cubalaya- I would love to give you some birds sometime, but, I have killed all the excess pure stock for the year, and I need to keep what's left. I will have more in 2011, pm me sometime, I'd be more than willing to work out a trade or something. Honestly, I have trouble selling them, most of my friends have chickens, and it's always a very tough sell-smaller breed that grows slowly and lays small white eggs-just not that desirable for the average person. My birds are ok, some have great type, but all are too small. None are perfect, but I still like them, and, I'm just getting started really, this was the first year I was able to hatch enough to really cull down to any proper extent. The more I hatch, the more I can cull, so, hopefully, the next few years I can really make good progress.
Kaceyx73 I will answer as best I can..
To you guys with cubalayas, will they tolerate:
current pen area with their own coop?--- They will tolerate confinement fine, but, a regular fence won't keep them in, you have to clip both wings, to have any hope of them not flying away. I used to tractor mine, but, I got a place in the country, and now only confine them for breeding season.
the other two roosters? Dominance is ok, so long as they aren't in death duels.--- Ok, how to answer this one--They don't like other roosters one bit, but, usually, another rooster will back down before the Cubalayas. We have had a bunch of random chicken breeds, everything backs down to the Cubas, so the fights are not too bad. My cuba males are always the boss, they regularly thump boys 2 times their size. I can run a bunch of males together now, but, I try not to in spring, they seem to get meaner in spring. All roosters will fight to some extent, the thing is that real game roosters don't back down, or quit. Compared to a good American Gamefowl, the cubas are sissies, but, compared to a Barred rock, or a Marans, they are thugs!!
how might the hens do? RIRs aren't known for broodiness, but are decent parents. Will the cubalayas rear RIR eggs? --The hens are pretty nice little birds, but, they are also a bit tougher than your average hens, they will attack males they don't like the same way a cock would!! I have a Marans that tries to breed the Cuba hens sometimes, they kick his butt, and he is 3 times their size!! They are phenomenal broodies, they will hatch and raise larger chicken eggs no problem. They can even hatch bigger eggs, like ducks or geese, but you have to turn the eggs for them then. A hen can't tell her eggs from any other eggs, and they can't count, so, they will hatch pretty much whatever you want them to.
I want 3-5 more birds, geared more toward meat (at least in the second generation). A cock and a few fens of their own breed, in their own coop, sharing a community run is what I want. I am also concerned with having a breed that I can be hands off as much as possible, other than enjoying their company.-- they can be fairly hands off, not fast growing, or large birds, so don't expect tons of meat, quick. If you don't free range them, they will be fine, but ,I don't think it will be very sensible, as that, IMHO, is their niche. I have butchered A LOT of leghorns, bantams, doves, etc, over the years, so the cubas don't seem too bad to me as far as size goes.
From your post, it seems that for now keeping them penned isn't going to work unless I put a top on the run. With space I have, will they do ok for now?--They will do fine, no need for a top, just clip their wings. Sure, get some now, then, whenever you have the ability to let them roam, you have them. As for predators, we have goats, sheep, geese, guineas, and dogs, one a GP mix, so, losses from that are minimal. My main losses are if a bird flies over the fence, and roosts in a tree, without me noticing. then, owls take them. I lose a few bantams to hawks each year, but, otherwise, no problems.
I hate the thought of trying to wait for it to get bad before I get them, their not easy to find now... Of course, I have no intention of "cooping" up birds that hate being "cooped" up.--I am not sure they "hate" being cooped up, but, they shine free ranging.They don't smash into walls, feather pick, or anything when confined, so, they are not bad confined.
Kaceyx73 I will answer as best I can..
To you guys with cubalayas, will they tolerate:
current pen area with their own coop?--- They will tolerate confinement fine, but, a regular fence won't keep them in, you have to clip both wings, to have any hope of them not flying away. I used to tractor mine, but, I got a place in the country, and now only confine them for breeding season.
the other two roosters? Dominance is ok, so long as they aren't in death duels.--- Ok, how to answer this one--They don't like other roosters one bit, but, usually, another rooster will back down before the Cubalayas. We have had a bunch of random chicken breeds, everything backs down to the Cubas, so the fights are not too bad. My cuba males are always the boss, they regularly thump boys 2 times their size. I can run a bunch of males together now, but, I try not to in spring, they seem to get meaner in spring. All roosters will fight to some extent, the thing is that real game roosters don't back down, or quit. Compared to a good American Gamefowl, the cubas are sissies, but, compared to a Barred rock, or a Marans, they are thugs!!
how might the hens do? RIRs aren't known for broodiness, but are decent parents. Will the cubalayas rear RIR eggs? --The hens are pretty nice little birds, but, they are also a bit tougher than your average hens, they will attack males they don't like the same way a cock would!! I have a Marans that tries to breed the Cuba hens sometimes, they kick his butt, and he is 3 times their size!! They are phenomenal broodies, they will hatch and raise larger chicken eggs no problem. They can even hatch bigger eggs, like ducks or geese, but you have to turn the eggs for them then. A hen can't tell her eggs from any other eggs, and they can't count, so, they will hatch pretty much whatever you want them to.
I want 3-5 more birds, geared more toward meat (at least in the second generation). A cock and a few fens of their own breed, in their own coop, sharing a community run is what I want. I am also concerned with having a breed that I can be hands off as much as possible, other than enjoying their company.-- they can be fairly hands off, not fast growing, or large birds, so don't expect tons of meat, quick. If you don't free range them, they will be fine, but ,I don't think it will be very sensible, as that, IMHO, is their niche. I have butchered A LOT of leghorns, bantams, doves, etc, over the years, so the cubas don't seem too bad to me as far as size goes.
From your post, it seems that for now keeping them penned isn't going to work unless I put a top on the run. With space I have, will they do ok for now?--They will do fine, no need for a top, just clip their wings. Sure, get some now, then, whenever you have the ability to let them roam, you have them. As for predators, we have goats, sheep, geese, guineas, and dogs, one a GP mix, so, losses from that are minimal. My main losses are if a bird flies over the fence, and roosts in a tree, without me noticing. then, owls take them. I lose a few bantams to hawks each year, but, otherwise, no problems.
I hate the thought of trying to wait for it to get bad before I get them, their not easy to find now... Of course, I have no intention of "cooping" up birds that hate being "cooped" up.--I am not sure they "hate" being cooped up, but, they shine free ranging.They don't smash into walls, feather pick, or anything when confined, so, they are not bad confined.
