Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[toodlesmom]

I am new to this thread and don't even have my own chickens yet. My brother is going to build my coop and run this fall, and I will start to populate it come spring. I plan on a backyard flock of eventually a total of a dozen or so layers. I am not interested in the run-of-the-mill hatchery birds, but want the large, healthy, heirloom chickenswith personalities that I remember my grandparents and great-grandparents populated their yards with. I don't need breeders or show quality birds. I want a variety - Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock, Delaware, New Hampshire, Light Sussex, English Orpington, Wyandotte, etc. Where in the Indiana area should I start my search? I cannot have roosters. How do I acquire pullets instead of straight-run chicks? I have read up a good deal - books and web sites - but know my questions probably sound quite naive.

 

[3riverschick]

Training Anatolian Shepherd Dogs for Poultry Guarding
By Jennifer Floyd
http://www.anatoliandog.org/poultry.htm
Livestock Guardians at Salad Fork Ranch
by Carol Oleksak
http://www.anatoliandog.org/sforklgd.htm

poultryonthegwydir also offers Livestock Guardian pups for sale at times. These dogs are working dogs and are trained with sheep or with poultry. (this is an Australian website)
http://www.poultryonthegwydirweebly.com/livestock-guardian-dogsmaremmas.html
Livestock Guardian Dogs for Sale
http://rosasharnfarm.com/wordpress/dogs
Rescue a Great Pyr for a Poultry Guardian.
http://whitmorefarm.com/content/5066

 

[Fentress]

This is my theory on hawks, since it has been mentioned several times in recent posts. If the birds are part of a larger flock, on free range, with lots of room to manuver, the hawk will have a difficult time making a successful pass. My problems occur when the birds are close to a tree line and the hawk can more easily ambush without being noticed. I also have a problem with a flock of chicks, even if they are in the open, because they are stupid (not hawk wise). When the rooster gives the alarm, my juvenile birds that i got from the hatchery, run to the coop, the adults and the young ones who hatched out with the adults, stand their ground and turn an eye to the sky. The last thing they want to do is turn their backs to a hawk.

 

[juststruttin]

This is my theory on hawks, since it has been mentioned several times in recent posts. If the birds are part of a larger flock, on free range, with lots of room to manuver, the hawk will have a difficult time making a successful pass. My problems occur when the birds are close to a tree line and the hawk can more easily ambush without being noticed. I also have a problem with a flock of chicks, even if they are in the open, because they are stupid (not hawk wise). When the rooster gives the alarm, my juvenile birds that i got from the hatchery, run to the coop, the adults and the young ones who hatched out with the adults, stand their ground and turn an eye to the sky. The last thing they want to do is turn their backs to a hawk.

I have the opposite experience. My birds get plucked off when they are out in an open field. They have learned to stay close to the fence line or under the trees where the hawks cannot swoop in as easily. The young birds stay near the coop and run for cover as soon as the roosters sound the alarm. They even run for cover when pigeons fly over.

I am planning to plant blocks of sun chokes in the pasture next year to give the birds some coverage. Sun chokes grow to be 8 feet tall by early summer and die back in the winter. As of right now, the middle of the pasture is basically untouched because the birds don't like being out in the open or too far from the coop.

 

[Fentress]

That's interesting. Mine can not get under the trees because it is a thick forest that I have not cleared out yet and had decided not to. Maybe it is different types of hawks that have adapted differently, mine are redtails and they do use the tree line to mask their approach.

 

[RedRidge]

Quote:
Yes, I have raised both parents since they were pups and they both are awesome working dogs. I lost my oldest gal in March, so bred this litter specifically for replacements for myself. Updates can be seen regularly on the Red Ridge Farm facebook page and webpage. I can tell you that mine are extremely bonded to their animals from day one but LOVE their people. They are very intuitive and I have learned to trust their intuition. When I introduce them to strangers they either love them... or not... if they don't I trust them to have a reason why. The adults guard against hawks and turkey vultures, as well as big cats, coyotes, stray dogs, fox, raccoon, etc. And unfortunately the periodic cornered opossum... which we try to shoot while holding the dogs back before one them gets bit - argh.

 

[juststruttin]

That's interesting. Mine can not get under the trees because it is a thick forest that I have not cleared out yet and had decided not to. Maybe it is different types of hawks that have adapted differently, mine are redtails and they do use the tree line to mask their approach.

The hawks will sit up in the eucalyptus trees perusing the field probably deciding who to go after, but the kills are always in the middle of the field. I have not had any losses in the past 3 months because the birds have learned to stay near the fence. I've noticed they are getting a little braver and venturing further and further from the coop recently since they has not been an attack in awhile. I still see hawks but I think the ones that learned that chickens are easy targets may have migrated. Fingers crossed.

My biggest problem is with the Red Tails. The cooper hawks don't mess with my chickens anymore as my Welsummer rooster "Hawker" has learned to body slam the hens to get the coppers off. My roo is too smart to mess with the red tails.

 

[Robert Blosl]

I am new to this thread and don't even have my own chickens yet. My brother is going to build my coop and run this fall, and I will start to populate it come spring. I plan on a backyard flock of eventually a total of a dozen or so layers. I am not interested in the run-of-the-mill hatchery birds, but want the large, healthy, heirloom chickenswith personalities that I remember my grandparents and great-grandparents populated their yards with. I don't need breeders or show quality birds. I want a variety - Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock, Delaware, New Hampshire, Light Sussex, English Orpington, Wyandotte, etc. Where in the Indiana area should I start my search? I cannot have roosters. How do I acquire pullets instead of straight-run chicks? I have read up a good deal - books and web sites - but know my questions probably sound quite naive.

Wow how do you get pullets that are not show quality or breeders from a source when only breeders of show quality stock are the only possibility There are no hatcheries that provide this service.

Maybe you could attend a poultry show and find a few of these females in the for sale section Don't know if all these breeds are available in Indiana. They just had a big state fair with many of these breeds where there. One thing I got in the mail today was the Poultry Press with the shows advertised for the next 90 days. There is a two big shows in Ohio coming up in Oct and Nov.
Also, these birds wont be cheap if you want to get some good Standard Quality. Some people think they can get some for a few bucks like a swap meet or flea market prices. If you wanted to get a sample of Poultry Press contact Poutlrypress.com they can send you a copie for I think $3.

Straight run chicks have to come from a hatchery. Breeders don't sex chicks and most breeders don't ship chicks unless you get some from say Mr. Urch In Minn. But he may have males in the box as well as pullets then you have to get rid of them as soon as you can as you can not have them. Hope this helps. bob Maybe someone else has a suggestion..

 

[Apdeb]

You missed a big swap meet in dayton ohio last sunday!!! I agree with bob go to ohio national in columbus meet with folks showing what your interested in!!! A little late this year!!
Most of us have sold off our pullets!!! If you want pullets you need to find a breeder that culls at 2,4,6 months!! Try the livestock conservancy map it is by regions lists who sells breeding stock!! And dont settle you know what you want research and get them

 

[thedragonlady]

I have the opposite experience. My birds get plucked off when they are out in an open field. They have learned to stay close to the fence line or under the trees where the hawks cannot swoop in as easily. The young birds stay near the coop and run for cover as soon as the roosters sound the alarm. They even run for cover when pigeons fly over.

I am planning to plant blocks of sun chokes in the pasture next year to give the birds some coverage. Sun chokes grow to be 8 feet tall by early summer and die back in the winter. As of right now, the middle of the pasture is basically untouched because the birds don't like being out in the open or too far from the coop.

Hawks will run down chickens on the ground if they land. See my page for my hawk solution.