Anyone have luck catching a feral chicken?? UPDATE: Rooster caught, no hen

[staceyj]

They are sensitive to the approaching winter. The older the breed, the more in tune with the season, is my thought. New, hybrid layer sex-link type chickens are bred to expect perfect conditions all the time.

So would mine be older?
I think maybe?
Australorp
Orpingtons
Welsummers

All big breeds.
Big fluffy butts.

 

[Parront]

TRUE!
The days are getting noticeably shorter.
And fast!

Since they are first year layers, you could add light in the mornings to give them 14-hr. days. Add light in 15-min per week steps, not all at once. They will think it is spring and keep laying.

 

[Parront]

So would mine be older?
I think maybe?
Australorp
Orpingtons
Welsummers

All big breeds.
Big fluffy butts.

Those are the older "heratage" breeds. Orpingtons are known winter layers. They might molt, then start up again in Jan. Since yours are young, lights for this year could keep you in eggs. The Orpingtons I kept for over 10 years, they lay in Jan as the days get longer, pretty early in the year, mine did anyways! I lived in So. Cal. no real winter, just day length. The leghorns laid all the time!

 

[Parront]

BTW, I never lighted my coops. I just had less eggs! But, in future chicken adventures, I am having electricity in my coops! I have been doing the homework, next go around will be better than the last! We all have resolutions . . .

 

[staceyj]

I suppose I could run an extension cord out to their house...
But I wouldn't really mind if their bodies needed to take a break.

I don't want to pressure them, lol , I've waited 34 years for my DH to say yes to this project so I can have these girls running around, tearing up my yard and gardens after all....
I don't want them to think I'm a tyrant

 

[staceyj]

Today the PEOPLE in my town didn't know what to make of the temperature change either!
Kids from the university on their skateboards in tank tops, hoochy coochy short shorts and flip flops.
Other girls wearing the full on autumn look straight outta Forever 21 meets Lands End.
Leggings, sweaters, scarves, BOOTS, I even saw a couple of down vests!
Here, people jump right into winter clothes any chance they can get!

 

[rjohns39]

Well folks, dinner was a success. DW, DS, and GD all thought it was perfect or close to it. DW introduced GD to sour cream—big hit, it got spread over everything and she just kept shoveling it down. GS (the 12 yr old) complained it was too spicy—but aquiest when offered chocolate milk to cool down the fire. So Raw milk Chocolate milk will be for desert.

 

[staceyj]

BTW, I never lighted my coops. I just had less eggs! But, in future chicken adventures, I am having electricity in my coops! I have been doing the homework, next go around will be better than the last! We all have resolutions . . .

I would like electricity AND
running water.

 

[Parront]

I suppose I could run an extension cord out to their house...
But I wouldn't really mind if their bodies needed to take a break.

I don't want to pressure them, lol , I've waited 34 years for my DH to say yes to this project so I can have these girls running around, tearing up my yard and gardens after all....
I don't want them to think I'm a tyrant

Bird Brains do not think like that! I give Dylan the parrot 12 hour day/night cycles, because that is what she is evolved to handle. Chickens have had evolution forced upon them by us. Orpingtons were bred in England, to lay in the winter. Australorps were bred in Australia to lay all the time!
Welsomers are European, winter means something in northern Europe, they might not lay in winter, I have never had them. There are a lot of breeds that are popular now, that are new to me! So, I am here to learn about them.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

No molting yet.

I spent a good portion of the day out there with them doing yard work and giving their house, and run a tidy-up.

They were born the end of this February. So they are technically still pullets I suppose. Started laying the last week of July-1st week of August.

They are loose in the yard from about 8 am til bedtime.

They like to follow me (or the dog) and weave between my legs (or his!) when I'm trying to get from point A to point B. If I sit they want to sit on my lap. They each get a good lookover every single day.

Easy-peasy since they're tame and spoiled rotten and there's only six of them.

They get looked at from their head to heiney hole.

Today's check:
Dory was clucking and kept heading back to the nesting box whenever she thought she could get past me.
I kept booting her out.
She HATES THAT and tells me what I think are dirty chicken words I'm sure over her shoulder as she walks away. She would flash me the bird I think if she didn't need it to walk!

No mites, lice or other critters.

Everybody's poops look good- god knows there's enough of them!

Everybody's eating fine.

Ruining my garden as usual and helped themselves to lettuce, thyme and oregano.

I was raking pine needles which they thought was WAY fun.

Then later they all settled down for very long dust baths in the sandy soil which refuses to grow grass.

Put themselves to bed as usual.

When I locked up their house Dory was on the roost with the rest of them but making THAT NOISE again!

The girls on either side of her both gave me the stink eye.

The temperature change was the only difference today!

I've heard those same chicken swear words and gotten the stink eye many times.

I have several very talkative girls and it never sounds like they have anything nice to say about me.

Always complaining that they aren't spoiled enough. Treats only once a day instead of 4. Water cleaned and filled every other day. Never enough pampering.