- May 30, 2015
- 1
- 15
- 59
I'm Deb in Oxford UK. We have kept chickens for 20 years and although I've been getting fantastic info from BYC for 10 years I've never posted.
My husband and I have bred Jersey Giants, Buffs, Brahmas plus bantams, silkies, leghorns.
We love JGs because they are intelligent and calm and the best mums.We love Buffs also for their gentle nature but because they are a bit dim they are less good at mothering.Sometimes they can't count and they don't notice a missing baby, that sort of thing.Brahmas are good mums too and gentle natured.We've had so many chickens and every year a drama or two.Normally to do with Mr Fox, or weasels.We had 3 babies taken by a red kite last year.
Last month we had a fox go over our electric fence to kill both of the wives of one cheeky cock called Houdini.I found Houdini with his head touching the ground, 2 deep incisor wounds to his neck and not responsive.I wrapped him in a towel and lay him down in a cage in the house so he could pass away in peace and quiet.. Well- after 9 days of in house care, he standing but unable to lift head off the floor- Houdini came out of his cage, stretched his wings and crowed.He practised walking out and into the cage, and turning around, over and over as if he had a physio giving him instructions.After 3 weeks he went back to the flock but the first 3 nights he waited for us to bring him back inside.His recovery was really slow but he made it.
That's the sort of drama we have.Currently we have 6 babies in the house and 10 babies fostered outside to 3 different mums.Normally at this time of year I have 5 or 6 broody hens but it's so cold this year that that hasn't happened and instead we used the incubator.We had to increase stock because we've had 2 previous fox attacks this year.This year I think I've finally cracked the sexing by wing feathers.Only took 20 years.
I haven't managed to become good at the killing bit yet.I've done a few, and its easier when they are small but they have to be big enough to be sure.
That's the only bad bit of raising chickens.
My husband and I have bred Jersey Giants, Buffs, Brahmas plus bantams, silkies, leghorns.
We love JGs because they are intelligent and calm and the best mums.We love Buffs also for their gentle nature but because they are a bit dim they are less good at mothering.Sometimes they can't count and they don't notice a missing baby, that sort of thing.Brahmas are good mums too and gentle natured.We've had so many chickens and every year a drama or two.Normally to do with Mr Fox, or weasels.We had 3 babies taken by a red kite last year.
Last month we had a fox go over our electric fence to kill both of the wives of one cheeky cock called Houdini.I found Houdini with his head touching the ground, 2 deep incisor wounds to his neck and not responsive.I wrapped him in a towel and lay him down in a cage in the house so he could pass away in peace and quiet.. Well- after 9 days of in house care, he standing but unable to lift head off the floor- Houdini came out of his cage, stretched his wings and crowed.He practised walking out and into the cage, and turning around, over and over as if he had a physio giving him instructions.After 3 weeks he went back to the flock but the first 3 nights he waited for us to bring him back inside.His recovery was really slow but he made it.
That's the sort of drama we have.Currently we have 6 babies in the house and 10 babies fostered outside to 3 different mums.Normally at this time of year I have 5 or 6 broody hens but it's so cold this year that that hasn't happened and instead we used the incubator.We had to increase stock because we've had 2 previous fox attacks this year.This year I think I've finally cracked the sexing by wing feathers.Only took 20 years.
I haven't managed to become good at the killing bit yet.I've done a few, and its easier when they are small but they have to be big enough to be sure.
That's the only bad bit of raising chickens.
We're so happy you've decided to join us
