BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[dfr1973]

Luanne does have them. Cpartist on here. She has done well with them. She just posted a couple pictures of some pullets on the German New Hampshire thread. Take a look at those pullets She sells chicks or eggs, and is NPIP. That is who I strongly recommend. She is honest.

Another vote for Luanne - great, super nice, and super-organized lady - although I'll mention she won't be doing chicks until after the holidays. She has really tempting NHs ... and she has tried to entice me over to "the Dark side of the Force" there

by giving me a couple cull cockerels for caponizing practice.

 

[gjensen]

To introduce myself to people who already don't know me. I live in Croatia and I came across BYC last year when we decided to get some chicken last year. Right now I have three mix breed big hens and rooster and big plans for this next spring. I love HUGE chickens and of course their eggs. Since most of big chickens don't lay as well as some smaller ones I hope you guys will help me to get big egg layers!

It would be hard to do, not knowing what you have there.

It would be fascinating to hear about what you have there, and pictures of birds that are there.

 

[NanaKat]

I agree!  Early exposure makes for training opportunities that sink in.  I have a pup I'm currently training for LGD duties and he's now 3 mo. old.  I got him at 2 months and he has been living with and among the chickens all that time....he took a few seconds of training on the chickens being mine, two verbal corrections when my back was supposedly turned~after I had returned to the house but was still watching~and he now treats them like part of the landscape. 

Same training I used on my~now old~dog when he was 5 mo. old.  I don't think there is any profit by keeping the dog separate until they are older and can't learn as quickly as they can as a pup. 

I am also currently teaching him basic obedience which also goes hand in hand with alpha training, positive reinforcement and opportunities to make mistakes.  I get to correct him when small children come into his space, how to act around company that comes here, how to act when children are around while he is eating, how he should act around them when THEY are eating, etc. 

I think dogs are much like children...training should start the day they come home and should be an ongoing thing all their lives, but that first ground work is the most important if you want them to know the rules of where you live.  I like peace and harmony among all my animals and I expect no less...they need to know what you expect or they just stay confused most of the time. 

I agree whole heartedly. I have done the same with each of my dogs, including Gracie who came to us as a two year old breeder that had never whelped pups nor spent much time out of a kennel pen. Fortunately Australian Shepards are very intelligent and want to please. She learned quickly what the rules were and our schedule. I teach by command with the dogs name so each knows who is to receive the command. We also use hand gestures for each command and dogs are in tune to the alpha.
Part of being alpha requires reading the beta and knowing their pleas for permission.
Now Gracie is totally deaf. This previous training has proven most beneficial for her, us, the cattle, and the chickens.

 

[Beekissed]

I agree! I use hand signals as well....I find the dogs tend to respond to them even more quickly than a verbal command. I don't think there is anything more important in training a dog than the alpha training. I've found that the people who are not alpha and cannot even grasp the meaning of that word or the actions that go along with it can never seem to get a handle on training a dog effectively.

I've noticed those same people tend to have trouble with controlling many things~kids, roosters, horses, etc. I'm thinking some people, like some animals, were just born to be a beta and cannot ever become an alpha. It's just not in their nature. Unfortunately, those seem to be the very people who crave to keep strong breeds of animals....maybe a subconscious desire to have protection in their weakness? Not sure. It never works out well.

 

[zipitydoodah]

Hi
Do you still have Catalanas? I had them when I lived in Florida but am in the mountains in WNC now and concerned about how they would do in this climate,,,

 

[gjensen]

This is an interesting discussion.

Most that reject the concepts of alpha training outright tend to have concerns that are grounded in an ideology. They would often equate asserting ourselves as a negative, and somehow harmful to animals. I will admit that some carry it to far, but it would be easy to miss an important block in the foundation. It is foundational.

I agree that this can transfer to many parts of life. I am a firm believer in corporal punishment for children, and particularly young boys and men. I am convinced that someone has to be in charge. If we will not be, they will.

Now I am not referring to abusive behavior towards man or beast. I will put it this way. My sons are teenagers. It is has been years, probably 7-8 years since any physical contact has been necessary. And we enjoy a peaceful home. We are consistently complimented on our well mannered, behaved, and thoughtful young men. Even that much of that is in spite of me, much of it is due to being raised in a home that had expectations and accountability. They have been comfortable enough to flirt with the line here and there, but they knew by the sound of a voice where too far was. They also understood that I decided where the line should be. We never corrected for honest mistakes, but we dealt with matters of character head on and without fear. BUT, what makes all of this work is trust. I would absolutely never want to see a fearful dog or child. My boys need to be able to trust in how much they are loved. They need that assurance. It is necessary.

So to avoid communicating the other extreme, there needs to be a balance. Alpha training is not all of it. It is part of it. As we all would agree.

Bee, society in general views any difficulty as bad and to be avoided. We have forgotten that gold is refined in a fire. We want a problem free everything to include a problem free faith. We live in the health and wealth society. We want a health and wealth faith to. This is to say that this worldview envelopes everything. We live in a me first society, and therefore everything revolves around me. I am the center of my own universe. I am my own morality, and if something makes me uncomfortable, it is determined to be bad. So an extension of that view is that I do not want to make anyone else uncomfortable, even at the expense of that person or animal. We have lost our moral compass, and we have lost that clarity and certainty.

Another point we are missing in all of this is the hollowness that is inevitable when suffering, sorrow, and disappointment do finally come. When the harsh realities of life do come, we are consumed by them. Sun melts the ice, and it hardens the clay. Often what seams good is bad. Concerning my character, winning the lottery would be very bad. Also concerning my character, my house burning down and losing everything in it could be very good, if it brings me back to the things that do matter.
I am trying to describe what we have lost (as you know). We used to understand that correction was necessary and that it was good. That trials and temptations produced wisdom, character, and patience. But . . . . we also trusted. Trust is an essential piece. We have made it all about me, and eventually we see that me is not enough. Me cannot control everything in me's universe.

And Bee, I have noticed that these have trouble with all animals and people to. I see them foolishly thinking that their ideology really works in real life. LOL. They are so removed from reality, and self centered that they cannot see past their own nose. These are all online trying to understand the problem, and when you share the simple clear truth with them, they are offended. You become the bad guy, because it is more discomfort on top of discomfort. It is salt on an open wound.

As a people we are on a slippery slope. All it will take to destroy us is our own weight.

 

[gjensen]

Hi
Do you still have Catalanas? I had them when I lived in Florida but am in the mountains in WNC now and concerned about how they would do in this climate,,,

Catalanas would do fine in WNC.

Where did you get the ones that you had in Florida?

 

[zipitydoodah]

The ones I had were from Ideal...I know, I know...there are better stock out there but at the time I couldn't find any. I liked them alot and found them to be good layers-mine layed pink eggs and they were of good size.

 

[hellbender]

Jason called last night to tell me dad is getting belligerent and wants to come home now and the doctors and other staff are getting fed up with him. I called dad and he seemed calm at that time. Instead of being discharged, I think they might throw him out. I know he can be willful but I doubt he's the most contrary patient they have had. Aaron will be here Saturday, assuming he will be home by then. I see where there have been additional posts made but still there are no notifications. I hope it's not something I did but I don't think it's a problem that can't be fixed by a more experienced person than me.

Ariel

 

[DesertChic]

Jason called last night to tell me dad is getting belligerent and wants to come home now and the doctors and other staff are getting fed up with him. I called dad and he seemed calm at that time. Instead of being discharged, I think they might throw him out. I know he can be willful but I doubt he's the most contrary patient they have had. Aaron will be here Saturday, assuming he will be home by then. I see where there have been additional posts made but still there are no notifications. I hope it's not something I did but I don't think it's a problem that can't be fixed by a more experienced person than me.

Ariel

I'm partially groaning and partially chuckling about your dad's behavior, but have lots of empathy. My own father was the same way. He could be the best patient for the first couple days and then would go completely stir crazy and start becoming "unmanageable". He actually confessed to me that he thought they would get so tired of him they'd give him his way if he were an ugly enough patient. I countered by saying they have drugs and simply choose to subdue him....using the largest needle they could find for the injection, or really big and cold suppositories.

At least feistiness can be a good sign of a strong spirit. right?

Thanks again for the update, Ariel. Lots of love to you and your family.