American Gamefowl

[shawluvsbirds]

You’re just jealous of my sneaker style. Those have been relegated to yard duty now. I have a new pair for high fashion.

Are the new ones Hot pink?

 

[roosterhavoc]

Are the new ones Hot pink?

Nope they’re black. I started second guessing my color choices since you guys keep making fun of me. I decided to go with something more traditional.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Nope they’re black. I started second guessing my color choices since you guys keep making fun of me. I decided to go with something more traditional.

You should have gone green!

 

[Geena]

They also require giving a hen with chicks some space especially when they come equipped with spurs too. Lol
View attachment 2691587

Judging by those scars it looks like you've had a few other such encounters.

 

[roosterhavoc]

You should have gone green!View attachment 2693950

Those would only work if I had a lime green shirt and flat brim hat to match!

 

[TJAnonymous]

So apparently the GF I thought had been eaten by the foxes WAS indeed being broody. She turned up out of nowhere this morning. Later in the day, I figured out she was nesting in a bucket hanging in one of the horse stalls. Not sure her eggs are fertilized since I butchered the rooster right before she went missing. I caught her in the bucket and moved her and her eggs into the Silkie pen. So far she could care less about the eggs. She is in distress from being moved, in general.

Also DH captured this photo last night. If you scroll in by the wood post, you can see our nightly visitor. It came into the barn last night too... I told DH I wanted to try to trap it again. Maybe with a live trap?

 

[OhZark Biddies]

....I told DH I wanted to try to trap it again. Maybe with a live trap?
View attachment 2694829

Never say never... but if we were playing a friendly hand of poker and the bet turned to you getting that gray (juvenile or otherwise) to commit to a cage trap... I’d bet my house, my vehicles and one of my cats that would never happen...

If you ask real nice, there’s a certain ole gamefowler that sports blue sneakers and humorous t-shirts that might just give you “gnats ass” precision advice on the subject... but put on your listening ears and grown up skivvies first ... it’s all about getting serious and protecting your birds...

Anything else and I’m betting on the fox... and I’ve seen your situation come up 100 times on BYC..... I’d listen to the man in blue shoes if I were you

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So apparently the GF I thought had been eaten by the foxes WAS indeed being broody. She turned up out of nowhere this morning. Later in the day, I figured out she was nesting in a bucket hanging in one of the horse stalls. Not sure her eggs are fertilized since I butchered the rooster right before she went missing. I caught her in the bucket and moved her and her eggs into the Silkie pen. So far she could care less about the eggs. She is in distress from being moved, in general.

Glad to hear she turned up. She may not re-commit to the eggs since you moved her. Does she have a closed in confined space of her own (like a dog crate) or is she just with the Silkies? She's been gone how long now? Candle the eggs, you should be able to tell if they are developing or not. Probably are fertile - a hen can "store" the sperm for a couple of weeks.

 

[SOHC-FTW]

 

[TJAnonymous]

Glad to hear she turned up. She may not re-commit to the eggs since you moved her. Does she have a closed in confined space of her own (like a dog crate) or is she just with the Silkies? She's been gone how long now? Candle the eggs, you should be able to tell if they are developing or not. Probably are fertile - a hen can "store" the sperm for a couple of weeks.

She was missing for about a week to 10 days. She has been pacing the fence all morning... Similar to what the other hen was doing when I put her in with the big chickens and again with the Silkies. The first hen has settled down some and stopped pacing. Both GF didn't go into the coop last night before the automatic door closed. I had to move them manually. The first hen jumped up on a roost but the 2nd (the one who had been missing) seemed to head towards her eggs. I don't know if she stayed on them or not but she definitely hasn't been on them much at all this morning. If they are make it, I won't be too beat up. I'm more concerned about her being safe from the foxes. Given time, I think she will adjust to the new coop and run.

I did plan on having two closeable broody boxes in the Silkie coop that are separate from the normal nesting boxes but I haven't put the sliding doors on them yet.

As for the 3rd hen, she is still in the dog crate in the barn. No chicks yet. I'm still trying to decide if I should even try to put her in the coop with the others or just use those cow panels and build her a temporary coop.... How long would she need to stay in the temporary coop with her chicks?