constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[centrarchid]

perchie.girl :

Quote:
LOL.... I can picure Goggles and Preflight check lists....

That whole flying thing has me interested in Sumatras. Plus the fact that the breed is pretty much untouched at least in Sumatra.... They have been known to island hop.

Just had following this drama obervation:

"Just now an adult male Coopers hawk made run a bitties in front yard. Rooster engaged him forcing hawk to divert and land on fence post about 100 feet away. Eduardo (rooster) positioned himself very efffectively between brood and hawk. Hawk tried to wait for opening. Sallie (hen) called bitties up under skirt and kept herself oriented towards hawk. Hawk flew off after easier fair. Bitties have about six more weeks of being vulnerable and baby song birds will become abundant before that. I wish my doms would put up same protective net around their broods. They just make racket or run."

I have seen videos of Sumatras in flight. It is very different than my birds exhibit. The Sumatras appear to to have over sized flight surfaces (wings and tail). I wonder if their muscle physiology is more suitable for long distance flight or is it purely a difference in feathering. It might be interesting to get one for comparison. Some of the island hopping might be facilitated by storms. Green jungle fowl are supposedly a natural species capable of extended flight. A few of my birds (pullets have been observed) can produce a 1/4 mile flight when pressed but I think that is far less than required for island hopping.​

 

[mrsL]

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Careful with the fake plants, we tried that and one of my girls thought it was real, she got a block and the vet wasn't' able to do anything

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Careful with the fake plants, we tried that and one of my girls thought it was real, she got a block and the vet wasn't' able to do anything

Wife ruled out fake plants. She says too tacky.

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

Quote:
Careful with the fake plants, we tried that and one of my girls thought it was real, she got a block and the vet wasn't' able to do anything

I will never OWN a fake plant again! My 4 month old kitten ate a skinny little strand of a fake fern and 1700$ later they had to take it out......a few months after that took him to our local vet for his neuter( she is not our regular vet) and she killed him

........ok that had nothing to do with chickens and fake plants but let that be a lesson to anyone wanting a fake one, I dont know what I was thinking

 

[welasharon]

Quote:
Careful with the fake plants, we tried that and one of my girls thought it was real, she got a block and the vet wasn't' able to do anything

Wife ruled out fake plants. She says too tacky.

Listen to the wife.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
I most certainly am.

Today near close of day a storm went through missing us by just a little. Conditions prompted Sallie take bitties back to porch early. She attempted to call chicks up to elevated location where they hatched. The chicks are certainly capable of flying up to nest site (~ 36") but would only look up as she gave the deep cluck saying get under my skirt. Tonight I will put the little buggers up myself.


On another pair of notes, where we live we have rather heavy Coopers hawk and turkey vulture traffic now that their breeding seasons have commmenced. Sallie moves to cover when vultures fly over or perch in tree about 100 yards from house. Coopers hawk must have nest west of house because he flies over house every hour or so hunting while heading in easterly direction and returns flying west with payload (apparently robin / starling sized birds). He is going require that Sallie tend brood until they are at least 8 weeks post hatch, otherwise he will take at least a few. I do remember that hens tending chicks longer have more surviving chicks when Coopers hawk pressure heavy but could not match early weaners when no hawks.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I most certainly am.

Today near close of day a storm went through missing us by just a little. Conditions prompted Sallie take bitties back to porch early. She attempted to call chicks up to elevated location where they hatched. The chicks are certainly capable of flying up to nest site (~ 36") but would only look up as she gave the deep cluck saying get under my skirt. Tonight I will put the little buggers up myself.


On another pair of notes, where we live we have rather heavy Coopers hawk and turkey vulture traffic now that their breeding seasons have commmenced. Sallie moves to cover when vultures fly over or perch in tree about 100 yards from house. Coopers hawk must have nest west of house because he flies over house every hour or so hunting while heading in easterly direction and returns flying west with payload (apparently robin / starling sized birds). He is going require that Sallie tend brood until they are at least 8 weeks post hatch, otherwise he will take at least a few. I do remember that hens tending chicks longer have more surviving chicks when Coopers hawk pressure heavy but could not match early weaners when no hawks.

We have Prairie Falcons, Peregrine Falcons and Redtailed hawk, as well as Golen Eagle and Turkey vulture. Though I thought Vultures were more into Carrion. We also have several different types of Owl including Ground owls... Cute little buggers about the size of a small bantam living in abandoned Rabbit holes.

I am working on designing a flight area for Sumatras. Free range here is very free there is very little cover over six feet high. Any trees are not indigenous. There are lots of rocks and Chaparal though. One pile of rocks has a Raven nest in it. You have to watch them because they will land and walk right into a coop and steal eggs. I feel they are good luck though. I am hoping the guineas will help divert preditors too.

 

[centrarchid]

perchie.girl :

Quote:
I most certainly am.

Today near close of day a storm went through missing us by just a little. Conditions prompted Sallie take bitties back to porch early. She attempted to call chicks up to elevated location where they hatched. The chicks are certainly capable of flying up to nest site (~ 36") but would only look up as she gave the deep cluck saying get under my skirt. Tonight I will put the little buggers up myself.


On another pair of notes, where we live we have rather heavy Coopers hawk and turkey vulture traffic now that their breeding seasons have commmenced. Sallie moves to cover when vultures fly over or perch in tree about 100 yards from house. Coopers hawk must have nest west of house because he flies over house every hour or so hunting while heading in easterly direction and returns flying west with payload (apparently robin / starling sized birds). He is going require that Sallie tend brood until they are at least 8 weeks post hatch, otherwise he will take at least a few. I do remember that hens tending chicks longer have more surviving chicks when Coopers hawk pressure heavy but could not match early weaners when no hawks.

We have Prairie Falcons, Peregrine Falcons and Redtailed hawk, as well as Golen Eagle and Turkey vulture. Though I thought Vultures were more into Carrion. We also have several different types of Owl including Ground owls... Cute little buggers about the size of a small bantam living in abandoned Rabbit holes.

I am working on designing a flight area for Sumatras. Free range here is very free there is very little cover over six feet high. Any trees are not indigenous. There are lots of rocks and Chaparal though. One pile of rocks has a Raven nest in it. You have to watch them because they will land and walk right into a coop and steal eggs. I feel they are good luck though. I am hoping the guineas will help divert preditors too.​

Do falcons go after poultry? I have never seen a turkey or black vulture for that matter actually present risk to my birds, but never the less chickens are very concerned about the whereabouts of vultures. Vultures will take baby rabbits from nest.

My birds require trees of at least 15 feet high to deal with ground predators. They will fly length of football feild or more to get into one.

No ravens here, just American crows and if you go a little south, fish crows as well. Former does present a risk to eggs of cluthes set out in fence rows. Brooding red jungle hens stay tight near nest when feeding apparently as detourent to crows which are systematically looking for birds nest to plunder. Feral cats causing repeated loss of jungle fowl broods at night. Jungle fowl re-nesting on front porch. Clutches pretty small but eggs much larger relative to size of hen.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
We have Prairie Falcons, Peregrine Falcons and Redtailed hawk, as well as Golen Eagle and Turkey vulture. Though I thought Vultures were more into Carrion. We also have several different types of Owl including Ground owls... Cute little buggers about the size of a small bantam living in abandoned Rabbit holes.

I am working on designing a flight area for Sumatras. Free range here is very free there is very little cover over six feet high. Any trees are not indigenous. There are lots of rocks and Chaparal though. One pile of rocks has a Raven nest in it. You have to watch them because they will land and walk right into a coop and steal eggs. I feel they are good luck though. I am hoping the guineas will help divert preditors too.

Do falcons go after poultry? I have never seen a turkey or black vulture for that matter actually present risk to my birds, but never the less chickens are very concerned about the whereabouts of vultures. Vultures will take baby rabbits from nest.

My birds require trees of at least 15 feet high to deal with ground predators. They will fly length of football feild or more to get into one.

No ravens here, just American crows and if you go a little south, fish crows as well. Former does present a risk to eggs of cluthes set out in fence rows. Brooding red jungle hens stay tight near nest when feeding apparently as detourent to crows which are systematically looking for birds nest to plunder. Feral cats causing repeated loss of jungle fowl broods at night. Jungle fowl re-nesting on front porch. Clutches pretty small but eggs much larger relative to size of hen.

I think its hardwired into chicken brains to head for cover when something big flies overhead.

Peregrines I believe feed on flying birds like doves, pigeons, ducks... etc. and can be found world wide. Prarie Falcons are similar in size to a Peregrines but they live off small animals by flushing them out of the brush. They fly low and fast about two to three feet off the ground to do this. According to Wikipedia they are found primarily a West coast from Canada to Baja. I am located about 90 miles from the Sea of cortez and about two miles from the Mexican Border of Baja. Its a little nub of the Sonoran Desert. Shh dont tell any one but a very mild climate where deserts are concerned....LOL.

 

[centrarchid]

Climate here not so mild. Cold winters, hot summers, with lots of day to day variation.

Lately I have been noticing barred owls during over cast days in open areas. Chicks must have fledged so hunting more agressively. Barred owl perched about 0900 on powerline . Sallie took brood under car and Eduardo raised a ruckuss as owl flew by but he was on opposite side of house when owl flew by.


Photograph of Eduardo and his harem which includes Sallie and her bitties. Also note 3 dominique hens and 3 red jungle fowl hens.

Second shows parental units plus Scoob (6 month old German Short-haired pointer). Scoob no longer threat birds and well on way to being competent guardian. He still enjoys chicken bowling where runs through tight flock, usually carrying something, to make birds bust up. This will stop with time and for me is indicative of future interest where he will seek out sub-flocks periodically and move through them. Behavior causes mild stress on some birds but ensures he leaves sign of himself wherever they range.