Backyard Brahmas!!

[bumpercarr]

I had been thinking about it for a while, but we were at a big swap when the wife pointed her out to me. Normally I would have put a lot of time researching breeder/parents/bloodlines and such, but thought this might be my only shot at getting the Mrs. on board, and took a chance. We got probably one of our best dogs ever at this same swaps several years ago, Lizzie, a Rat Terrier, so hoping lightening strikes twice.

I have joined a couple facebook pages that have been very helpful with LGD information.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/livestockguarddogproject/

So very cool. I've sort of hinted to the hubby that either a dog or maybe some geese are needed so that this doesn't happen again. Was the swap in Ohio? Sounds like you had some pretty good luck there. I'll probably be heading there this summer to see family/friends. If it is during a reasonable time period for us, maybe I can hit it while we are there.

Still no luck getting the pullet to eat much yet. I'm getting a little nutrition into her and she'll swallow when I put food on her tongue but that is hard for me to do by myself. Hubby is out of town this week. I'm so afraid that she's going to make it through the whole injury problem only to die of starvation. I did get her to take some egg yolk out of a syringe, but hardly enough to keep a fly going. I'm open to suggestions here, has to be something I can do on my own though. Seems ridiculous to spend so much effort on a pullet that is going to probably have wry neck or something equally as bad if she manages to live, but I just hate to give up on a fighter! I think the pain has subsided though, she was talking to me a little when I gave her water tonight.

 

[TinyBeaks]

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[threesons]

Daytime coyote predation got so bad here, that last year I was forced to keep all birds in their runs at all times. In years prior all birds free ranged, with the exception of my breeders, and they were turned back out into general population ( & free range) once I had enough chicks hatched.

After I read up on it some, last spring, I picked up a Anatolian Shepherd/Great Pyrenees cross pup. To tell the truth, early on I had my doubts. She had a totally different attitude, with my previous dogs when given a command they reacted. With her it was more like " I'll take it under advisement, and get back with you when I'm done with this. " kind of attitude. But at a year old now, her natural working instincts are starting to win me over. Her favorite thing is to lay out back and keep an eye on things, over looking her birds (still in runs). She is constantly scanning everything, with the occasional check of our woodlot.

Here she is keeping an eye on a suspicious vulture flying too close to her birds. If they land in a tree she will run back and bark till they leave.


From what I have read these guys don't usually mature enough until about two years old to be fully trusted with fun livestock like chickens unsupervised. I have been taking her into the runs with me since she was little, so far so good. She comes into the house at night as I close up all coops tight at dark, and have never had issues once coops are closed. She does not bark without reason. I am hope full that I will be able to free range again in the not too distant future.

I have a great pyr/Australian shepherd cross boy, just over a year old. He has the same attitude and just takes off if we let him out of the kennel and the neighbor is not a nice man - he actually shot his rifle last time Mugsy ran over there to say hi and my kids were playing around outside. I hope mugsy calms down so we can use him as a guard dog, but his mom was not chicken friendly so we'll see...

 

[ocap]

Here she is keeping an eye on a suspicious vulture flying too close to her birds. If they land in a tree she will run back and bark till they leave.


From what I have read these guys don't usually mature enough until about two years old to be fully trusted with fun livestock like chickens unsupervised. I have been taking her into the runs with me since she was little, so far so good. She comes into the house at night as I close up all coops tight at dark, and have never had issues once coops are closed. She does not bark without reason. I am hope full that I will be able to free range again in the not too distant future.

wonderful dog!

I taught my dog with peeping chicks held next to her ears and all around her head, still takes a lot of time sitting next to her with the chickens eating her food, I allow her to defend her food but with limits. My dog is a poodle cross that wants to please, her photo is my avatar. Sister-in-law buys dogs to guard her goats: http://buffalocloverfarm.com/

 

[Gryphon]

It depends on what breed of LSG you get, but usually they're supposed to be independent thinkers who can be left on their own to do their thing. I was reading a blog of a woman who raises sheep and her experiences with getting a LSG (Great Pyrenees) and once adjusted she vecame indespensible. Routines will vary depending on what kind of predators you have. Since she had coyote issues, her dog adjusted her sleep schedule to nap through most of the day (although she would immediately respond if there was an intruder) and spend her nights patrolling the borders.

On the other hand, I know of a family that had to put their Great Pyr. down because they never really taught her boundaries, and she would chase people on the road, terrifying them and she finally ended up biting someone.

...I've taken up enough space here about non-Brahma stuff, but if you want info on some EXCELLENT blogs about dog mentality and training, let me know.

 

[Housemom408]

I have 12 5 week old chicks that have been locked in the coop for 2weeks. This past week I have been letting them out in a fenced in area, and they are able to go in and out of the coop as they please and they do. However every night I have to chase them down and put them in. When will they start to put themselves to bed? I am keeping 2 Rounen ducklings with them, they are the same age, I also have to catch them. I expect that from ducks, but thought the chicks would do it themselves. Any advice would be helpful.

 

[bamadude]

I have 12 5 week old chicks that have been locked in the coop for 2weeks. This past week I have been letting them out in a fenced in area, and they are able to go in and out of the coop as they please and they do. However every night I have to chase them down and put them in. When will they start to put themselves to bed? I am keeping 2 Rounen ducklings with them, they are the same age, I also have to catch them. I expect that from ducks, but thought the chicks would do it themselves. Any advice would be helpful.

i used a laser pointer. Mine would chase the dot into the coop and i would lock them in.

 

[Gryphon]

lol, that has to be hilarious to watch!

 

[livininbrazil]

So very cool. I've sort of hinted to the hubby that either a dog or maybe some geese are needed so that this doesn't happen again. Was the swap in Ohio? Sounds like you had some pretty good luck there. I'll probably be heading there this summer to see family/friends. If it is during a reasonable time period for us, maybe I can hit it while we are there.

Still no luck getting the pullet to eat much yet. I'm getting a little nutrition into her and she'll swallow when I put food on her tongue but that is hard for me to do by myself. Hubby is out of town this week. I'm so afraid that she's going to make it through the whole injury problem only to die of starvation. I did get her to take some egg yolk out of a syringe, but hardly enough to keep a fly going. I'm open to suggestions here, has to be something I can do on my own though. Seems ridiculous to spend so much effort on a pullet that is going to probably have wry neck or something equally as bad if she manages to live, but I just hate to give up on a fighter! I think the pain has subsided though, she was talking to me a little when I gave her water tonight.

When i force-feed a sick bird, I get its head in my left hand, open the bill with the fingers of my left hand and right hand, use thumb and finger of the left hand to keep it open, and shove in the sloppy mix with the fingers of my right hand. I have to time it so that myu left finger slides out of the way so that my right-handed fingers can shove the food towards the back of the throat. It makes a right mess, but they swallow it if it´s wet enough. i´ve kept them alive for a week or more like this until they were able to eat for themselves. Don´t be frightened, just shove it in.

 

[bumpercarr]

When i force-feed a sick bird, I get its head in my left hand, open the bill with the fingers of my left hand and right hand, use thumb and finger of the left hand to keep it open, and shove in the sloppy mix with the fingers of my right hand. I have to time it so that myu left finger slides out of the way so that my right-handed fingers can shove the food towards the back of the throat. It makes a right mess, but they swallow it if it´s wet enough. i´ve kept them alive for a week or more like this until they were able to eat for themselves. Don´t be frightened, just shove it in.

Thanks! I've managed to figure out how to do that, right now I'm feeding her egg yolk which is a little easier because I can put it in a medicine dropper. She actually fought me today when I was feeding her, so that is a good sign. I'm still worried that she won't hold her head up, but if I determine after doing this for a while that she is seriously crippled, I'll put her down (although then I'll have to spend another day crying....makes my head hurt).