Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[Wisher1000]

Maybe they heard the cockerals first attempts at crowing......that sometimes sounds as if he is dying.

 

[MagicChicken]

Quote:

My impression too. It is my understanding that vultures do not have good eyesight. They are one of the few birds that use smell to locate food. They are known to circle over leaks in natural gas pipelines because they can pick up traces of the stinky stuff that is added to natural gas to make leaks noticeable by humans, which happens to be the chemical component in carrion that the vultures home in on. I could see them homing in on the blood smell from birthing offal and picking at the lamb if it was undefended and unable to move away.

On the other hand, vultures can't read so they don't know how they are "supposed" to behave. Some groups may have learned new foraging methods. I would like to see documentation of the methods vultures use to kill chicks. Most hawks grab prey with their feet. I didn't think vulture feet were built for that. I am curious about how a vulture would capture and kill a chick. Not saying they don't. Just wondering how they would do it. Books are often wrong. And birds are usually smarter than people give them credit for. Can anyone describe how vultures take chicks?

 

[ronott1]

My impression too. It is my understanding that vultures do not have good eyesight. They are one of the few birds that use smell to locate food. They are known to circle over leaks in natural gas pipelines because they can pick up traces of the stinky stuff that is added to natural gas to make leaks noticeable by humans, which happens to be the chemical component in carrion that the vultures home in on. I could see them homing in on the blood smell from birthing offal and picking at the lamb if it was undefended and unable to move away.

On the other hand, vultures can't read so they don't know how they are "supposed" to behave. Some groups may have learned new foraging methods. I would like to see documentation of the methods vultures use to kill chicks. Most hawks grab prey with their feet. I didn't think vulture feet were built for that. I am curious about how a vulture would capture and kill a chick. Not saying they don't. Just wondering how they would do it. Books are often wrong. And birds are usually smarter than people give them credit for. Can anyone describe how vultures take chicks?

Last off topic post on this for me. Sorry.

The confusion may be in the name. Black Vultures used to be called: Obsolete English Names: carrion crow, turkey buzzard, buzzard.

Information here but the Black Vulture does not hunt by smell:

http://www.tnwatchablewildlife.org/...id=09042418550860128&commonname=Black Vulture

 

[Pathfinders]

Here in KY we have both Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures, but happily have not had an issue with either going after the chickens. We did have one Sharp Shinned Hawk that flew into the day range coop one day, but I think it was going after sparrows, as they are much too small to take a chicken.

My Anatolian Shepherd Dog is very good at barking at raptors and accipiters to drive them away. The only losses we've had to them or owls have been the stupid guineas who insist on roosting in the trees.

 

[Extra Java]

We have California Condor on a daily basis. (No threat)
I've never seen a Turkey Vulture. Perhaps our condor and hawks have this territory covered?

They make incredible photos and the wingspan is breathtaking.

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: Yes, I am going to the National to meet another breeder. Am taking some of my birds, can bring the others. Price is 30.00 each for the 5 pullets. Or as many as you are interested in. That's less than it cost me to raise them for 6 months. They have never been sick. I will worm them and have the flock re-NPIP'ed before the National. I will be there the 1st day, then headed home. Not staying over as older son and his wife are passing thru our town for a visit that weekend and we want to get together. Always a fun time. I do ship. Not a problem. Have shipped birds all over the nation with no problems. Shipping , with the box, will be about 75.-100.. for 3 pullets. Might be easier to meet me at National. Your choice.
Food for thought,
Karen

 

[Lacy Blues]

Lacy Blues - I am thinking it might be a matter of grooming. Did you bathe the cockeral before the show? Did he get to spend time alone while drying to groom his feathers back into shape? Maybe the stress of the show caused him to stop grooming and once he was back home, he straightened them back out. As for the pullet, is she spending a lot of time running from a rooster? Maybe she is being picked on. At any rate, other than being nappy (sorry) the feather width looks good.

I did bathe him before the show and he was alone for at least a week before traveling. The pullet is with another pullet, only the two of them, in a 3x6 coop with a 6x8 run. This pullet seems to enjoy chasing the other one around but not the reverse.

I live in a really really dry climate. I used to live in the foothills of California in the Sierra Nevada range. We got way more rain there than here and I still had this trouble. If it is environmental, I'm wondering what to feed to overcome these issues?

It seems to not matter what I feed them, I've tried several things, except going for higher protein. When my birds are young, they grow at a normal pace (I suppose) and then at 3-4 months, they start to grow really fast. If I don't lower the protein or raise the calcium, I get leg problems. This year, at the suggestion of NYREDS, I've been feeding All Flock. It has a higher calcium than regular chick starter. Maybe I should try going to a grower feed once they're through the big growth spurt?

What about animal protein? What do you guys do to get some of this for your birds? I know a lot of you just feed from a bag and that is all vegetable protein with synthetic methionine and B12 and whatever else is provided by animal protein. Some of you are lucky and have a source for animal protein based feed. But those of you who don't, how do you meet this need in your birds?

 

[armorfirelady]

Just a old newbie but my hens get raw meat like calf liver, mackerel, ground beef, turkey carcass, chicken wing bones, etc a couple times a week as their animal protein. I have mixed ages so mine are all on grower that's fermented with oyster shell on the side for those who need it. My oldest girls are going thru a molt and they have never had funky feathers. I gave them more meat protein to the couple who had a long rough moult and their new feathers came in wonderfully. They are very glossy & soft. All my hens are basically hatchery but their feathers always look nice. For whatever reason the ones who mounted/ are moulting their new feathers are a darker richer brown. No clue why but their still pretty

 

[3riverschick]

The Closed Gene Pool and Foreign Blood

A closed gene pool is more than just a gene pool which hasn't been outcrossed. It is a gene pool which has been maintained within itself for so long that any unconsidered outcross is more likely to create problems than enhance the gene pool. The genes in a closed gene pool are very stable and do not take kindly to being manipulated by anything but than an extensively researched and well educated insertion of foreign blood. This foreign blood should be from a related gene pool and no more than 25% of it should be unrelated to the closed gene pool. It should be added in thru the female side. Then the get from that breeding be bred back into the closed gene pool to re-stabilize the closed gene pool with the addition of whatever plusses were brought in from the foreign blood.
This is where many novices err. They believe they need to create "biodiversity" and found their flock by crossing strains. In closed gene pools and superior veteran line bred flocks ( both sometimes the same thing) this upsets the equilibrium of the gene pool and the novice spends years trying to re establish it or plain gives up. Research is your friend. The breeder of your birds and the history of the breed are also.
Best,
Karen

 

[bobbi michelle]

Dear "old newbie"

I have been thinking about how I use to think of chickens are veterinarians or even vegans. It seems like you never made that easy mistake. Of course I have learned that is not true at all. They are carnivorous creatures. They hunt out bugs and do a find job of killing beetles, spiders, snails and the like. But it also turns out they will fight the dogs and the cat for their food. I had to teach the little dog (she is 6.5 pounds) to protect her food. The 80 pound dog eats his so quickly they have no chance. The kitten gets bored after a few bites and finds the chickens only to willing to clean up her breakfast. The chickens crack me up. They are hungry and industrious and look for weakness in larger stronger animals only to happy to eat their store bought food. Don't even get me started on bones. If there are bones at stake the chickens pack up and attempt to amount an attack. In usually ends up with them getting scraps from the little dog or food the cat just wasn't feeling in the mood for.....anyway glad to read your post. Delightful to hear about your chickens feathers diet and molting