BDutch's bantam flock & natural breeding projects #5 🪺 🪺 and #6

[BDutch]

Honestly, I don't know. I've only had one broody. Cruella is SUPER scared of me. Like she doesn't like me at all. While she was broody however, she would even let me hand feed her and her chicks. She'd peck me from time to time, but that's just her being a good mother. Her chicks turned out just as friendly as the brooder chicks.

Good to know, thanks.

As for the cat, I vote water gun or you running out, acting all big and scary, and making him run away

I tried big and scary today. Run after him trespassing the neighbours garden up to the ditch were I lost him.

You can get motion activated compressed air canisters that are quite effective at deterring cats.
You would need to look with a camera or something to figure where exactly he comes from so you put them in the correct spot.

Thanks for the idea but I don’t think I like to scare the nice neighbour cats that way.

I would try with Ini mini, Kraai or Black first. See what happens. If that's another disaster, try incubating the year after.

Yes, lets see what opportunities upcoming spring will bring us.

 

[ManueB]

Yesterday they went back in after 15-20 minutes. Probably because the builders made a lot of noise.

All my chickens stopped laying. Havent seen an egg for 5 days. Winter period started for us humans and all my hens about the same time
Not so strange since they are all 3-9 years old heritage breeds.

I ordered a bag of organic grower/chick feed yesterday. € 22,50 for 25 kg. More proteins, less calcium is better for them now.

View attachment 3672232
They aren’t very interested in the watermelon I gave them.

I think they prefer produces when in season .
Joke apart, mine are a lot more interested in watermelon and cucumber in summer. And some of the vegetables leaves they won't touch in spring because there is so much to forage are very welcome in winter (radishes, parsnip and broccoli leaves for example).

Organic starter is much harder to find here than organic layer or grains, and it's very expensive. I give them starter made from french cereals and beans to avoid GMO and brazilian soy, but I would prefer organic.

 

[BDutch]

I think they prefer produces when in season .
Joke apart, mine are a lot more interested in watermelon and cucumber in summer.

Watermelon is stays okay if kept cool, a bit like apples.
I think its because the chickens are not so thirsty anymore. In summer they do eat it gladly.

Organic starter is much harder to find here than organic layer or grains, and it's very expensive. I give them starter made from french cereals and beans to avoid GMO and brazilian soy, but I would prefer organic.

Here its only possible to buy gmo free if you buy organic. And there is no organic all flock.

I think the price at the mill where I buy is fine. The agri/pet/gardening shop is much more expensive, especially the organic starter. They ask € 13,50 for 5 kg. And don’t sell larger bags.

 

[BDutch]

Finally the rules and regulations for the bird flu in the Netherlands came to an end. The message:
THE KEEPING AND SHIELDING OBLIGATORY, WHICH APPLIED SINCE OCTOBER 5, 2022, WAS FULLY WITHDRAWED ON NOVEMBER 3, 2023.

 

[BDutch]

Finally the rules and regulations for the bird flu in the Netherlands came to an end. The message:
THE KEEPING AND SHIELDING OBLIGATORY, WHICH APPLIED SINCE OCTOBER 5, 2022, WAS FULLY WITHDRAWED ON NOVEMBER 3, 2023.

The freedom only lasted 8 days. Within a week a huge egg farm with free range - open air - hens was contaminated. 65.000 hens were killed because of the bird flu. Only 15 km from where I live.
All previous rules and regulations, in the area where I live, are back again.

 

[fuzzi]

Today the feed arrived. An acquaintance who lives nearby picked it up and brought it to my hallway.

We talked a bit about last summer and the disappearance of Chef and Abby.

She has 9 chickens. 6 big and 3 bantam Sussex. I told here if it was too much for the piece of land she fenced for the chickens I would gladly buy the 3 bantams. After the bad luck with my 2 small Dutch I gladly buy a few young hens that are a bit bigger.
.
I do have room for 3 more bantams snd she admitted that her run is not very big for all chickens. So now she is considering my proposal. If I can buy her pullets, I won’t be buying hatching eggs in spring.

It seems my flock is ready with moulting. View attachment 3703359

What type of bantam Sussex?

 

[ManueB]

The chickens are looking very good.
How has Ini Mini been doing ?
It could be a good idea buying your friend's bantams, so you don't have to raise them as chicks. But bringing in three adult hens will be an interesting integration challenge for your flock .

 

[BDutch]

Last weekend I bought 6 beautiful eggs from the ‘neighbour’ who lives around the corner. We talked about the 3 bantam Sussex.

Her chickens are vaccinated against Mareks disease. And I remembered that its a nasty disease if you get this in a backyard hobby flock. So I have been reading and asked a few people what the risk would be.

I made the decision I will not buy them, because of the risk my flock gets infected by the Sussex pullets. My chickens are not vaccinated and any they could get infected by these healthy looking chickens. + Any future chicks risk to get infected by this disease right after hatching.

The Rhine river yesterday.

Come on chicken lady. Its time for our treats.

 

[BDutch]

I had been reading about Marek-vaccinated chickens and found alarming information, but the source might not be reliable. Therefore I made a new thread to ask if this was real or not.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-marek-into-my-flock.1608432/#post-27415549

 

[BDutch]

A new breeding season, a new project!

Kraai is definitely broody. If I can get hold on some hatchery eggs its just in time to hatch a few chicks and take care for a good start before our holliday starts.
I contacted three breeders.

• The first one has bantam speckled sussex but he wants to keep his eggs for his first hatch. I am welcome to buy some next month.
• The second one has Dutch and bantam Leghorns (Italian type) but he hasn’t responded yet. Nice if I can buy 3-4 of each.
• The third one offers Bantam Sumtaler hatchery eggs. I dont know her but these seems be an interesting breed as well. Waiting for a reply.