Old and Rare Breeds

[NanaKat]

Not sacrificial bait...just lucky not to have owls. Owls will actually prey on the Martins which would draw them to the chickens. Owls reach in and pull out birds from the gourds. We protect the gourds by placing guards on them thus deterring owl predation. Evidence the owls have been around are the felt droppings from roosting owls...we have none.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Walt, we had raccoons when we lived in California. We would set out traps regularly and all we ever caught were skunks. There was one night we had the trap set and ready. In the morning, the bait was gone, the trap was sprung and it was empty. I think it was a big coon.

I've been told that coons like marshmallows and I've also been told to tie something in the far end of the trap so they can't reach in and pull it out... they have to get all the way inside and hopefully they're not so big they spring the trap and can still back out because the trap wasn't able to close.

There is no way that a chicken can beat off a raccoon or many other predators. I don't care what time of day or night it is.

 

[cukooformarans]

Honey buns

 

[cluck-cluck]

Maybe you have been reading too many posts on BYC. Real breeders make real strong birds.....and usually don't medicate. There is no reason that any breed can't be strong if they are bred correctly. If these heritage birds don't perform they will die out. So IMO this is not a donkey/racehorse situation with accomplished breeders. The birds that aren't disease resistant and don't perform well end up planted in the garden here.

Roosting in trees is just inconvenient to racoons......they will push them off the tree and kill them in the dark on the ground. You may think you don't have some of these predators, but once you put some birds on the ground you will find out that you probably have a lot of them around. I have something killing 25 lb geese and I thought it couldn't be a raccoon....but guess what....it is. The time is correct in this photo, but the year etc I don't set. Now that I know what it is I should have it by tomorrow morning. you need to have some kind of security if you raise chickens....you can't count on them getting away from a predator.



Walt

Brother in law found a raccoon drowning his dog in the pond one night, barely saved is dog in time (a huge Irish Setter) Dog got tricked to follow the coon into the water, that was almost the end of him! The coon was holding the dog's head under the water!

I have a friend that gave me a couple of American Game chickens a few years back. he lets them sleep out in nature I asked him once about if he doesn't have problems with critters, owls and such he said no these are games man they are tough they can handle their own selves. Well here a few weeks ago his Dad asked if I still had one of those game boys left, I told him I did he was in a coop awaiting to be used as a service male, he asked if they could borrow him to put with their leftover game hens I told him no but that I would be glad to hatch him some out though. I keep mine in lock up at nightime, they still don't so if I gave them this boy then this strain would be forever more gone.

Jeff

Yup, sounds like stubbornness like when people won't fix their dogs because it seems so cruel, but it aint! Really it isn't cruel, what's cruel is keeping the dog wanting and not ever having a chance to be with a girl.

If you had a "good Roo" he'd protect your birds from the 'coon. I know that's true as I've read it here several times.

Only thing a roo would do is sacrifice himself for the girls, and then after that, you'd have to hope the raccoon was satisfied with that meal and doesn't come back for more! Which he will, the next night.......

No match for a coon but you would here it that is for sure. What you need is a Redbone Coon Hound and a 410 shotgun

I'd love to shoot that off in my neighborhood!

6 minutes till the cops come, I'd bet, but it'd be fun!

 

[NYREDS]

If you had a "good Roo" he'd protect your birds from the 'coon. I know that's true as I've read it here several times.

Apparently some people thought I was serious about this-guess I should have added a smiley face. People on this site are forever insisting that a "good roo" will fight off preditors attacking the flock. This is, of course, ridiculous. The "good roo" that tries will just be the first chicken eaten.

 

[Hangtown Farms]

Apparently some people thought I was serious about this-guess I should have added a smiley face. People on this site are forever insisting that a "good roo" will fight off preditors attacking the flock. This is, of course, ridiculous. The "good roo" that tries will just be the first chicken eaten.

True but I live in the mountains and have hawks so for that reason yes they do help protect the flock. They may die trying but they do warn the hens away and if the hawk is on the ground can put up a decent fight. I once saw my icelandic rooster jumping a hawk. of course I probably saved his life by seeing him. I have also had a few killed by hawks. No my runs are covered in heavy duty fish netting. good luck hawk I hope to see one try dive bombing through that stuff at 35 miles an hours.

 

[fowlman01]

Apparently some people thought I was serious about this-guess I should have added a smiley face. People on this site are forever insisting that a "good roo" will fight off preditors attacking the flock. This is, of course, ridiculous. The "good roo" that tries will just be the first chicken eaten.

I knew you were kidding. I don't use smiley faces or any of the other imocons either and seems like if you don't do it here, whatever you say is considered serious. Anyone who reads your posts would know that if you use "roo" you are not being serious.....but then...............this is a different world here online.

Last show season rare breeds did very well out here in the west. That is a good sign!

w.

 

[cluck-cluck]

Apparently some people thought I was serious about this-guess I should have added a smiley face. People on this site are forever insisting that a "good roo" will fight off preditors attacking the flock. This is, of course, ridiculous. The "good roo" that tries will just be the first chicken eaten.

Sorry

 

[PsycoPeep]

Hello-hello! How DO you do?? I'm new to chickens (only had mine for 2 wks, now!) and am looking to get into rare breeds. Just a little of this, a little of that, but not too much 'overall'. I have interst in Sussex (speckled or light prefered), Siapan Jungle Fowl or Red Indian Jungle Fowl, Shamo or Malay, Spitzhauben, and Naked Necks (rare colors move to the front of the line). I'm also looking for Wheaten Marans as well as Tolbunt Polish.

I'm also interested in Ducks. I mostly like the Buff & the Ancona. Maybe Cayuga, maybe white Mallards. And for geese I'm interested in a breeding pr of Sebastopol and Chinese. And Button Quail. I like them, too.


~~~ Psychodelic Peepazoid

 

[Lacy Blues]

Apparently some people thought I was serious about this-guess I should have added a smiley face. People on this site are forever insisting that a "good roo" will fight off preditors attacking the flock. This is, of course, ridiculous. The "good roo" that tries will just be the first chicken eaten.

I knew you were kidding... I was responding to whomever might think that a "good roo" could take on a predator.

I lost my first really good cock bird to a bobcat. He took on the predator but he met his match at the same time! There was a small hawk terrorizing my flock several years ago when this boy was the daddy. I "THINK" he was able to fight this hawk off as it had been around for several days. After it stopped (with my persuasion), there were two pullets who developed a terrible infection in their sides like they had been punctured with a hawk's claws. They were small enough for this particular hawk to carry off but he hadn't. This is the only explanation I can come up with that would explain the bird not taking them. I ended up putting them out of their misery, poor babies. This cock was a fantastic fighter. Every other rooster in the yard that challenged him ended up terribly bloody but he never got a scratch. They were the ones challenging his position and he only fought them off, when they'd had enough, he let them go.