Poops flock

[BDutch]

heeeeeey!!!

I just figured they all had their own bed to lay eggs in! Will they just use 2 like a drop station and rotate out??

What i need some assisstance in more than anything... we want to let our boy go and be frisky for a lil bit to see some crosses and some pure bred from him and an 'identical' sister... but we also want fresh eggs on the regular and I feel like pullin him from the flock might be stressfull as well???

How do most manage the breeding rotation, and more importantly, the long term care of the flock as a whole?

Yes they rotate. Some need only 10 minutes but they often take half an our or even longer to lay an egg. Staying on a nest for more than 3 hours indicates broodiness.
Chickens tend to lay in the same favourite nest-box. A second nest is needed if it’s occupied too long. Mine are sometimes waiting for their turn for the favourite nest. Imagine people going to a toilet in a restaurant where they have 1 clean and one dirty toilet.

You should leave the cockerel/rooster with the pullets/hens. He fertilises most of the eggs with 8 hens. But you can store and eat the fertilised eggs just as well as the non fertilised eggs.

Read a few articles and threads about natural broodies and hatching if you ever want a broody to hatch eggs. It’s often problematic in a confined situation with little space and hiding places. Next spring is probably too soon. But in the Spring 2025 it might be a perfect time for a nest . Some hens/breeds are often broody and others don't get broody.
First of all you need patience, much space and an extra nestbox at another quiet spot, where you lay fake eggs to encourage broodiness.

 

[PoopsMcgee]

Yes they rotate. Some need only 10 minutes but they often take half an our or even longer to lay an egg. Staying on a nest for more than 3 hours indicates broodiness.
Chickens tend to lay in the same favourite nest-box. A second nest is needed if it’s occupied too long. Mine are sometimes waiting for their turn for the favourite nest. Imagine people going to a toilet in a restaurant where they have 1 clean and one dirty toilet.

You should leave the cockerel/rooster with the pullets/hens. He fertilises most of the eggs with 8 hens. But you can store and eat the fertilised eggs just as well as the non fertilised eggs.

Read a few articles and threads about natural broodies and hatching if you ever want a broody to hatch eggs. It’s often problematic in a confined situation with little space and hiding places. Next spring is probably too soon. But in the Spring 2025 it might be a perfect time for a nest . Some hens/breeds are often broody and others don't get broody.
First of all you need patience, much space and an extra nestbox at another quiet spot, where you lay fake eggs to encourage broodiness.

Thank you!!! I was totally imagining the difference between a row of stalls, or a couple porta pottys, but i withheld the reference... lol...

It should be perfect for us to wait to '25. We really need to see how we handle the birds we have, and if any decide to take up shop, we will be happy to keep what we get!

I will research those topics as well! I would much prefer naturally hatched chicks since an incubator is just another purchase... but may be inevitable.

 

[PoopsMcgee]

Assuming your cropped & flopped descriptions apply to two Dobies?

Definitely proceed with caution; both of our dogs (corgi & border collie mix) have a very unhealthy preoccupation with my chickens, so I intend that ne'er the twain shall meet. It would not go well for the chooks, who are openly curious about the dogs (through a secure fence). Both dogs successfully hunt gophers and the corgi has caught a few unwary small birds - very strong prey drive so I won't risk it. The BC has run at the fence numerous times to make the pullets squawk & flap & run, so big NO there. The Corg, while sweet with other dogs & people, is jealous of the time I spend with the flock (all attention should be HIS.)

Of course, you know your particular dogs best!

And a hearty welcome to the delightful, resourceful BYC community!

Yeeeeeesssss!

Our dobies could easily dispatch a chicken if left unattended with them...but I get what you mean about the prey drive, so I dont think I will even risk monitored visits...

Come to think of it, our boy hunts rabbit and squirrels in the desert walks we do and when we first got him he killed some rats too... so I think I will be putting up a decent gate so the pups cannot access them.... I can totally imagine our girl doing a gate charge, so I will probably run blind slats through the fence links to discourage it as much as possible.

Thanks for the experienced info!

 

[BDutch]

I will research those topics as well! I would much prefer naturally hatched chicks since an incubator is just another purchase... but may be inevitable.

You need more space when adding chicks from an incubator too.
Btw, I never bought an incubator. A few of my chickens have proven to be excellent broodies and mama’s until they leave them at their own at about 8-12 weeks old. One problem is that they like to get broody on the same nest .

 

[Debbie292d]

Assuming your cropped & flopped descriptions apply to two Dobies?

Definitely proceed with caution; both of our dogs (corgi & border collie mix) have a very unhealthy preoccupation with my chickens, so I intend that ne'er the twain shall meet. It would not go well for the chooks, who are openly curious about the dogs (through a secure fence). Both dogs successfully hunt gophers and the corgi has caught a few unwary small birds - very strong prey drive so I won't risk it. The BC has run at the fence numerous times to make the pullets squawk & flap & run, so big NO there. The Corg, while sweet with other dogs & people, is jealous of the time I spend with the flock (all attention should be HIS.)

Of course, you know your particular dogs best!

And a hearty welcome to the delightful, resourceful BYC community!

Ironically, I have the same two breeds of dogs and both became our LGDs (livestock guardian dogs) as our property borders a forest. The BC when not playing frisbee or ball is laying with the chickens, and the corgi picked up an inane ability to spot hawks and eagles and goes nuts barking at them until they leave. I supplied proof.

 

[DobieLover]

Birds sound the alarm any time one creeps into the garage... how long till they will smack sense into an over curious derp hound?

They won't.

so I would prefer he know they can be formidable before doing a real introduction...

All 6 of my Dobies and both min pins have had strong prey drives. I don't risk allowing them around my flock. My flock is secured behind electrified poultry netting powered with a 10,000 volt charger. My dogs ignore those birds.

Assuming your cropped & flopped descriptions apply to two Dobies?

Well... he did quote me. DobieLover!

 

[PoopsMcgee]

All 6 of my Dobies and both min pins have had strong prey drives. I don't risk allowing them around my flock. My flock is secured behind electrified poultry netting powered with a 10,000 volt charger. My dogs ignore those birds.

With that, I will make sure to keep them seperate... luckily my boy hates all the crows and any hawks flying over head and barks them off anytime they enter his airspace. But i will likely be making a shade netting over the run as it is, we get hot as hell here. I live bout 30 minutes from Death Valley... which is why we made sure to buy local chicks from stock that is used to this weather.

Thanks for your help!!!

 

[RedwoodCoastChick]

Ironically, I have the same two breeds of dogs and both became our LGDs

Absolutely, they are each individuals! Your corg looks just like our Owen Thunderpaws, who does alert & defend the property against flying intruders.

The resident flock of crows isn't much impressed by either dog; they swoop low & tease them into chasing up & down the ~1 acre yard. [Ah, well, it's good exercise.] We tell the crows, "If corgis could fly, you'd be in trouble!"

(We live in a clearing of redwood forest so lots of aerial predators. Hawk net over the chicken yard is working so far.) Owen just doesn't make the distinction between "our" chickens and any other bird, plus they take some of my time & attention away from HIM.

I've seen many photos of fierce-looking pit bulls lying peacefully about with their flock, even with hens perching on their backs, so it does indeed depend on the particular dog! I love that your two are flock guardians, thank you for sharing this!

 

[RedwoodCoastChick]

we get hot as hell here. I live bout 30 minutes from Death Valley...

Oh, my goodness!!! Our family used to spend Spring Break at Death Valley when the girls were in elementary/middle school -- their choice, they loved it so much. (Also Bodie, Scotty's Castle, etc.) But we sure didn't go in the height of summer. That whole region has some mighty impressive heat! Spectacular country.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens. Pull up roost stay awhile.