Breed???

[redinator]

I've had different bantam breeds in the past, some few over a 7ft fence onto the the coop roof in pen next to them. No fun trying to catch them. Now I just have the Silkies, 2 roo and a hen, I lost the other hen about 2 weeks ago. She had always been underdeveloped since a chick, barely gaining any weight. Then about 4-5 months ago, a neighbor's dog and older puppy tore the pen fence open, getting into their coop they share with 7 Egger hens. Thankfully none were killed, lots of feathers ripped out and my partridge Silkie hen had the skin ripped off her back - healed physically. The bigger dog tried entry a week later (pup won't be returning), but it didn't like what was greeting it and ran with a warning bang. I think the emotional trauma is still fresh as they get nervous around our own dog. And now a killer fox is stalking, he's gotten quite a few (ducks mostly) when we were free ranging. I thought hawks or owls were getting them inside the pen because I'm constantly watching the sky. Then we heard guineas frantically screaming and saw the fox grabbing a duck. We tried to get to them but the fox was gone with my duck. We realized the fox was likely the one, not so much the others. Later a neighbor said a fox wiped their entire flock out weeks earlier.

However, these girls will later join my standard pen that has a black Jersey Giant and a blue Partridge Brahma rooster along with the bulk of my hens. At least their eggs will be easier to tell apart as I have no other dark brown egg layers. I just might have to try hatching a few of their eggs, 50/50 chance on the papa.

My friend just lost a batch of ducklings to his own dogs. He's had older birds in the yard for about a year and didn't think adding the ducklings would be a problem. I guess they were an easy target. I have a dog myself that's great around the older chickens, but I still keep a close eye on her while they're still chicks. The fast and erratic fluttering around still gets her excited so I know to keep her separated until they're at least 8 week old and have settled down a bit.

 

[wolfinator]

I keep thinking our TSC won't have them, then they do. Surely these are their last ones though and when they're gone, they're gone till spring. But Rural King sells them year round, I'm almost positive. So every time I go in there, they'll be there, tempting me with their cuteness!

Our TSC stopped selling babies in June. I get most of mine from RK. They have usually have a bigger selection and are year round on some breeds. I actually prefer getting babies between end of March-early June hoping they'll lay when my older hens are molting or stopping/slowing for winter. I also will get babies between August-Nov, but I have a nursery adjacent to my coop or if necessary, the living room floor in a tote. I usually keep the quantity to 4-8 babies later in the year depending on breeds.

 

[ChickenChick46]

I've had different bantam breeds in the past, some few over a 7ft fence onto the the coop roof in pen next to them. No fun trying to catch them. Now I just have the Silkies, 2 roo and a hen, I lost the other hen about 2 weeks ago. She had always been underdeveloped since a chick, barely gaining any weight. Then about 4-5 months ago, a neighbor's dog and older puppy tore the pen fence open, getting into their coop they share with 7 Egger hens. Thankfully none were killed, lots of feathers ripped out and my partridge Silkie hen had the skin ripped off her back - healed physically. The bigger dog tried entry a week later (pup won't be returning), but it didn't like what was greeting it and ran with a warning bang. I think the emotional trauma is still fresh as they get nervous around our own dog. And now a killer fox is stalking, he's gotten quite a few (ducks mostly) when we were free ranging. I thought hawks or owls were getting them inside the pen because I'm constantly watching the sky. Then we heard guineas frantically screaming and saw the fox grabbing a duck. We tried to get to them but the fox was gone with my duck. We realized the fox was likely the one, not so much the others. Later a neighbor said a fox wiped their entire flock out weeks earlier.

However, these girls will later join my standard pen that has a black Jersey Giant and a blue Partridge Brahma rooster along with the bulk of my hens. At least their eggs will be easier to tell apart as I have no other dark brown egg layers. I just might have to try hatching a few of their eggs, 50/50 chance on the papa.

One of mine is a Golden Sebright, and she is so flighty. I have a feeling she'll be a trouble maker as she grows.

I'm so sorry about the birds you've lost. We live in a predator heavy area as well. Raptor birds of all sorts, foxes, possums, raccoons, bears, all of it. My neighbor lost 3 of her 5 ducks to a mother fox and her 2 kits earlier in the year. She didn't have a good place to secure the last 2, so she rehomed them. I believe something also got one of her goslings. I hope the dog won't be back. My neighbor lets her dogs (2 chihuahuas and a miniature schnauzer) run wherever they want. They better not ever show up near my coop once my chicks move into it. I'm aggravated enough that they come into our yard to chase my cats when my cats are on our property.

 

[ChickenChick46]

My friend just lost a batch of ducklings to his own dogs. He's had older birds in the yard for about a year and didn't think adding the ducklings would be a problem. I guess they were an easy target. I have a dog myself that's great around the older chickens, but I still keep a close eye on her while they're still chicks. The fast and erratic fluttering around still gets her excited so I know to keep her separated until they're at least 8 week old and have settled down a bit.

That's awful! I have 2 dogs but they haven't met the chicks. They are fine with our cats and the 2 5-week-old kittens we've got right now, but that doesn't mean the fluttering birds won't be a different story. I have a caged parakeet that they can see through the cage and they've never cared about him. But I still worry.

 

[ChickenChick46]

Our TSC stopped selling babies in June. I get most of mine from RK. They have usually have a bigger selection and are year round on some breeds. I actually prefer getting babies between end of March-early June hoping they'll lay when my older hens are molting or stopping/slowing for winter. I also will get babies between August-Nov, but I have a nursery adjacent to my coop or if necessary, the living room floor in a tote. I usually keep the quantity to 4-8 babies later in the year depending on breeds.

Our TSC normally does too, so I don't know why they've gone so late this year. I'm brooding mine in my guest room, lol. But we're already planning additional coops and runs, and one of those spaces will have an outdoor brooding shed. I'll be unstoppable.

 

[redinator]

I feel this on a personal level!

The sad thing is, as we're talking about me being at capacity . . . I did this . .
No I did not click the order button, but who knows what might happen, lol

 

[redinator]

Our TSC stopped selling babies in June. I get most of mine from RK. They have usually have a bigger selection and are year round on some breeds. I actually prefer getting babies between end of March-early June hoping they'll lay when my older hens are molting or stopping/slowing for winter. I also will get babies between August-Nov, but I have a nursery adjacent to my coop or if necessary, the living room floor in a tote. I usually keep the quantity to 4-8 babies later in the year depending on breeds.

I need to set myself a limit per hatch/order or I'll be overrun, lol. Ummm something reasonable . . . .like . . . uhhh . . . no limit seems reasonable. Everytime I think of a number I keep doubling it . . .OMG I need help, lol.

 

[redinator]

Our TSC normally does too, so I don't know why they've gone so late this year. I'm brooding mine in my guest room, lol. But we're already planning additional coops and runs, and one of those spaces will have an outdoor brooding shed. I'll be unstoppable.

If I set up an outdoor brooder I'd come unhinged. Currently I can only handle at most 30 per brood. Once they're outside my brain just decides there's room for more.

 

[ChickenChick46]

The sad thing is, as we're talking about me being at capacity . . . I did this . .View attachment 4200907
No I did not click the order button, but who knows what might happen, lol

I have a similar cart at Meyer!

 

[ChickenChick46]

Here are mine in their outdoor play space. They aren't quite ready for the coop yet, but they get this supervised pen during the day now. So it won't be long before that brooder is open and I can go, huh, more space!