I'm sure most of you have wondered (and might be wondering right now) "What type of poultry should I get?". Though there are many ways to decide, it might be best to decide by listening to people who have owned them. I have interviewed different people who own different types of poultry, asking all of them the same questions about their poultry. Here is who we have and what type of poultry they have:
@ronott1 doing Chickens!
@The Duck Ladie doing Ducks!
@guineapeeps doing Guinea fowl!
@holm25 doing Turkeys!
@Miss Lydia doing Geese!
@laughingdog doing Pigeons!
@TwoCrows doing Quail!
@birdman55 doing pheasants!
Let's Start the Questions!
1.How long have you had your poultry?
Ronott1/Chickens:I grew up with chickens but we had to give them up when we moved to a City that did now allow chickens. My current chicken raising started 7 years ago.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: I have had ducks almost as long as I can remember. I didn't have any a few years ago, some dogs killed them, but I got some more spring 2016.
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guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I've had Guineas for about 4 years now. I started out with just 4, but my flock quickly got bigger once they started laying and hatching eggs. I usually like to keep my flock at about 10-15 Guineas, but during hatching season in the spring, summer, and fall, I tend to get overrun with Guineas!
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holm25/Turkeys:I have had my poultry around 3-4 years.
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Miss Lydia/Geese: I started out with Muscovy ducks in 2004 so 13 years -Geese almost 10 yrs
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laughingdog/Pigeons:Currently I've had poultry since 2010.
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TwoCrows/Quail:I have kept Quail for just over 10 years now.
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birdman55/pheasants:I have had poultry for about 5 years now.
2.How many different breeds have you had? Please name them?
Ronott1/Chickens:
The Duck Ladie/Ducks:
Pekins-Rouens-Mallards-Runners-Cayuga-Ancona-Campbell-Magpie
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guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I have just the regular domesticated guinea fowl. I've not had any other type besides this and don't have any other types of poultry. I have various colors: pearl gray, buff dundotte, lavender, pied, white, and porcelain.
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holm25/Turkeys:
I have had 7 different turkeys varieties. I started out with 4 "Royal Palms" which quickly turned into 3 Royal Palms and 1 Calico. As time went by The Royal Palms got invited to the dinner table and the Calico got to stay. The next spring I managed to find our Calico tom a Narragansett hen and a Blue Slate hen. Sadly owls decided the hens looked tasty one night when they slept outside... After I lost his hens I just got White and Bronze Broad breasted turkey poults to keep him company till they got to be invited to the dinner table... Well I still have one Bronze hen but the others got butchered. And now just recently I got two hens! One hen is a Rusty Slate and the other is a Blue Red Bronze if I remember correctly.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:I have had Embden, Toulouse and American Buff
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laughingdog/Pigeons:I have had: colored normal and white-racing homers, Birmingham rollers, oriental rollers, American rollers, sky cutters, /tipplettes/tipplers/high fliers, flying flights, parlor tumblers (single and double flippers) and parlor rollers (only ten to thirty feet), "coop tumblers", Portuguese tumblers, Spanish figuritas, short and long faced tumblers, capuchins, Jacobins, americanfantails senji line ("neck shakers"), Chinese owls, various owl breeds etc n fancy show types I don't remember right now.. American giant runts
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TwoCrows/Quail:I have kept 3 different breeds of Quail, "Butler and Northern Bobwhites", "Gambels" and "Coturnix" Quail.
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birdman55/pheasants:I currently own red goldens, yellow goldens, cinnamon golden, silver golden, splash golden, and peach golden. Also own reeves pheasants.
3. What are they good for? (eggs, meat, show, etc)
Ronott1/Chickens:Eggs and Meat! They are also good as stress relievers and bug control.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: You can find a duck breed great for any of these purposes (meat, eggs, show, bug exterminator, pets). Bantam breeds (East Indie, Call Mallard) seem to be good for show and pets, and bug exterminators. Lightwieght breeds (Campbell, Magpie, Runner, Harlequin) are best for eggs, bug extermination, though they can be use for a somewhat small amount of meat. Mediumwieght breeds (Swedish, Ancona, Orpington, Cayuga.) Are General purpose. They lay a fair amount of eggs (The ancona lays a good bit more than the rest of them), are good at eating bugs, and give a good amount of meat. Heavyweight breeds are mainly for meat, though will lay some eggs. . Pretty much any duck can be a great pet!
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guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I initially got my Guineas for pest control. I was overrun with ticks, crickets, and grasshoppers. I also wanted some sort of poultry that would be able to free range through my garden and eat pests without destroying my garden. The Guineas seemed to really fit the bill as to what I was looking for. I now also collect some of their eggs and eat them as well, they are really rich and great for baking.
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holm25/Turkeys:The varieties I have now are not good for showing but they do lay well from March to whenever they decide to stop which I have found to be middle to late summer here. My first hens started laying the beginning of February though so it does depend on the weather and if they have artificial light. They are also good for meat. Being I just got the two new hens I don't know much about them but I am sure they are about the same as the other varieties.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:
.Females lay a nice size egg every other day during the laying season So eggs and for pets.
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laughingdog/Pigeons Pigeons in history and today still, are kept for pets, peaceful hobby keeping to breed show further certain interesting traits like living art to show for effort. Asin cultures still raise and sell king pigeons for meat in live markets, as do Hispanics who also prize the eggs to make festive and medicinal dishes (most notably one pigeon egg in tiny keesh or flaun type dish for young girls party like katilion (I'm sick and can't remember all terms n how to spell, so you may need to fact check spelling etc), as Mexicans Hondurans etc would offer to buy all Pigeon eggs had, and I actually had to lock breeders cages so one place lived at, so one family wouldn't keep stealing eggs. Most white people not honest about enjoying pigeon meat, unless rich "squab" (white king Pigeon), but very flavorful rich healthy red meat better and different than most other poultry aside maybe from quial and guinea in texture color consistency. In history the eggs meat manure and feathers prized and guarded by royalty, manure aside from one of best for planting, was also used in making gunpowder. During wars recessions and depressions in history, poor people used feral pigeons to survive supplying needed meat for tables etc. Racing homers sought after for abilities to come home for 100 600 to 2000 miles average as good bird, and they were utilized in ancient times and modern to take messages and goods fast from one place to another, during war etc even. Rollers of air are used for sport and amusement Because they fly up and around most notably known for series of rapid backflips done.. some like Birmingham roller known to do for so long in straight line down more doing in "kit" flock group together as "break" and Drop, the better scored.. they look like bollards balls dropping out of sky (30-50 ft are competition length rolling ability, but ten feet is considered OK though under thirty is "shallow roller", though "deep rollers" roll 50-100 ft, some roll more, but I've never heard of control of more than150 ft and seen 200 footers online but they "bump" crash or spin guts out usually and die if after months soon not "stocked"/"locked down" so don't go loose to injure or kill selves rolling). Many other rollers and tumblers (all rollers are tumblers just exaggerated specialty) will do lot of other manoeuvres still like dive (there are wuttas divers etc that bred just for diving ability) twizzle flit swoop, barrel roll, tail ride, tumble forward and or upward, etc.. parlor rollers roll around only on ground, competition style is needed to roll straight for hundred feet I believe (my. Mentor on performance competition and show style Joe alcaron would probably be lot more helpful, but he stays low key Because of politics in pigeons nowadays) but record is rolling longer than two or more football fields, but parlor societies have trouble getting enough soft space to let their birds roll before they hit fence etc then just keep rolling in place till pick them up no harm to birds long on soft grass or soft earth etc. Parlor tumblers jump up in are low and standard are single and double backflips where the feet chalked and area around, and bird hopefully lands in same spot (used to be triple flip type but old school and cannot find anymore). Parlors are generally thought result of continually breeding "roll downs"-rollers that roll down to ground after/sadly up or stop being able to control roll not stopping n hitting ground/objects. They can fly like Birmingham rollers, and should be, to build up strength and helps rolling ability etc, till three months when they "ground" and cannot fly anymore, but oddly can and start breeding then, unlike most Pigeons who start trying at six months, some breeds don't though for year and a half etc. Pouters croppers and theirs have crops that greatly expand and exaggerated features and voices etc used for luring in other pigeons like ferals to eat, racers to ransom sell breed eat, and other Pigeons the handler may want to aquire (a single their etc put out in small cage on pole, roof, etc to dance and attract passing pigeons. Flight Pigeons, new York flying flights mostly known for, were bred also to steal Pigeons from others for what called "Pigeon wars" originally attop new York city roofs. They were specifically bred to be attractive and stand out to other Pigeons but they were released in swarms of hundred or more often, and draw other Pigeons to them and back home to owners hopefully. There are voice Pigeons "trumpeters" "laughers" etc that bred for sounds make. There are Pigeons bred to fly for days on end "tipplers", and birds bred to fly so high can't see with binoculars supposedly "high-fliers". Many others I'm forgetting for now. I'm sending drafts and notes in parts, as phone doesn't work good or save,and don't want to lose.
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TwoCrows/Quail:
Bobwhites males are a very pretty bird and have a very loud distinctive call. The calls of their native wild cousins are dwindling in the wild and this alone makes this bird nice to have around for just their calls! They are native to the US only. Bobwhites are very slow to mature quail and while the meat tastes very good, being a white meat bird, since they take several months before they are ready for the table, they are generally not raised for their meat. They do lay large white eggs and are great layers but are not sexually mature and laying until one year old or the spring following their hatch of the previous year. They can be flighty and skittish around humans, flush easily and do not like to be handled
Gambels are strickly raised for their interesting nature and their beauty and rarely eaten. They are a Southwestern US bird, also a native to this country. They are very slow to mature just as the Bobwhite, taking just as long to make and lay, their eggs are a whitish/buff colored eggs, sometimes spotted. The male has an interesting crest that grows tall and dangles over the head in front and has the most lovely call. They can be flighty and skittish around humans, flush easily and do not like to be handled
Coturnix Quail are native to Japan and have been kept in captivity for thousands of years as a bird for it's meat and eggs. They come in a variety of colors and mutations and some are extremely pretty. They are a rather human friendly bird and are easily kept in captivity. They mature up very quickly and in 7 weeks from hatch, can be ready for the table, they are sexually mature at 9 weeks of age and being laying a brownish mottled egg. If you are interested in keeping a bird for meat, this is the bird to keep. They often are kept as pets for their docile nature as well and can become quite affectionate as a house pet.
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birdman55/pheasants:The chickens are good for meat, eggs for eating, hatching eggs, show, ornamental and that goes for any type of bird.
4. What do you most enjoy about them?
Ronott1/Chickens:Chickens give you something to do as a Hobby that also provides Eggs and Meat.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks:
Well..Them! I love their silly ways: Their waddle, their single file march, Their sideways look, and especially their water craziness! For example It starts pouring, the goats run inside, the dogs run inside, the ducks runs outside and start bathing and have a great time... I especially love incubating them. So exciting! and once there hatched, ducklings are so completely cute!!! I just love 'em! And they are Very Useful! Even if they weren't I'd probably still have them!
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guineapeeps/guinea fowl: The best thing about Guineas is the great job that they do on pest control. They have completely eliminated our tick problem and have greatly reduced the crickets and grasshoppers. Even better than that, is how good they are in the garden. They move through my garden and pick off the bugs without touching the leaves, fruits, or vegetables. I also enjoy them for entertainment too! They are quirky birds and are funny to watch and interact with. They are great alarms and let you know when something is out of the ordinary, such as predators, strangers, etc. Lastly, as I mentioned above, the eggs are great to eat and bake with.
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holm25/Turkeys:
I think one of the things I most enjoy about them is their different and quirky personalities. They can be absolute goofs at times! And they tend to like following you around like a dog! And they are eye candy! They are so much fun to watch! And on top of that they lay delicious eggs that are great for baking or other everyday uses!
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Miss Lydia/Geese:They are entertaining. I enjoy being around them.
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laughingdog/Pigeons Pigeon keeping ancient peaceful, cheap (as can be, but expensive if want),easy to keep, quiet, bringing people together hobby. You can rescue or catch ferals and tame in week to month and given basic care and housing free even materials and only buy seed or collect free spilled seed n grain from Willis and graineries, they can be released and return with lil conditioning.
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TwoCrows/Quail:
Bobwhites are such an interesting bird to keep. They can be quite challenging, but if you learn how to care for them, they make for a colorful flock of birds! Their calls echo quite loudly and will even call in the native quail of all kinds!
Gambels are native to this area of the US and used to come to my wild bird feeders. I just LOVED how they came out of the bushes single file, top knots bobbing and their calls are just fabulous! The male is quite stunning in color and I just enjoyed them for their beauty, eye candy if you will.
Coturnix are such friendly birds! They are SUPER easy to keep, do not require as much detail as the above said birds, they are very docile, you can handle them easily and are just easy going birds. They are very easily handled and do not stress too much when being picked up or examined should you need to look at them or move them. I enjoyed keeping these birds just for the ease of keeping.
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birdman55/pheasants:The things I enjoy about them are; to me they are peaceful to be around and can bring a smile to a rough day. Beautiful to watch. And I love the breeding part of poultry.
5. What are the cons of having them?
Ronott1/Chickens:They can be noisy and you do have to make sure they are fed and watered daily. It is harder to go on long trips since it is not as easy to find someone to take care of them.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: Some people say they are messy, and when they are ducklings that it's true. If they are in a small brooder inside they do get things dirty super fast. (Worth it though) Once you move them outside, if they have a big pen (and good drainage around the water) it's not as much of a mess.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I think there a far more good things about Guineas than bad, but there are still some negatives. First, they are very loud. As I said above, they alarm loudly when anything is out of the ordinary. This may be a predator or someone new at your house, but it may also be something like a new bucket in your yard or new feeder in their coop. If you have neighbors living close by, they may not appreciate the racket that the Guineas make! Next, they have a fairly wild disposition and are hard to get tame enough to be able to hold and pet. It takes a LOT of time spent with them as keets to make them gentle and even then, they probably won't be cuddly birds. Because they are more wild, they like to hide their nests outside in the tall weeds so finding their nests can be difficult. Most of my hens lay eggs in the coop but I've lost a few birds to predators while laying in a secret hidden nest outside the coop.
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holm25/Turkeys: Hmmm Cons... They love to sit on decks and watch their human friends! They also are very nosey! Other than that I cant really think of anything?
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Miss Lydia/Geese:
Geese are not for everyone ganders can be very ornery during mating season because they are very protective of their mates and if you let her brood he will continue to be protective of her and if they hatch gosling then you'll have 2 to contend with.They are awesome parents working together to raise their young.
They can also be loud so neighbors may not appreciate the noise. Because of their attitude they need to be confined where they won't be meeting people they don't know
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laughingdog/Pigeons:Compared to non feathered pets, their feathers molting about every six months can be messy if in enclosed space and no shop vac and dozen or more birds molting at once.
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TwoCrows/Quail:
Bobwhites and Gambels can be very high strung birds. I do not recommend either of these birds for a beginner quail keeper and only after keeping an easier bird like Coturnix would I suggest keeping the Bob or Gambel. They are hyper and need a LOT of attention to detail so that they are calm and kept from flushing up into your ceiling and breaking their necks. They both really do need to be kept in aviaries in large spaces. Unlike the Coturnix that has been kept around humans in captivity for thousands of years, the Bobwhite and Gambels, or any New World Quail like Valley, Montezuma, Blue Scaled, Spotted, etc....these birds need much larger spaces and have only been introduced to captive keeping within the last 25 years or so. They have not yet adapted to human handling and keeping and do not do well in small cages. You can NOT handle these birds, some even go into shock when you grab them. You need to know how to hold them so they can't injure themselves. This is one thing I dislike about these birds, very strongly.
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birdman55/pheasants:Cons.. ; expensive, dirty, smelly, can fester bugs and diseases, time consuming.
6. On a scale of 1(very very hard) to 10 (super easy) how easy would you say they are to raise and maintain?
Ronott1/Chickens:They are 8 to 9 and are the easiest of livestock to take care of. They are good for disabled people and those wanting to see if they like having livestock.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: I'd say 8-9. They only hard part is keeping the brooder clean, so if you have a broody hen taking care of them it's pretty easy!
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: As far as how easy they are to raise, I would say they are a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, but this really depends on what you are expecting out of them. If you want very tame Guineas, I would say it is harder than that, but if you want them just for pest control and don't care how friendly they are or how they fair with nature, then I would say it's easier. One of the hard parts initially is getting them to learn where home is when you first get them. If your going to free range them and keep them in a coop at night, then they need to be kept in the coop full time for about 3-4 weeks so they will know this is where they need to return to each night. Some people let their Guineas roost in the trees at night, but they are completely useless at night and will usually get picked off by owls or raccoons.
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holm25/Turkeys:As poults they can be a little harder to raise but after a few days they are pretty darn tough! So I would probably rate them an 8. After they are feathered they are super tough birds! Mine would sleep out in single digits temps and be fine.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:They are very easy to raise and maintenance isn't bad at all just like other poultry cleaning their sleeping area daily and making sure they have fresh feed and water.
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laughingdog/Pigeons: 10, I've seen children with interest in at six able and enjoy feeding watering and scraping cages, handling safely etc
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TwoCrows/Quail:
Bobwhites I will rate as a 5, Gambels as a 3 and Coturnix as a 9.
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birdman55/pheasants:All poultry are easy to take care of as long as u do your research. (heating, cooling, venting, food, water, diseases).
7. How hardy are they as far as weather goes?
Ronott1/Chickens:Weather hardiness depends on the breed and where you live. Big combed breeds have trouble in places where it freezes. Generally, though, winter is easier on chickens because of all the feathers they have. Heat can be more of a problem if you live in a place that is very hot. Some breeds have trouble at temperatures over 90. The Spanish breeds, Pita Pinta, Basque hen and penedesencas can take much higher temperatures.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: If it's wet, there outside. If it snowing there outside, (seriously, It's pouring snow and they are sitting outside) if it's hot, there are bathing or in the shade. Just make sure you have a shelter with hay in case it gets to cold, and shade and water in case it gets hot.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: The adult Guineas are very hardy as far as weather goes, especially in the cold. I live in Iowa and they do very well in the winter. Mine stay in a coop at night, but I will not usually provide any heat during the winter, unless it's like -10. They seem to not fair quite as well in very hot humid weather and will pant at times when it's too hot. I let my hens hatch and raise their own keets, and although they keep up with the mother to free range well, they are not very tolerant of wet or cold weather. The hens like to take the keets out to teach them how to free range at just a few days old, so I make sure not to let them out if it will be cold or rainy.
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holm25/Turkeys:As I said above they are very hardy as long as they are feathered. As youngins the rain can easily kill them but if they are kept out of the rain till they are bigger and fully feathered they are usually fine. But it is always smart to make sure they can get out of the run no matter what. Heat wise they do good as long as they have fresh water and some shade to get out of the sun.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:They are very hardy in weather. As long as they have something to block the wind during frigid temps they are fine. They would need shade in very hot climates.
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laughingdog/Pigeons:They are extremely cold and heat hardy, but I've seen some young parents go off feeding young in heat snap over 110. Cold weather raising young below twenty requires a small box and decent bedding like dried: pine needles grass leaves moss, non ceder WOD shavings
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TwoCrows/Quail:Quail are incredibly hardy weather wise and can tolerate brutally cold temps well below 0 Fahrenheit. We had a freeze blast of -30 for 3 days straight and while I did keep 2 heat lamps on the quail hutch running non stop, the temp never got above -15 and they all did just fine.
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birdman55/pheasants:All birds are resistant to the weather and the environments they are around. It's just everyone's climate is different so different things must be done to make sure u have healthy birds. For me I live in the super cold climate negative 20 is normal in winter. Chickens, peacocks and guineas will be affected (frostbite). As for quail I raised indoors so not sure and pheasants so far have been the best to raise in my environment. No frostbite and they can take extreme conditions compared to the rest.
8. How resistant to sickness do they seem to be?
Ronott1/Chickens:For the breeds that I have had, the Crested cream legbar seems to be the least resistant to sickness. The Australorps did very well and the Pita Pintas did great!
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: I've never had a sick duck. I've had injuries from overmating (I had to many boys (oops))& dogs. I've had one defiency due to the fact I didn't give the ducklings niacin (oops) but I have never had a sick duck.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: my Guineas seem to be very resistant to disease and illness. I have never lost a guinea to anything other than predators.
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holm25/Turkeys:They are about the same as chickens. If kept in good clean housing with clean, fresh feed and water they do good. BUT they are susceptible to a disease called Blackhead that may or may not be in your soil. To learn more about that you can search for the many threads about it on BYC.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:Geese are very resistant to disease unless kept in horrid conditions.
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laughingdog/Pigeons: They are pretty hardy if kept sheltered loft from wetness and wind, scrape poop before/when piles up some to not hold moisture grow mold parasites etc, and have inch hardware cloth where letting air in but not most problems from preds n pests. Letting sun n bath daily to weekly helps lot just don't keep feed or leave water in areas songbirds rodents and scavenger insects through moist poop left frequent.
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TwoCrows/Quail:I keep both chickens and quail and I have to say that my quail are EXTREMELY hardy to staying well. As long as you start with good stock and keep a closed flock (not bringing in new quail), your quail should remain healthy enough to live out their lives until natural death. Give them a good diet, healthy atmosphere, do not crowd them, keep them entertained and they should live quite a long time. The average age of captive kept Quail is 2 to 5 years. However nearly all of my Quail have lived well into their 5th and 6th years and I have one male Bobwhite that is 7 1/2 years of age and still going strong!
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birdman55/pheasants: Pheasants are the most resistant to disease and everything else in my experience.
9. On a scale of 1(very mean) to 10 (super nice) how nice are they? What can make them "mean"?
Ronott1/Chickens:Only some of the roosters were mean. They are now soup! I think it had to do with hormones.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: If by nice you mean they let you pet you without a problem, It depends if you try to make them that kind of "nice". You'll have to get ducklings and talk to them, and gently hold them a lot, if you want them to be like that. If by nice you mean won't injury you or kids 10, you will only get hurt (like a scratch) if you hold them wrong, or if you have a broody, which is a duck hen who wants to hatch her eggs and gets protective of her nest. I've NEVER in the (I can't count how many) ducks I have had mean duck.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: As I said earlier, they have a wild disposition and although they are not mean, they are very leary and tough to get them to be very tame. I have been attacked by a hen when she thought I was hurting her keets but this is not the norm, at least not for mine.
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holm25/Turkeys:It all depends on the bird and its owner. Some birds are naturally mean and should not be kept back for breeding as I am a firm believer it is passed down to the offspring. Teasing them can make them mean. Alot of people let their young toms chase them around and tease them and that in my opinion will cause them to become aggressive. If you're running from them and they are chasing who do you think they''ll think is in charge? And on top of that there is no good reason for teasing an animal.
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Miss Lydia/Geese: Different breeds have different temperaments I'd say an Embden, African and Chinese may rate around 6-10 depending on time of year and how they have been treated.
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laughingdog/Pigeons: Mostly definitely ten, but isolation can make a pigeon mean as does dogs knowing nothing else, otherwise some cocks can get territorial over not enough nests (two per hen needed), space feed. Pigeons don't care about gender as much as humans and will pair with same sex if opposite not available and some choose same sex mates over opposite sex.
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TwoCrows/Quail: Quail are not mean birds at all. BUT....if they are kept in tight spaces they do turn on each other and can kill their own mates! So it is imperative to keep them properly and they will coexist quite well with very little aggression.
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birdman55/pheasants: U will get a mean bird out of every kind of bird eventually if u hatch enough but some kinds like the reeves are just aggressive the male that is. Even the females in every kind can be mean it just has to be the right time for the bird.
10.What are their housing requirements?
Ronott1/Chickens: Chickens need room to move. They also need a nice dry place to get out of the weather in the winter. Where I live, they need something to help them stay cool in the summer. I use shade cloth and a misting system.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: Not much. I have 4 pallets screwed together with fence panels screwed to the sides with some hay in it for their house. Their run is a dog run, though I also use a old tool bench with chain link around it and a dog house for two ducks (breeding pair).
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I keep my Guineas in a coop at night and let them free range during the day. I feel they need a coop at night to protect them from predators. They prefer to roost as high as possible and I have their roosting bars about 7 feet up.
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holm25/Turkeys:They do not require as much as other birds. If they have a shelter with higher roosts or rafters they will be just fine. It is really amazing what these birds easily survive through. Mine stay in an insulated coop with my chickens and they do great in there. They also did fine when they use to sleep outside!
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Miss Lydia/Geese:According to The Book of Geese by Dave Holderread[expert on geese] they can live in a 3 sided structure, if you have good electric fencing or an LGD
Other wise they need to be locked up at night for their safety.
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laughingdog/Pigeons:.housing requirements simple as cardboard box on side out of moisture type home with brick perches, two bricks squaring each back corner filling with pine needles, and brick cornering feed n water cup in front corners.. though for predators even like squirrels cats and snakes this may not be safe. Size requirements depends on type breed purpose. Tumbler breeds generally like and handle confined spaces and crowding best, especially if flown daily. I've seen pair of Birmingham rollers kept breeding even continueally for ten years or more, like they originally were bred from old country to dias sport bird for moving mining colonies etc. I don't recommend starting out for breeding pair (as remember they'll have two rounds of young possibly three if late fledgers) with less than forty inches squared. That size for dozen flying tumbler/roller or half flying dozen Homer/racer. Many breeders will give breeders least amount of space standard 24" squared, and even tumbler breeds stress weaken n get sick quick only good for one season of young most before burn out, where more room I and some others give will have pair breeding healthy until you stop by seperating (when nestlings reach about two weeks hen lays two more eggs and why second best needed n so many people trying to breed experience every problem told).
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TwoCrows/Quail:All of the New World species of Quail, including Bobwhites and Gambels NEED to have at LEAST 4 square feet PER bird. They are very hyper and energetic and do not do well in tighter quarters. It is IMPERATIVE that they be kept in PAIRS ONLY. Never can you keep them in trios and such. One male and one female. Quail are seasonal layers and breeders and from spring through fall and Bobs and Gambels will be come EXTREMELY territorial.Both of these species mates for life and if another female comes in this pairs territory, the other hen can and will kill this lone female!! Year old Bobs and Gambels can sometimes be kept together with other birds, but upon their second season of breeding, they will become far more aggressive and this aggressiveness becomes more powerful every year. You CAN mix them in the winter time as even in the wild will they come together for a "winter covey" and they love to all snuggle up for the winter. But NEVER during breeding season can you mix them. Just make sure to remember who goes with who come spring because remember, they mate for life. You CAN however keep just hens with no male. Females do quite fine all together if no male is around. Same with males....if there isn't a female in sight or earshot, they too can live all together. You will need to make brush piles in your aviary and use at least a 6 foot ceiling as these guys are all flyers! They will naturally seek cover and linger all day long under the brush just as they would in the wild. I do not recommend keeping these birds on wire, other than raising them as chicks (quail are highly susceptible to Coccidiosis and raising them on wire helps them build immunity without losing any of them to this issue) and use some sort of bedding such as grass hay or wood shavings. Quail get bumblefoot VERY easily on wire.
Coturnix can get away with a bit less space of 2 square feet per bird, although they too love as much space as you can afford. They can be kept 1 male to 5 to 7 hens. Never keep any less hens than 5 as the male can literally mate a couple of hens to death. Male Cots are very "busy" during the breeding season and this over mating can kill a hen. So keep enough hens with your male. Never keep any other males with this group as he can be killed by the other male. Same as with Bobwhites, you can keep all males or all females together, as long as neither of the other can see or hear them. Many people keep these birds in hutches or pens. As with any other Quail, it is recommended that you do keep them in small rabbit hutches or pens, that you add some sort of natural or fake foliage to the pen so they can feel secure and can hide from each other and things they think are after them. I do not recommend keeping these birds on wire, other than raising them as chicks (quail are highly susceptible to coccidiosis and raising them on wire helps them build immunity without losing any of them to this issue) and use some sort of bedding such as grass hay or wood shavings. Quail get bumblefoot VERY easily on wire.
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birdman55/pheasants: Every bird has its own requirements. Quail I prefer off the ground. Mostly u need a basic house that is big enough for the number of birds u have in the coop. I would have access to food and water that is covered. Perches wide enough. Keep coop dry. Have access to sand or dirt for dust baths. Large enough coop for the type of breed.
11.Why do you prefer this type of poultry?
Ronott1/Chickens: Chickens stay in the yard in the city lot I live on. Other types of poultry would not stay in the yard and Poultry like Guinea hens are too noisy!
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: They lay more eggs, they are nice, they are funny, they are great. No one can convince me otherwise!
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: The pest control, the silly personality, and all the other reasons above, are why I chose and continue to choose to keep Guineas.
I hope this helps!
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holm25/Turkeys:I prefer turkeys because they are fun to have around and bring us lots of joy and laughter!
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Miss Lydia/Geese:I never thought I'd love geese since as a young adult I had an encounter with some at a Marina that was unpleasant but If raised right they are a really nice addition to a small hobby farm.
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laughingdog/Pigeons:They are living peaceful easy cheap kept art in today's detached world, and I've met many decent people through them, even releasing them to fly brings people following them home to ask about and watch after busy stressful day and amaze that the birds come down to you on command and handled petting and feeding trying to ride around on or following on ground or through air as I walk
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TwoCrows/Quail:As I mentioned earlier, I do keep chickens, however my quail have always been a source of entertainment and fun for me. I have always kept my birds in aviaries and it is fun to watch them do what they do in a very natural setting just as they would be in the wild. Like a peek into the life of a wild quail.
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birdman55/pheasants:I prefer pheasants cause they are hardy and don't eat that much. I also prefer quail for they are cheap to raise to full maturity and grow extremely fast.
12. What are your favorite breeds and why?
Ronott1/Chickens:Pita Pinta because of the great eggs, fast growth and temperament. Heritage Rhode Island Reds are second
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: I like Harlequin and Magpie the most.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: My favorites are, of course, the ones I have, as I've not had any other kind. I've heard some people say the jumbo or French Guineas are more calm, but I can't speak to that. Some people on the guinea talk thread have that kind, so you may want to ask them.
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holm25/Turkeys:I think the Calicos are my favorite. I have only had the one but I absolutely love that turkey! He has such a good a temperament and is so friendly! And he is absolutely STUNNING!
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Miss Lydia/Geese:.I love all breeds of geese but since these are the ones I have had i have to say Embden, Toulouse, American Buff.
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laughingdog/Pigeons:Tumblers/rollers, and homers/racers. Tumbler breeds have so much variation in color shape size etc extreamely friendly hardy easy to train etc. Homers stout large wild hardy looking and acting more unless colors bred into by tumblers usually.
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TwoCrows/Quail:Of all the breeds I have kept, I suppose I would say that Bobwhites are my favorite for some reason. They have been a TON of work for me and I am not sure why I punish myself with them, LOL but I just love this little bird!
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birdman55/pheasants:I love my peach goldens they are so beautiful and peaceful and rare.
13. Where do you recommend buying them?
Ronott1/Chickens: (I forgot to ask this question, will edit)
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: Well, I've gotten a bunch of mine from Ideal Poultry. They turned out great. I would buy from holderread farms if I was looking at getting at least ten straight run ducklings. I also recommend finding local breeders. That's how I got my Anconas and they are great. I don't recommend just picking some up at the feed store as much, unless you don't mind a bunch of boys. We once got 4 from the feed store, all but one were boys
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I got my first Guineas through an private party that was just wanting to rehome some. I also got some hatching eggs from a friend so these two sources are how my flock got started. I know people who have gotten them from local feed stores and those seem to be healthy and do well. I have also heard of people getting both hatching eggs and keets by mail order but the reviews are very mixed on this. I have heard that some arrived weak and died shortly afterward and the eggs have low hatch rates; however, not having gotten any through the mail, I can't really accurately speak to this. I would suggest looking on local ads like newspapers and craigslist or at your local farm supply store that way you can see the Guineas, keets, or hatching eggs before you actually pay for them so you know what your getting.
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holm25/Turkeys:There are so many places to get turkeys! Hatcheries are probably most ideal for some people to get the varieties they want. But I have decided to buy locally from breeders and the local feed store for my Thanksgiving turkeys.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:.Best to always do your research before getting any type of animal. I would say do alot of reading and talk to others who have geese make sure you are ready for the 20 or more years commitment they will be in your life because they live much longer than other poultry.
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laughingdog/Pigeons: -
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TwoCrows/Quail: Quail are not easy to find in feed stores and buying eggs off Ebay is a risky business. So I do recommend you either purchase eggs from one of the larger hatcheries on line or an inside line from someone you know that raises quality birds. I got my eggs from Murray McMurray many years ago and bred them from this original stock of Bobwhites. James Marie Farms sells THE best quality Coturnix Quail here in the US, as far as I am concerned.
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birdman55/pheasants: I would buy them from me. Lol. I will have a website done soon.
13. Any other things you would like to say?
Ronott1/Chickens: -
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: Many people I know say duck eggs taste bad. Taste similar to me. I had a friend over, and I boiled her a duck egg without telling her it was from a duck. After she tasted it I told her it was a duck egg, "it tastes better!" she said. . If they taste weird It is probably what they are eating. Duck eggs are great for baking.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: -
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holm25/Turkeys: -
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Miss Lydia/Geese:-
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laughingdog/Pigeons:-
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TwoCrows/Quail:If you are really interested in keeping these fun little birds, PLEASE stop by our Learning Center/Other Poultry section https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/other-backyard-fowl-ducks-quail-turkeys-geese-etc where I have written in detail many articles on ALL the breeds of quail, how to hatch, raise, feed, shelter and care for them. I have covered many subjects more intensely and there is even a health and disease section you might check out as well. Happy Quailing!!
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birdman55/pheasants:I would like to say follow my forum thread; BUILDING PARADISE FOR THE BIRDS. It is dedicated to my grandparents that are no longer with us. They farmed their whole lives and got me interested in the lifestyle. Since their passing I have struggled with just basic life but the lifestyle of farming gets me daily reminders of them and has helped me tremendously. Also making the forum I have connected to people from all over the world. I share my daily struggles and wins on the farm and current plans and building. So please come join the daily adventures as there is about 77,000 views.
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(I will also have answers to these questions from a person with peafowl soon)
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Other Pics:
Ducks:
Guinea Fowl:
They're making a racket over a hawk in a nearby tree. You can see some of the different colours.
Here you can see some of the different colors of Guineas feathers. That's one other thing I love about them...their beautiful colors and feathers!
Guinea Keets
I forgot to mention that the whole flock, males and females, help raise the keets. Here you can see 3 adults, 2 hens and 1 male, helping the little ones learn to free range.
Pheasants:
Pigeons:
Turkeys:
Quails:
Bobwhite
Coturnix
Gambels quail
A big thank you to @holm25 @TwoCrows @laughingdog @birdman55 @ronott1 , @guineapeeps , @Miss Lydia
- The Duck Ladie
(Edited on 4/20/18 by The Duck Ladie. I edited my "stuff")
@ronott1 doing Chickens!
@The Duck Ladie doing Ducks!
@guineapeeps doing Guinea fowl!
@holm25 doing Turkeys!
@Miss Lydia doing Geese!
@laughingdog doing Pigeons!
@TwoCrows doing Quail!
@birdman55 doing pheasants!
Let's Start the Questions!
1.How long have you had your poultry?
Ronott1/Chickens:I grew up with chickens but we had to give them up when we moved to a City that did now allow chickens. My current chicken raising started 7 years ago.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: I have had ducks almost as long as I can remember. I didn't have any a few years ago, some dogs killed them, but I got some more spring 2016.
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guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I've had Guineas for about 4 years now. I started out with just 4, but my flock quickly got bigger once they started laying and hatching eggs. I usually like to keep my flock at about 10-15 Guineas, but during hatching season in the spring, summer, and fall, I tend to get overrun with Guineas!
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holm25/Turkeys:I have had my poultry around 3-4 years.
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Miss Lydia/Geese: I started out with Muscovy ducks in 2004 so 13 years -Geese almost 10 yrs
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laughingdog/Pigeons:Currently I've had poultry since 2010.
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TwoCrows/Quail:I have kept Quail for just over 10 years now.
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birdman55/pheasants:I have had poultry for about 5 years now.
2.How many different breeds have you had? Please name them?
Ronott1/Chickens:
- Australorp
- Barred Plymouth rock
- Heritage Rhode Island Red
- Partridge rock
- SG Dorking
- Marans
- Penedesenca
- Trader Joes and Whole foods(Hyline crosses, a type of leghorn and brown layer)
- Cream Legbar
- Easter Egger
- Pita Pinta
- Arkansas Blues
- Bresse
- Basque Hen
The Duck Ladie/Ducks:
Pekins-Rouens-Mallards-Runners-Cayuga-Ancona-Campbell-Magpie
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guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I have just the regular domesticated guinea fowl. I've not had any other type besides this and don't have any other types of poultry. I have various colors: pearl gray, buff dundotte, lavender, pied, white, and porcelain.
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holm25/Turkeys:
I have had 7 different turkeys varieties. I started out with 4 "Royal Palms" which quickly turned into 3 Royal Palms and 1 Calico. As time went by The Royal Palms got invited to the dinner table and the Calico got to stay. The next spring I managed to find our Calico tom a Narragansett hen and a Blue Slate hen. Sadly owls decided the hens looked tasty one night when they slept outside... After I lost his hens I just got White and Bronze Broad breasted turkey poults to keep him company till they got to be invited to the dinner table... Well I still have one Bronze hen but the others got butchered. And now just recently I got two hens! One hen is a Rusty Slate and the other is a Blue Red Bronze if I remember correctly.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:I have had Embden, Toulouse and American Buff
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laughingdog/Pigeons:I have had: colored normal and white-racing homers, Birmingham rollers, oriental rollers, American rollers, sky cutters, /tipplettes/tipplers/high fliers, flying flights, parlor tumblers (single and double flippers) and parlor rollers (only ten to thirty feet), "coop tumblers", Portuguese tumblers, Spanish figuritas, short and long faced tumblers, capuchins, Jacobins, americanfantails senji line ("neck shakers"), Chinese owls, various owl breeds etc n fancy show types I don't remember right now.. American giant runts
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TwoCrows/Quail:I have kept 3 different breeds of Quail, "Butler and Northern Bobwhites", "Gambels" and "Coturnix" Quail.
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birdman55/pheasants:I currently own red goldens, yellow goldens, cinnamon golden, silver golden, splash golden, and peach golden. Also own reeves pheasants.
3. What are they good for? (eggs, meat, show, etc)
Ronott1/Chickens:Eggs and Meat! They are also good as stress relievers and bug control.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: You can find a duck breed great for any of these purposes (meat, eggs, show, bug exterminator, pets). Bantam breeds (East Indie, Call Mallard) seem to be good for show and pets, and bug exterminators. Lightwieght breeds (Campbell, Magpie, Runner, Harlequin) are best for eggs, bug extermination, though they can be use for a somewhat small amount of meat. Mediumwieght breeds (Swedish, Ancona, Orpington, Cayuga.) Are General purpose. They lay a fair amount of eggs (The ancona lays a good bit more than the rest of them), are good at eating bugs, and give a good amount of meat. Heavyweight breeds are mainly for meat, though will lay some eggs. . Pretty much any duck can be a great pet!
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guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I initially got my Guineas for pest control. I was overrun with ticks, crickets, and grasshoppers. I also wanted some sort of poultry that would be able to free range through my garden and eat pests without destroying my garden. The Guineas seemed to really fit the bill as to what I was looking for. I now also collect some of their eggs and eat them as well, they are really rich and great for baking.
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holm25/Turkeys:The varieties I have now are not good for showing but they do lay well from March to whenever they decide to stop which I have found to be middle to late summer here. My first hens started laying the beginning of February though so it does depend on the weather and if they have artificial light. They are also good for meat. Being I just got the two new hens I don't know much about them but I am sure they are about the same as the other varieties.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:
.Females lay a nice size egg every other day during the laying season So eggs and for pets.
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laughingdog/Pigeons Pigeons in history and today still, are kept for pets, peaceful hobby keeping to breed show further certain interesting traits like living art to show for effort. Asin cultures still raise and sell king pigeons for meat in live markets, as do Hispanics who also prize the eggs to make festive and medicinal dishes (most notably one pigeon egg in tiny keesh or flaun type dish for young girls party like katilion (I'm sick and can't remember all terms n how to spell, so you may need to fact check spelling etc), as Mexicans Hondurans etc would offer to buy all Pigeon eggs had, and I actually had to lock breeders cages so one place lived at, so one family wouldn't keep stealing eggs. Most white people not honest about enjoying pigeon meat, unless rich "squab" (white king Pigeon), but very flavorful rich healthy red meat better and different than most other poultry aside maybe from quial and guinea in texture color consistency. In history the eggs meat manure and feathers prized and guarded by royalty, manure aside from one of best for planting, was also used in making gunpowder. During wars recessions and depressions in history, poor people used feral pigeons to survive supplying needed meat for tables etc. Racing homers sought after for abilities to come home for 100 600 to 2000 miles average as good bird, and they were utilized in ancient times and modern to take messages and goods fast from one place to another, during war etc even. Rollers of air are used for sport and amusement Because they fly up and around most notably known for series of rapid backflips done.. some like Birmingham roller known to do for so long in straight line down more doing in "kit" flock group together as "break" and Drop, the better scored.. they look like bollards balls dropping out of sky (30-50 ft are competition length rolling ability, but ten feet is considered OK though under thirty is "shallow roller", though "deep rollers" roll 50-100 ft, some roll more, but I've never heard of control of more than150 ft and seen 200 footers online but they "bump" crash or spin guts out usually and die if after months soon not "stocked"/"locked down" so don't go loose to injure or kill selves rolling). Many other rollers and tumblers (all rollers are tumblers just exaggerated specialty) will do lot of other manoeuvres still like dive (there are wuttas divers etc that bred just for diving ability) twizzle flit swoop, barrel roll, tail ride, tumble forward and or upward, etc.. parlor rollers roll around only on ground, competition style is needed to roll straight for hundred feet I believe (my. Mentor on performance competition and show style Joe alcaron would probably be lot more helpful, but he stays low key Because of politics in pigeons nowadays) but record is rolling longer than two or more football fields, but parlor societies have trouble getting enough soft space to let their birds roll before they hit fence etc then just keep rolling in place till pick them up no harm to birds long on soft grass or soft earth etc. Parlor tumblers jump up in are low and standard are single and double backflips where the feet chalked and area around, and bird hopefully lands in same spot (used to be triple flip type but old school and cannot find anymore). Parlors are generally thought result of continually breeding "roll downs"-rollers that roll down to ground after/sadly up or stop being able to control roll not stopping n hitting ground/objects. They can fly like Birmingham rollers, and should be, to build up strength and helps rolling ability etc, till three months when they "ground" and cannot fly anymore, but oddly can and start breeding then, unlike most Pigeons who start trying at six months, some breeds don't though for year and a half etc. Pouters croppers and theirs have crops that greatly expand and exaggerated features and voices etc used for luring in other pigeons like ferals to eat, racers to ransom sell breed eat, and other Pigeons the handler may want to aquire (a single their etc put out in small cage on pole, roof, etc to dance and attract passing pigeons. Flight Pigeons, new York flying flights mostly known for, were bred also to steal Pigeons from others for what called "Pigeon wars" originally attop new York city roofs. They were specifically bred to be attractive and stand out to other Pigeons but they were released in swarms of hundred or more often, and draw other Pigeons to them and back home to owners hopefully. There are voice Pigeons "trumpeters" "laughers" etc that bred for sounds make. There are Pigeons bred to fly for days on end "tipplers", and birds bred to fly so high can't see with binoculars supposedly "high-fliers". Many others I'm forgetting for now. I'm sending drafts and notes in parts, as phone doesn't work good or save,and don't want to lose.
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TwoCrows/Quail:
Bobwhites males are a very pretty bird and have a very loud distinctive call. The calls of their native wild cousins are dwindling in the wild and this alone makes this bird nice to have around for just their calls! They are native to the US only. Bobwhites are very slow to mature quail and while the meat tastes very good, being a white meat bird, since they take several months before they are ready for the table, they are generally not raised for their meat. They do lay large white eggs and are great layers but are not sexually mature and laying until one year old or the spring following their hatch of the previous year. They can be flighty and skittish around humans, flush easily and do not like to be handled
Gambels are strickly raised for their interesting nature and their beauty and rarely eaten. They are a Southwestern US bird, also a native to this country. They are very slow to mature just as the Bobwhite, taking just as long to make and lay, their eggs are a whitish/buff colored eggs, sometimes spotted. The male has an interesting crest that grows tall and dangles over the head in front and has the most lovely call. They can be flighty and skittish around humans, flush easily and do not like to be handled
Coturnix Quail are native to Japan and have been kept in captivity for thousands of years as a bird for it's meat and eggs. They come in a variety of colors and mutations and some are extremely pretty. They are a rather human friendly bird and are easily kept in captivity. They mature up very quickly and in 7 weeks from hatch, can be ready for the table, they are sexually mature at 9 weeks of age and being laying a brownish mottled egg. If you are interested in keeping a bird for meat, this is the bird to keep. They often are kept as pets for their docile nature as well and can become quite affectionate as a house pet.
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birdman55/pheasants:The chickens are good for meat, eggs for eating, hatching eggs, show, ornamental and that goes for any type of bird.
4. What do you most enjoy about them?
Ronott1/Chickens:Chickens give you something to do as a Hobby that also provides Eggs and Meat.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks:
Well..Them! I love their silly ways: Their waddle, their single file march, Their sideways look, and especially their water craziness! For example It starts pouring, the goats run inside, the dogs run inside, the ducks runs outside and start bathing and have a great time... I especially love incubating them. So exciting! and once there hatched, ducklings are so completely cute!!! I just love 'em! And they are Very Useful! Even if they weren't I'd probably still have them!
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guineapeeps/guinea fowl: The best thing about Guineas is the great job that they do on pest control. They have completely eliminated our tick problem and have greatly reduced the crickets and grasshoppers. Even better than that, is how good they are in the garden. They move through my garden and pick off the bugs without touching the leaves, fruits, or vegetables. I also enjoy them for entertainment too! They are quirky birds and are funny to watch and interact with. They are great alarms and let you know when something is out of the ordinary, such as predators, strangers, etc. Lastly, as I mentioned above, the eggs are great to eat and bake with.
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holm25/Turkeys:
I think one of the things I most enjoy about them is their different and quirky personalities. They can be absolute goofs at times! And they tend to like following you around like a dog! And they are eye candy! They are so much fun to watch! And on top of that they lay delicious eggs that are great for baking or other everyday uses!
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Miss Lydia/Geese:They are entertaining. I enjoy being around them.
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laughingdog/Pigeons Pigeon keeping ancient peaceful, cheap (as can be, but expensive if want),easy to keep, quiet, bringing people together hobby. You can rescue or catch ferals and tame in week to month and given basic care and housing free even materials and only buy seed or collect free spilled seed n grain from Willis and graineries, they can be released and return with lil conditioning.
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TwoCrows/Quail:
Bobwhites are such an interesting bird to keep. They can be quite challenging, but if you learn how to care for them, they make for a colorful flock of birds! Their calls echo quite loudly and will even call in the native quail of all kinds!
Gambels are native to this area of the US and used to come to my wild bird feeders. I just LOVED how they came out of the bushes single file, top knots bobbing and their calls are just fabulous! The male is quite stunning in color and I just enjoyed them for their beauty, eye candy if you will.
Coturnix are such friendly birds! They are SUPER easy to keep, do not require as much detail as the above said birds, they are very docile, you can handle them easily and are just easy going birds. They are very easily handled and do not stress too much when being picked up or examined should you need to look at them or move them. I enjoyed keeping these birds just for the ease of keeping.
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birdman55/pheasants:The things I enjoy about them are; to me they are peaceful to be around and can bring a smile to a rough day. Beautiful to watch. And I love the breeding part of poultry.
5. What are the cons of having them?
Ronott1/Chickens:They can be noisy and you do have to make sure they are fed and watered daily. It is harder to go on long trips since it is not as easy to find someone to take care of them.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: Some people say they are messy, and when they are ducklings that it's true. If they are in a small brooder inside they do get things dirty super fast. (Worth it though) Once you move them outside, if they have a big pen (and good drainage around the water) it's not as much of a mess.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I think there a far more good things about Guineas than bad, but there are still some negatives. First, they are very loud. As I said above, they alarm loudly when anything is out of the ordinary. This may be a predator or someone new at your house, but it may also be something like a new bucket in your yard or new feeder in their coop. If you have neighbors living close by, they may not appreciate the racket that the Guineas make! Next, they have a fairly wild disposition and are hard to get tame enough to be able to hold and pet. It takes a LOT of time spent with them as keets to make them gentle and even then, they probably won't be cuddly birds. Because they are more wild, they like to hide their nests outside in the tall weeds so finding their nests can be difficult. Most of my hens lay eggs in the coop but I've lost a few birds to predators while laying in a secret hidden nest outside the coop.
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holm25/Turkeys: Hmmm Cons... They love to sit on decks and watch their human friends! They also are very nosey! Other than that I cant really think of anything?
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Miss Lydia/Geese:
Geese are not for everyone ganders can be very ornery during mating season because they are very protective of their mates and if you let her brood he will continue to be protective of her and if they hatch gosling then you'll have 2 to contend with.They are awesome parents working together to raise their young.
They can also be loud so neighbors may not appreciate the noise. Because of their attitude they need to be confined where they won't be meeting people they don't know
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laughingdog/Pigeons:Compared to non feathered pets, their feathers molting about every six months can be messy if in enclosed space and no shop vac and dozen or more birds molting at once.
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TwoCrows/Quail:
Bobwhites and Gambels can be very high strung birds. I do not recommend either of these birds for a beginner quail keeper and only after keeping an easier bird like Coturnix would I suggest keeping the Bob or Gambel. They are hyper and need a LOT of attention to detail so that they are calm and kept from flushing up into your ceiling and breaking their necks. They both really do need to be kept in aviaries in large spaces. Unlike the Coturnix that has been kept around humans in captivity for thousands of years, the Bobwhite and Gambels, or any New World Quail like Valley, Montezuma, Blue Scaled, Spotted, etc....these birds need much larger spaces and have only been introduced to captive keeping within the last 25 years or so. They have not yet adapted to human handling and keeping and do not do well in small cages. You can NOT handle these birds, some even go into shock when you grab them. You need to know how to hold them so they can't injure themselves. This is one thing I dislike about these birds, very strongly.
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birdman55/pheasants:Cons.. ; expensive, dirty, smelly, can fester bugs and diseases, time consuming.
6. On a scale of 1(very very hard) to 10 (super easy) how easy would you say they are to raise and maintain?
Ronott1/Chickens:They are 8 to 9 and are the easiest of livestock to take care of. They are good for disabled people and those wanting to see if they like having livestock.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: I'd say 8-9. They only hard part is keeping the brooder clean, so if you have a broody hen taking care of them it's pretty easy!
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: As far as how easy they are to raise, I would say they are a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, but this really depends on what you are expecting out of them. If you want very tame Guineas, I would say it is harder than that, but if you want them just for pest control and don't care how friendly they are or how they fair with nature, then I would say it's easier. One of the hard parts initially is getting them to learn where home is when you first get them. If your going to free range them and keep them in a coop at night, then they need to be kept in the coop full time for about 3-4 weeks so they will know this is where they need to return to each night. Some people let their Guineas roost in the trees at night, but they are completely useless at night and will usually get picked off by owls or raccoons.
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holm25/Turkeys:As poults they can be a little harder to raise but after a few days they are pretty darn tough! So I would probably rate them an 8. After they are feathered they are super tough birds! Mine would sleep out in single digits temps and be fine.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:They are very easy to raise and maintenance isn't bad at all just like other poultry cleaning their sleeping area daily and making sure they have fresh feed and water.
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laughingdog/Pigeons: 10, I've seen children with interest in at six able and enjoy feeding watering and scraping cages, handling safely etc
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TwoCrows/Quail:
Bobwhites I will rate as a 5, Gambels as a 3 and Coturnix as a 9.
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birdman55/pheasants:All poultry are easy to take care of as long as u do your research. (heating, cooling, venting, food, water, diseases).
7. How hardy are they as far as weather goes?
Ronott1/Chickens:Weather hardiness depends on the breed and where you live. Big combed breeds have trouble in places where it freezes. Generally, though, winter is easier on chickens because of all the feathers they have. Heat can be more of a problem if you live in a place that is very hot. Some breeds have trouble at temperatures over 90. The Spanish breeds, Pita Pinta, Basque hen and penedesencas can take much higher temperatures.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: If it's wet, there outside. If it snowing there outside, (seriously, It's pouring snow and they are sitting outside) if it's hot, there are bathing or in the shade. Just make sure you have a shelter with hay in case it gets to cold, and shade and water in case it gets hot.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: The adult Guineas are very hardy as far as weather goes, especially in the cold. I live in Iowa and they do very well in the winter. Mine stay in a coop at night, but I will not usually provide any heat during the winter, unless it's like -10. They seem to not fair quite as well in very hot humid weather and will pant at times when it's too hot. I let my hens hatch and raise their own keets, and although they keep up with the mother to free range well, they are not very tolerant of wet or cold weather. The hens like to take the keets out to teach them how to free range at just a few days old, so I make sure not to let them out if it will be cold or rainy.
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holm25/Turkeys:As I said above they are very hardy as long as they are feathered. As youngins the rain can easily kill them but if they are kept out of the rain till they are bigger and fully feathered they are usually fine. But it is always smart to make sure they can get out of the run no matter what. Heat wise they do good as long as they have fresh water and some shade to get out of the sun.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:They are very hardy in weather. As long as they have something to block the wind during frigid temps they are fine. They would need shade in very hot climates.
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laughingdog/Pigeons:They are extremely cold and heat hardy, but I've seen some young parents go off feeding young in heat snap over 110. Cold weather raising young below twenty requires a small box and decent bedding like dried: pine needles grass leaves moss, non ceder WOD shavings
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TwoCrows/Quail:Quail are incredibly hardy weather wise and can tolerate brutally cold temps well below 0 Fahrenheit. We had a freeze blast of -30 for 3 days straight and while I did keep 2 heat lamps on the quail hutch running non stop, the temp never got above -15 and they all did just fine.
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birdman55/pheasants:All birds are resistant to the weather and the environments they are around. It's just everyone's climate is different so different things must be done to make sure u have healthy birds. For me I live in the super cold climate negative 20 is normal in winter. Chickens, peacocks and guineas will be affected (frostbite). As for quail I raised indoors so not sure and pheasants so far have been the best to raise in my environment. No frostbite and they can take extreme conditions compared to the rest.
8. How resistant to sickness do they seem to be?
Ronott1/Chickens:For the breeds that I have had, the Crested cream legbar seems to be the least resistant to sickness. The Australorps did very well and the Pita Pintas did great!
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: I've never had a sick duck. I've had injuries from overmating (I had to many boys (oops))& dogs. I've had one defiency due to the fact I didn't give the ducklings niacin (oops) but I have never had a sick duck.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: my Guineas seem to be very resistant to disease and illness. I have never lost a guinea to anything other than predators.
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holm25/Turkeys:They are about the same as chickens. If kept in good clean housing with clean, fresh feed and water they do good. BUT they are susceptible to a disease called Blackhead that may or may not be in your soil. To learn more about that you can search for the many threads about it on BYC.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:Geese are very resistant to disease unless kept in horrid conditions.
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laughingdog/Pigeons: They are pretty hardy if kept sheltered loft from wetness and wind, scrape poop before/when piles up some to not hold moisture grow mold parasites etc, and have inch hardware cloth where letting air in but not most problems from preds n pests. Letting sun n bath daily to weekly helps lot just don't keep feed or leave water in areas songbirds rodents and scavenger insects through moist poop left frequent.
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TwoCrows/Quail:I keep both chickens and quail and I have to say that my quail are EXTREMELY hardy to staying well. As long as you start with good stock and keep a closed flock (not bringing in new quail), your quail should remain healthy enough to live out their lives until natural death. Give them a good diet, healthy atmosphere, do not crowd them, keep them entertained and they should live quite a long time. The average age of captive kept Quail is 2 to 5 years. However nearly all of my Quail have lived well into their 5th and 6th years and I have one male Bobwhite that is 7 1/2 years of age and still going strong!
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birdman55/pheasants: Pheasants are the most resistant to disease and everything else in my experience.
9. On a scale of 1(very mean) to 10 (super nice) how nice are they? What can make them "mean"?
Ronott1/Chickens:Only some of the roosters were mean. They are now soup! I think it had to do with hormones.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: If by nice you mean they let you pet you without a problem, It depends if you try to make them that kind of "nice". You'll have to get ducklings and talk to them, and gently hold them a lot, if you want them to be like that. If by nice you mean won't injury you or kids 10, you will only get hurt (like a scratch) if you hold them wrong, or if you have a broody, which is a duck hen who wants to hatch her eggs and gets protective of her nest. I've NEVER in the (I can't count how many) ducks I have had mean duck.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: As I said earlier, they have a wild disposition and although they are not mean, they are very leary and tough to get them to be very tame. I have been attacked by a hen when she thought I was hurting her keets but this is not the norm, at least not for mine.
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holm25/Turkeys:It all depends on the bird and its owner. Some birds are naturally mean and should not be kept back for breeding as I am a firm believer it is passed down to the offspring. Teasing them can make them mean. Alot of people let their young toms chase them around and tease them and that in my opinion will cause them to become aggressive. If you're running from them and they are chasing who do you think they''ll think is in charge? And on top of that there is no good reason for teasing an animal.
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Miss Lydia/Geese: Different breeds have different temperaments I'd say an Embden, African and Chinese may rate around 6-10 depending on time of year and how they have been treated.
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laughingdog/Pigeons: Mostly definitely ten, but isolation can make a pigeon mean as does dogs knowing nothing else, otherwise some cocks can get territorial over not enough nests (two per hen needed), space feed. Pigeons don't care about gender as much as humans and will pair with same sex if opposite not available and some choose same sex mates over opposite sex.
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TwoCrows/Quail: Quail are not mean birds at all. BUT....if they are kept in tight spaces they do turn on each other and can kill their own mates! So it is imperative to keep them properly and they will coexist quite well with very little aggression.
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birdman55/pheasants: U will get a mean bird out of every kind of bird eventually if u hatch enough but some kinds like the reeves are just aggressive the male that is. Even the females in every kind can be mean it just has to be the right time for the bird.
10.What are their housing requirements?
Ronott1/Chickens: Chickens need room to move. They also need a nice dry place to get out of the weather in the winter. Where I live, they need something to help them stay cool in the summer. I use shade cloth and a misting system.
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: Not much. I have 4 pallets screwed together with fence panels screwed to the sides with some hay in it for their house. Their run is a dog run, though I also use a old tool bench with chain link around it and a dog house for two ducks (breeding pair).
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I keep my Guineas in a coop at night and let them free range during the day. I feel they need a coop at night to protect them from predators. They prefer to roost as high as possible and I have their roosting bars about 7 feet up.
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holm25/Turkeys:They do not require as much as other birds. If they have a shelter with higher roosts or rafters they will be just fine. It is really amazing what these birds easily survive through. Mine stay in an insulated coop with my chickens and they do great in there. They also did fine when they use to sleep outside!
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Miss Lydia/Geese:According to The Book of Geese by Dave Holderread[expert on geese] they can live in a 3 sided structure, if you have good electric fencing or an LGD
Other wise they need to be locked up at night for their safety.
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laughingdog/Pigeons:.housing requirements simple as cardboard box on side out of moisture type home with brick perches, two bricks squaring each back corner filling with pine needles, and brick cornering feed n water cup in front corners.. though for predators even like squirrels cats and snakes this may not be safe. Size requirements depends on type breed purpose. Tumbler breeds generally like and handle confined spaces and crowding best, especially if flown daily. I've seen pair of Birmingham rollers kept breeding even continueally for ten years or more, like they originally were bred from old country to dias sport bird for moving mining colonies etc. I don't recommend starting out for breeding pair (as remember they'll have two rounds of young possibly three if late fledgers) with less than forty inches squared. That size for dozen flying tumbler/roller or half flying dozen Homer/racer. Many breeders will give breeders least amount of space standard 24" squared, and even tumbler breeds stress weaken n get sick quick only good for one season of young most before burn out, where more room I and some others give will have pair breeding healthy until you stop by seperating (when nestlings reach about two weeks hen lays two more eggs and why second best needed n so many people trying to breed experience every problem told).
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TwoCrows/Quail:All of the New World species of Quail, including Bobwhites and Gambels NEED to have at LEAST 4 square feet PER bird. They are very hyper and energetic and do not do well in tighter quarters. It is IMPERATIVE that they be kept in PAIRS ONLY. Never can you keep them in trios and such. One male and one female. Quail are seasonal layers and breeders and from spring through fall and Bobs and Gambels will be come EXTREMELY territorial.Both of these species mates for life and if another female comes in this pairs territory, the other hen can and will kill this lone female!! Year old Bobs and Gambels can sometimes be kept together with other birds, but upon their second season of breeding, they will become far more aggressive and this aggressiveness becomes more powerful every year. You CAN mix them in the winter time as even in the wild will they come together for a "winter covey" and they love to all snuggle up for the winter. But NEVER during breeding season can you mix them. Just make sure to remember who goes with who come spring because remember, they mate for life. You CAN however keep just hens with no male. Females do quite fine all together if no male is around. Same with males....if there isn't a female in sight or earshot, they too can live all together. You will need to make brush piles in your aviary and use at least a 6 foot ceiling as these guys are all flyers! They will naturally seek cover and linger all day long under the brush just as they would in the wild. I do not recommend keeping these birds on wire, other than raising them as chicks (quail are highly susceptible to Coccidiosis and raising them on wire helps them build immunity without losing any of them to this issue) and use some sort of bedding such as grass hay or wood shavings. Quail get bumblefoot VERY easily on wire.
Coturnix can get away with a bit less space of 2 square feet per bird, although they too love as much space as you can afford. They can be kept 1 male to 5 to 7 hens. Never keep any less hens than 5 as the male can literally mate a couple of hens to death. Male Cots are very "busy" during the breeding season and this over mating can kill a hen. So keep enough hens with your male. Never keep any other males with this group as he can be killed by the other male. Same as with Bobwhites, you can keep all males or all females together, as long as neither of the other can see or hear them. Many people keep these birds in hutches or pens. As with any other Quail, it is recommended that you do keep them in small rabbit hutches or pens, that you add some sort of natural or fake foliage to the pen so they can feel secure and can hide from each other and things they think are after them. I do not recommend keeping these birds on wire, other than raising them as chicks (quail are highly susceptible to coccidiosis and raising them on wire helps them build immunity without losing any of them to this issue) and use some sort of bedding such as grass hay or wood shavings. Quail get bumblefoot VERY easily on wire.
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birdman55/pheasants: Every bird has its own requirements. Quail I prefer off the ground. Mostly u need a basic house that is big enough for the number of birds u have in the coop. I would have access to food and water that is covered. Perches wide enough. Keep coop dry. Have access to sand or dirt for dust baths. Large enough coop for the type of breed.
11.Why do you prefer this type of poultry?
Ronott1/Chickens: Chickens stay in the yard in the city lot I live on. Other types of poultry would not stay in the yard and Poultry like Guinea hens are too noisy!
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: They lay more eggs, they are nice, they are funny, they are great. No one can convince me otherwise!
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: The pest control, the silly personality, and all the other reasons above, are why I chose and continue to choose to keep Guineas.
I hope this helps!
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holm25/Turkeys:I prefer turkeys because they are fun to have around and bring us lots of joy and laughter!
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Miss Lydia/Geese:I never thought I'd love geese since as a young adult I had an encounter with some at a Marina that was unpleasant but If raised right they are a really nice addition to a small hobby farm.
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laughingdog/Pigeons:They are living peaceful easy cheap kept art in today's detached world, and I've met many decent people through them, even releasing them to fly brings people following them home to ask about and watch after busy stressful day and amaze that the birds come down to you on command and handled petting and feeding trying to ride around on or following on ground or through air as I walk
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TwoCrows/Quail:As I mentioned earlier, I do keep chickens, however my quail have always been a source of entertainment and fun for me. I have always kept my birds in aviaries and it is fun to watch them do what they do in a very natural setting just as they would be in the wild. Like a peek into the life of a wild quail.
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birdman55/pheasants:I prefer pheasants cause they are hardy and don't eat that much. I also prefer quail for they are cheap to raise to full maturity and grow extremely fast.
12. What are your favorite breeds and why?
Ronott1/Chickens:Pita Pinta because of the great eggs, fast growth and temperament. Heritage Rhode Island Reds are second
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: I like Harlequin and Magpie the most.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: My favorites are, of course, the ones I have, as I've not had any other kind. I've heard some people say the jumbo or French Guineas are more calm, but I can't speak to that. Some people on the guinea talk thread have that kind, so you may want to ask them.
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holm25/Turkeys:I think the Calicos are my favorite. I have only had the one but I absolutely love that turkey! He has such a good a temperament and is so friendly! And he is absolutely STUNNING!
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Miss Lydia/Geese:.I love all breeds of geese but since these are the ones I have had i have to say Embden, Toulouse, American Buff.
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laughingdog/Pigeons:Tumblers/rollers, and homers/racers. Tumbler breeds have so much variation in color shape size etc extreamely friendly hardy easy to train etc. Homers stout large wild hardy looking and acting more unless colors bred into by tumblers usually.
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TwoCrows/Quail:Of all the breeds I have kept, I suppose I would say that Bobwhites are my favorite for some reason. They have been a TON of work for me and I am not sure why I punish myself with them, LOL but I just love this little bird!
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birdman55/pheasants:I love my peach goldens they are so beautiful and peaceful and rare.
13. Where do you recommend buying them?
Ronott1/Chickens: (I forgot to ask this question, will edit)
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: Well, I've gotten a bunch of mine from Ideal Poultry. They turned out great. I would buy from holderread farms if I was looking at getting at least ten straight run ducklings. I also recommend finding local breeders. That's how I got my Anconas and they are great. I don't recommend just picking some up at the feed store as much, unless you don't mind a bunch of boys. We once got 4 from the feed store, all but one were boys
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: I got my first Guineas through an private party that was just wanting to rehome some. I also got some hatching eggs from a friend so these two sources are how my flock got started. I know people who have gotten them from local feed stores and those seem to be healthy and do well. I have also heard of people getting both hatching eggs and keets by mail order but the reviews are very mixed on this. I have heard that some arrived weak and died shortly afterward and the eggs have low hatch rates; however, not having gotten any through the mail, I can't really accurately speak to this. I would suggest looking on local ads like newspapers and craigslist or at your local farm supply store that way you can see the Guineas, keets, or hatching eggs before you actually pay for them so you know what your getting.
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holm25/Turkeys:There are so many places to get turkeys! Hatcheries are probably most ideal for some people to get the varieties they want. But I have decided to buy locally from breeders and the local feed store for my Thanksgiving turkeys.
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Miss Lydia/Geese:.Best to always do your research before getting any type of animal. I would say do alot of reading and talk to others who have geese make sure you are ready for the 20 or more years commitment they will be in your life because they live much longer than other poultry.
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laughingdog/Pigeons: -
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TwoCrows/Quail: Quail are not easy to find in feed stores and buying eggs off Ebay is a risky business. So I do recommend you either purchase eggs from one of the larger hatcheries on line or an inside line from someone you know that raises quality birds. I got my eggs from Murray McMurray many years ago and bred them from this original stock of Bobwhites. James Marie Farms sells THE best quality Coturnix Quail here in the US, as far as I am concerned.
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birdman55/pheasants: I would buy them from me. Lol. I will have a website done soon.
13. Any other things you would like to say?
Ronott1/Chickens: -
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The Duck Ladie/Ducks: Many people I know say duck eggs taste bad. Taste similar to me. I had a friend over, and I boiled her a duck egg without telling her it was from a duck. After she tasted it I told her it was a duck egg, "it tastes better!" she said. . If they taste weird It is probably what they are eating. Duck eggs are great for baking.
guineapeeps/guinea fowl: -
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holm25/Turkeys: -
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Miss Lydia/Geese:-
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laughingdog/Pigeons:-
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TwoCrows/Quail:If you are really interested in keeping these fun little birds, PLEASE stop by our Learning Center/Other Poultry section https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/other-backyard-fowl-ducks-quail-turkeys-geese-etc where I have written in detail many articles on ALL the breeds of quail, how to hatch, raise, feed, shelter and care for them. I have covered many subjects more intensely and there is even a health and disease section you might check out as well. Happy Quailing!!
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birdman55/pheasants:I would like to say follow my forum thread; BUILDING PARADISE FOR THE BIRDS. It is dedicated to my grandparents that are no longer with us. They farmed their whole lives and got me interested in the lifestyle. Since their passing I have struggled with just basic life but the lifestyle of farming gets me daily reminders of them and has helped me tremendously. Also making the forum I have connected to people from all over the world. I share my daily struggles and wins on the farm and current plans and building. So please come join the daily adventures as there is about 77,000 views.
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(I will also have answers to these questions from a person with peafowl soon)
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Other Pics:
Ducks:
Guinea Fowl:
They're making a racket over a hawk in a nearby tree. You can see some of the different colours.
Here you can see some of the different colors of Guineas feathers. That's one other thing I love about them...their beautiful colors and feathers!
Guinea Keets
I forgot to mention that the whole flock, males and females, help raise the keets. Here you can see 3 adults, 2 hens and 1 male, helping the little ones learn to free range.
Pheasants:
Pigeons:
Turkeys:
Quails:
Bobwhite
Coturnix
Gambels quail
A big thank you to @holm25 @TwoCrows @laughingdog @birdman55 @ronott1 , @guineapeeps , @Miss Lydia
- The Duck Ladie
(Edited on 4/20/18 by The Duck Ladie. I edited my "stuff")
