BYC Café

[N F C]

View attachment 1926447
Tomorrow I'll trim the fabric along the driveway so it's not visible then roll coat the walkway with another thin layer of Gravel Lok.
We're going out to find flat, thick field stones to edge the walkway with and use to blend in with the eventual stone walls that will definitely the landscape beds in front of the house. I'll run about a 1 foot width of mulch between the field stones and the lawn so I can place solar lights on either side to illuminate the walkway at night.

That's shaping up nicely Dobie! Sounds like it's going to be really attractive when you're finished.

 

[igorsMistress]

I was asked about how the integration of the 2 new chicks is going and thought I'd share here as well.

I had 5 white Turken chicks, an EE cockerel and 2 Dorking mix chicks that all brooded together, I just added as they hatched and at a young age they all thought the more the merrier!

1 of the Turkens is a roo and, as luck would have it, so is one of the Dorkings. One of the new boys is white and was fairly well accepted. There were a few pecks here and there but nothing too serious. The silver penciled fellow was a different story. Everyone focused on him, chicks and the big girls, I believe because he doesn't look like anyone else. As a result, the Dorking and original Turken roo are currently in jail. How long depends on how well PB (penciled boy) integrates over the next couple of days.

I've never had to deal with aggression like this before among my flock, but I expected it with boys.

 

[igorsMistress]

View attachment 1926447
Tomorrow I'll trim the fabric along the driveway so it's not visible then roll coat the walkway with another thin layer of Gravel Lok.
We're going out to find flat, thick field stones to edge the walkway with and use to blend in with the eventual stone walls that will definitely the landscape beds in front of the house. I'll run about a 1 foot width of mulch between the field stones and the lawn so I can place solar lights on either side to illuminate the walkway at night.

Looking good Dobie! I like your guard dogs there too.

 

[sourland]

Thanks IM, and good afternoon Café. Field trial this weekend and Monday at the club.

 

[N F C]

Thanks IM, and good afternoon Café. Field trial this weekend and Monday at the club.

How's your new dog doing Sour? Is she up to participating in the field trials yet?

 

[DobieLover]

That's shaping up nicely Dobie! Sounds like it's going to be really attractive when you're finished.

Thanks, Debby.
The Gravel Lok is neat stuff. The walkway will be permeable when it cures. I wanted the field stone to hide the metal edging and act as a barrier to keep the mulch from flowing onto the walkway in the event of a heavy rain.
It was really hard work but what a nice change over the plywood I slipped and slid on the last two winters!

 

[DobieLover]

Looking good Dobie! I like your guard dogs there too.

Those boys belong in front of the garage. We've left them there since we moved in. The front of the garage will get done next year (I hope) and we didn't want to have to lug them out of the way.
I'll post another picture when it's done.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

View attachment 1926447
Tomorrow I'll trim the fabric along the driveway so it's not visible then roll coat the walkway with another thin layer of Gravel Lok.
We're going out to find flat, thick field stones to edge the walkway with and use to blend in with the eventual stone walls that will definitely the landscape beds in front of the house. I'll run about a 1 foot width of mulch between the field stones and the lawn so I can place solar lights on either side to illuminate the walkway at night.

Looks awesome, Tonya!

 

[Shadrach]

I've had an old school lesson taught to me today. I went to see the guy that bought the Asils I was interested in.
Some people may disapprove of what follows and I'm still not sure what I think of it myself.
The Asils are kept as pairs. They have their own runs and the runs are well separated.
These Asils in particular and probably many others have ancestors that were bred for fighting. Apparently it's not just a question of breeding for aggression because apparently it doesn't necessarily breed through the generations. Heart condition is vital in fighting birds. A lot of roosters die of heart attacks in prolonged fights. Those that breed fighting birds, train them for fitness just like fighting humans.
This guy does not and never has used his chickens for fighting but, he says that there is a lot of knowledge on chicken fitness in the fight circles and he wants to keep his birds as fit as there ancestors.
Anyway, I watched him training two roosters and I can't fault him for inventiveness.
He's made spur boots, they are tight fitting tubes with a small rubber tip inserted. They strap around the roosters legs. His wife made leather boxing gloves for the feet. They work really well although for the first couple of attempts there was too much padding underneath and the roosters lost their balance a lot.
So, he puts a couple of roosters in his training run and lets them fight for a bit. Even with the boxing boots on and the spurs covered the speed and style is amazing to watch.
One rooster can do a somersault right over the back of another.
He trains the hens as well but in a different way.

 

[igorsMistress]

I've had an old school lesson taught to me today. I went to see the guy that bought the Asils I was interested in.
Some people may disapprove of what follows and I'm still not sure what I think of it myself.
The Asils are kept as pairs. They have their own runs and the runs are well separated.
These Asils in particular and probably many others have ancestors that were bred for fighting. Apparently it's not just a question of breeding for aggression because apparently it doesn't necessarily breed through the generations. Heart condition is vital in fighting birds. A lot of roosters die of heart attacks in prolonged fights. Those that breed fighting birds, train them for fitness just like fighting humans.
This guy does not and never has used his chickens for fighting but, he says that there is a lot of knowledge on chicken fitness in the fight circles and he wants to keep his birds as fit as there ancestors.
Anyway, I watched him training two roosters and I can't fault him for inventiveness.
He's made spur boots, they are tight fitting tubes with a small rubber tip inserted. They strap around the roosters legs. His wife made leather boxing gloves for the feet. They work really well although for the first couple of attempts there was too much padding underneath and the roosters lost their balance a lot.
So, he puts a couple of roosters in his training run and lets them fight for a bit. Even with the boxing boots on and the spurs covered the speed and style is amazing to watch.
One rooster can do a somersault right over the back of another.
He trains the hens as well but in a different way.

Are the birds still able to hurt each other Shad? Do they peck each other while fighting?