I don't either. Most of the ones I've come across were just incidental though. Like a C-shaped house where they decided to later add on a rectangular wing and just left the resulting doughnut hole open to the sky (possibly due to the re-roofing they'd have to do otherwise). They're certainly...
As a Floridian, I can absolutely guarantee this is a decision they would regret as soon as their birds are old enough to lay. Chickens attract flies, Palmetto bugs, rats, mice, snakes, and don't think crows and hawks wont take advantage of the sky being open. You'd be amazed how frequently...
A good video but unlike what he says, I would make the consistency more like syrup. In your case you have active and known ant activity and your bait shouldn't last long enough to dry out like he claims (it should be licked clean by ants within days). I like the syrup consistency better because...
Borax mixed with syrup (sugar dissolved in warm water works just fine for this) has been the best killing bait I'd ever used with ants of all kinds. You have to really experiment to get the ratio right, if you aren't sure - try Terro Liquid Ant Baits which is exactly that but premixed with the...
Useful info. I'm not new to the breed myself (unsure if directed at me or OP) but do agree; make sure you know what you're looking at before buying stock. Make sure you can examine the parent stock/their setup too.
My biggest problem wasn't finding pure pilgrims, but finding ones that weren't...
Normally that would be true, but I think a few (2? 3?) years ago they lost a LOT of birds at a major breeding facility and because of it they have only been getting around 10 Pilgrims to hatch a YEAR across all hatcheries. Usually only males are offered, sometimes (rarely) straight run and...
Honestly, even with rabbits I know some breeders who have been breeding from the same rabbit lines for the past 15+ years and never add "fresh blood" with no issues. The trick is just having lines with little to no issues to start and culling aggressively for health and fertility.
Saying that...
Well shoot, my timing is narrowly terrible then. I've just the Muscovies and Pilgrim geese. I have other animals that aren't poultry, but that's it for birds.
Edit: forgot to mention my single little Black copper Maran hen and Red Ranger hen (she was too friendly to eat). They were keep overs...
Wow, the timing on this is crazy. I live about an hr from Orlando and was trying to find more Pilgrim Geese for my tiny flock (3 geese, 2 ganders, yes my ratios are way off hence the search). I've been stalking craigslist to no avail and decided to check here if anyone knew any breeders in...
Not OP obviously, but I am in an area where a large murder of crows reside (they love my scovy ducklings and will fly off with every last one the minute mom tries to leave the nest with them). I figure I might have insight into dealing with an area where free-ranging in exactly this manner isn't...
I put 15-19 years.
It all started with 6 Mille Fleur D'uccles (5 hens and a roo) I ordered online and a pair of Easter Egger hens I got from a nearby feed store.
Have tried the other following breeds with various successes and likes/dislikes for various reasons:
Rhode Island reds, Plymouth...
As others have mentioned; Large breed likely has a different % of protein and calcium to phosphorus ratio as studies have found large breeds grow better on it with a reduction in bone/joint/muscle tear issues as they grow.
Kibble size is also likely a factor. Large breed pup has huge kibble...
Since you appear to live in Florida too, these look a lot like Vinegar Fly larvae to me (very small fruit flies). They hatch out and reproduce EXTREMELY quickly and the timelines given make perfect sense that they were laid in the two-day window of nonuse and hatched (they hatch into maggots 24...
I feel like location is everything. Where I live, there's absolutely no way you would get RoI on rare chicken breeds at all. If you have them, it's only because you really really love them and just enjoy them like some people enjoy and buy boats. The market here simply doesn't exist. I've seen...
I also live in florida and yes a metal trash can (TSC sells them too) under cover is all you need to prevent moldy feed (and this is moldy feed). Always empty your feed bags into the metal can. Sometimes the bags themselves retain too much moisture, especially around each "sewn" end since it's...
You described easter eggers to a T. Not only do their eggs come in a huge variety of colors but so do their feathers.
In addition, I always recommend Salmon Faverolles for anyone looking for dual, they lay light pink to cream eggs and are sweet as can be. The roosters get to be really chunky...
I'd get them more space to start. I find that usually if they look cramped then they are very very much so. They might survive, but chances are they won't thrive. If more space is impossible then fewer birds might be a consideration. It sounds like these birds have more space now but it's hard...