1st time chicken guy

[hensdeliverthegoods]

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I most heartily agree with you!

 

[arsnow]

Yes, I'm pretty darn sure it's supposed to be illegal to fight chickens in Texas, but somehow the Mexicans get away with it. Most likely they go into Oklahoma (just 7 miles north of my home town) and fight them there because I think it is legal. Every time they try to make it illegal the act is struck down --- I guess that's Oklahoma for you.

 

[Stormhorse23]

wouldnt the chickens you got from fighters be more agressive than pet-types? you arent going to fight them are you? just making sure.

 

[Gonzo the Great]

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I most heartily agree with you!

Lots of things aren't legal...yet people still do them. I think that immoral things should be taxed to hell. Then at least we could get some money to those poor lobbyists starving on the Hill.

 

[arsnow]

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That is one the reasons I can't figure my thinking on this issue.

Are we going to fight our chickens? Absolutely not! For some reason my dad the (lots of sarcasm here) chicken expert and his friend have it in there heads that old fighting-chicken hens would make good mothers for mail-order chicks. Yes! It is clear we've never tried to raise chickens before. I am hoping to talk some sense into him.

No matter what happens I'm going to wind up caring for, feeding, watering, and everything for the birds because my dad has a habit of getting animals and then leaving it up to me to care for them --- that's what he does with our racing greyhounds. Oh well . . . that's life I guess.

 

[Kaneke]

all I can report is what's going on here

the hens we "inherited" from the tenant are, as far as we can tell, the offspring of a rooster bred for cockfighting ... at least that is what most of the wild chickens are, here, and according to the tenant, most of these just "appeared", decided they liked the property, and moved in permanently

three more-or-less bantam-sized hens, all with white head and neck laced with black; shading to blackish-brown laced with black ... and oh boy are they good mummy-hens, they teach the chicks to scratch everything from the git-go; they defend the chicks fiercely from the wild and tame cats, are definitely still pretty wild (will let me get within a couple of feet, then flee)

so your dad may have SOME truth in his idea that hens which produce Mexican fighting chickens are good hens -- but so are many other breeds, as you'll see from reading the archives here

by the way, a couple of the cockerels, just (finally !! ) out of the peep-peep-peep stage, are doing the evil-stare-and-flapping-belly-bump routine, so I am SURE that the gorgeous roo (see my avatar) is papa ...

said cockerels will be going to a new home in a couple of weeks ... roo may be going too (tenant in neighboring house would rather not hear him every morning, and with nine fluffy-butts and broody hen sitting on nineteen eggs, I think we'll have enough chickens for awhile !

Candy

 

[theOEGBman]

Well, I must admit, my Game hen was my best broody. She defended her chicks against a dog and whatever tried to get near them, but I'd also say, Games arent the best broodies. Get a cochin or a silkie and you cant go wrong. BUT, they pretty much have to be broody, or they wont mess with the chicks. They will kill them or let them die most likely. If your dad wont listen, there isnt much you can do other than watch the hen, and if she tries to do anything, take the chicks away.


As for the cock fighting, Im almost 100% positive its a thing that isnt allowed to be mentioned here, so be ready for posts or this thread to be deleted or locked.

 

[BantyChickMom]

If you "don't make up your mind" on what breeds to get until after your dad reads the book you got him and comes to his senses, you won't have a problem, will you?


And if you'll end up being the one to take care of the chickens, then I suggest you get a brooder ready so when the chicks arrive you can move them away from the hens and spare them a cruel and horrible death.


And, even if you had a broody, you'd still have to "slip" the chicks under her and watch carefully to see if she would accept them.

Good luck with your future chicks.
And regardless of what your dad says, you'd be very wise to listen to the people on this forum as they have expert advice and knowledge to help you avoid potential problems.
Everything I know about chickens I learned from the people here.

 

[MissPrissy]

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Put those chickens in the garden for insect control and you won't have a garden or insects. They will eat and scratch everything until the dirt is bald and not a speck of green is left.

 

[nadams4]

Thats VERRRY true they scratch everything.

Mine are free range and scratch up the grass around their coop! The would completly destroy a garden!