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

[FlyingNunFarm]

Chickie see Chickie Do Chickie Lay her eggs ...with my Eggs Too

I Love This! Ha HaHaHa

I know I've shared this picture all over BYC but I still love it. FIVE girls in one box!

 

[apryl29]

I have Australorps and they are a light tan with almost a shiny look not matte

Thanks! I'll have to check my eggs tonight. I have several brown egg layers & haven't been able to figure it out.

Probably a dumb question, as I know it's most likely possible genetics-wise, as they are the same species, but physically, can a tiny bantam rooster breed large fowl?

I have a bantam cockerel and a bunch of reg size pullets (he's my only boy in w/ my girls) and I'm getting fertile eggs so they do hit the mark, at least occasionally. It's hilarious to watch them, but I've seen my little guy (in my avatar) mate w/ my partridge rock pullet more than once. Most of the eggs I've cracked are fertilized so he must be getting the job done. My daughter says he's cheating on our sebright bantam pullet.

Yes, they can... you would be surprised what they can accomplish when they're determined... offspring would be closer in size to hen though, size is directly related to egg size when bantam/lf crosses happen...

Good to know b/c I was wondering what I'd do if someone went broody and we hatched out a bunch of tiny birds.. their eggs are cute, but not very practical.

 

[Parront]

Thanks! I'll have to check my eggs tonight. I have several brown egg layers & haven't been able to figure it out.


I have a bantam cockerel and a bunch of reg size pullets (he's my only boy in w/ my girls) and I'm getting fertile eggs so they do hit the mark, at least occasionally. It's hilarious to watch them, but I've seen my little guy (in my avatar) mate w/ my partridge rock pullet more than once. Most of the eggs I've cracked are fertilized so he must be getting the job done. My daughter says he's cheating on our sebright bantam pullet.


Good to know b/c I was wondering what I'd do if someone went broody and we hatched out a bunch of tiny birds.. their eggs are cute, but not very practical.

I was curious, too, and the Big Orpington mama with the little Sultan (not quite as small as a bantam) had mid-size white chicks. With "hair style" as the kids said! Not bad layers, the ones that were hens. For some unknown reason, 3/4ths of them were male!

 

[BarredRockMom]

Perhaps you are not thinking ahead? While chickens are flock-dears, she will NOT like to be cooped up with strangers, after her freedom. AND your flock may NOT want a "stranger" added to their company, nor wish to roost near a new bird! She may be more miserable if you capture her. She may be tormented, injured by your comfortable chickens. OR maybe you and she and your flock will say "okay"? Guess you will have to decide, try it, if it can work--but do not be afraid to let her go again, if it doesn't work out! Yes, hawks, other varmint may take her, but chicken are prey animals and do not suffer fear of capture by predators--it is just us who hate so to lose ANY of our chickens--for any reason. Good luck, but do not feel badly, if not successful, you will have tried! But we all would be pleased to hear of a successful rescue!

Ok, I may be the only one who thinks so, but the "let her go back into the wild if it doesn't work out & hope for the best" plan isn't something that I would do. I agree that it might not work out to integrate her, for various reasons, but perhaps attempting to re-home at most & add her to freezer camp at the least seem like kinder options than popping her back outside the fence & hoping tgat she makes it. I dunno, just my opinion, not being disrespectful... Given how smart chickens are, she might just come around to the benefits of life on the gravy train.

 

[Molpet]

Hey, since we're on the subject of breeds, one of my sweet little leghorns has been hoarding her eggs (we finally found them in the barn, glad she didn't go for the woods) and we only have a RIR rooster. I have no idea what I'm in for as far as the chicks. Does anyone have this kind of cross breed?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rhode-island-red-x-white-leghorn.549623/

 

[Sassysouth]

I have another question. It seems that everything I read says a rooster needs 6-10 hens, but people sell pairs and trios that are confined together. So, which is it? 1-2 or 6-10?

 

[theuglychick]

Just getting caught up on here! I've been dealing with new biddies.

Thank you for the well-wishing, @rjohns39 , we prepped for the storm but fortunately we didn't get much bad weather at all, which I'm thankful for.

@theuglychick Not sure what part of Louisiana you're in but stay dry and safe, same to all those along Nate's path.

Update: So far still nothing on the hen.

@IdyllwildAcres could be right.

I did initially see what I'm fairly certain was a hen, she appeared larger and different color than Mr. Squatch... mostly buff or red with a white tail, not unlike a female red sex-link.

I did see her again when the rooster (Mr. Squatch) was crowing further back in the woods which is when I realized there even was a rooster and was surprised by that. But...nothing since the capture of the Mr. Squatch.

However... I'm not giving up hope just yet. I'm going to continue leaving the traps and cams out for the next couple of weeks and will continue to update.

I do not think there is a hen, I think it was just the cockerel all along. I know you are all hoping for a hen to saunter on out of the woods with a flock of babies in tow but I am doubting it at this point.

Gary

I'm going to go back through the posts here to finish getting caught up.

Hope everyone is well!

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I have another question. It seems that everything I read says a rooster needs 6-10 hens, but people sell pairs and trios that are confined together. So, which is it? 1-2 or 6-10?

For everyday life a randy boy needs more girls. More so to take the pressure off the girls. People sell breeding pairs or separate into pairs/trios to get specific fertilized eggs.
If you are breeding for a specific bird you could keep 1 rooster with 10 girls of all the same breed...or keep 1 rooster and 2 girls of the same breed with 8 other girls of various breeds. If you want only the one breed...separate the boy and 2 girls for a few days. Then you have eggs known to be fertilized as planned.

 

[theuglychick]

Agreed.

I do know Mr. Squatch is enjoying riding the domesticated gravy train, lol.

I'm not a "let-nature-take-it's-course" sort of person. In my mind, domestic animals are not a product of nature and when they show up on your property, they become your responsibility. When something becomes my responsibility, I make it my business to care for it to the best of my ability. But that's just me.

Ok, I may be the only one who thinks so, but the "let her go back into the wild if it doesn't work out & hope for the best" plan isn't something that I would do. I agree that it might not work out to integrate her, for various reasons, but perhaps attempting to re-home at most & add her to freezer camp at the least seem like kinder options than popping her back outside the fence & hoping tgat she makes it. I dunno, just my opinion, not being disrespectful... Given how smart chickens are, she might just come around to the benefits of life on the gravy train.

 

[TexasSam]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rhode-island-red-x-white-leghorn.549623/

I do. I have a production red rooster and a austrolorp, leghorn, polish, RIR, and some EE's hens . He has made chicks with all of them they all turned out to be good so far. Some are fantastic layers.