which roo to use or use both for

diversity.Im in Utah





i

 

[dutchbunny83]

Hi everyone!

Just tried to catch up, I haven't been around since like May. Hope everyone (and your animals) are doing well!
I ordered some mail order Breda eggs from California again, but none hatched USPS much have done a number on them.
I still have my Brie, but she hasn't laid in a few weeks. A lot of my other birds have stopped as well to molt, though she doesn't look like she's molting.
I built a huge run and stopped free-ranging. Got my flock to just how I want it and Brie is fitting in great now (she was a bit of a loner before).

I started babysitting a 6 month old and a 2 year old (in addition to my 3 & 8 year old) so I haven't had much time to be online, but I will try to keep up better!