California - Northern
- Thread starter Nifty-Chicken
- Start date
- Mar 18, 2012
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I am struggling a bit with a decision and hope you guys can give me input.
Our current roosters are sweet and a little goofy (with the exception of the nasty boy whose name chaged from The Skipper to Next Fall's Soup). Last spring when Ray died we lost the pea fighter. we have anywhere from 35-50 feral peas that roam our neighborhood. Because we feed birds they really like it at our place. Overall I enjoy them They are lovely, I am used to the noise, they though roost on the porch when it is raining. DH is great about cleaning up after them. But they are feed thieves. It was not a problem when Ray was alive...until about a week before he died he was still doing regular battle. There was one male that wanted to share territory with Ray. The rest kept their distance but that one was slow to learn and it showed in his missing feathers. The Peas NEVER entered the pen with Ray in there. Now it seems that there is a continuous flow of them into the pen. I leave the pen open so the girls can get to nests while they range and the darn peas are in there eating.
I want a rooster like him, he was part game. I have a line on game mix hatching eggs that I can get locally but am now having second thoughts because I know it will complicate my life to add another rooster particularly one who is part game.
First chicken job of the summer is covering that run which will make it pea proof from the air but it won't help with them coming in when the gate is open to give girls access to nest boxes. I try to let them range almost all day every day when I am home in the summer. I do have nest boxes scattered around but some of my girls are extremely devoted to their own boxes inside the hen house. I move their feed from the floor of the run to inside the hen house after they have had breakfast but there are still peas who go into the hen house. Last summer when the pea chicks came their mamas TAUGHT them to go in the hen house for food. I don't blame the peas but you can imagine. I have 30+ birds so they aren't cheap to feed in the first place and I would guess that I am loosing at least a quarter of what I feed to the peas. With Ray here it was not a problem.
I am open to suggestions and yes I know that there is no guarantee that adding a gamey rooster would have the desired impact. we have talked about creating a feeding area too small for the adult peas to get into but that doesn't help with the pea babies and juvies.
My hen house is a 4 x 5 raised structure that sits inside of a 400+ square foot, currently uncovered pen.
Thanks in advance.
Our current roosters are sweet and a little goofy (with the exception of the nasty boy whose name chaged from The Skipper to Next Fall's Soup). Last spring when Ray died we lost the pea fighter. we have anywhere from 35-50 feral peas that roam our neighborhood. Because we feed birds they really like it at our place. Overall I enjoy them They are lovely, I am used to the noise, they though roost on the porch when it is raining. DH is great about cleaning up after them. But they are feed thieves. It was not a problem when Ray was alive...until about a week before he died he was still doing regular battle. There was one male that wanted to share territory with Ray. The rest kept their distance but that one was slow to learn and it showed in his missing feathers. The Peas NEVER entered the pen with Ray in there. Now it seems that there is a continuous flow of them into the pen. I leave the pen open so the girls can get to nests while they range and the darn peas are in there eating.
I want a rooster like him, he was part game. I have a line on game mix hatching eggs that I can get locally but am now having second thoughts because I know it will complicate my life to add another rooster particularly one who is part game.
First chicken job of the summer is covering that run which will make it pea proof from the air but it won't help with them coming in when the gate is open to give girls access to nest boxes. I try to let them range almost all day every day when I am home in the summer. I do have nest boxes scattered around but some of my girls are extremely devoted to their own boxes inside the hen house. I move their feed from the floor of the run to inside the hen house after they have had breakfast but there are still peas who go into the hen house. Last summer when the pea chicks came their mamas TAUGHT them to go in the hen house for food. I don't blame the peas but you can imagine. I have 30+ birds so they aren't cheap to feed in the first place and I would guess that I am loosing at least a quarter of what I feed to the peas. With Ray here it was not a problem.
I am open to suggestions and yes I know that there is no guarantee that adding a gamey rooster would have the desired impact. we have talked about creating a feeding area too small for the adult peas to get into but that doesn't help with the pea babies and juvies.
My hen house is a 4 x 5 raised structure that sits inside of a 400+ square foot, currently uncovered pen.
Thanks in advance.
Last edited:
- Mar 18, 2012
- 3,234
- 220
- 281
Last edited:
Two hours in the car, a trip to Tractor Supply to get a new feeder and waterer...and I have a new chicken! She's a frizzle Tolbunt Polish. I love her! She had to have a little bath in the sink because she laid in poop on the way home. I bet it actually feels nice to be wet when it's already hot out.
She's so pretty!! I love her. My flock has not tried to bother or peck her at all, but she will be kept in a dog crate in the coop for a few days just to be on the safe side.
She's so pretty!! I love her. My flock has not tried to bother or peck her at all, but she will be kept in a dog crate in the coop for a few days just to be on the safe side.
If you're under 18, please talk to your parents first, lol, then give me a list of your thin birds, their weights and PM that info along with your address to me and I'll mail some Safeguard to you. If your parents are concerned about me being some sort of crazy cyber stalker, I can talk to them on the phone first.
-Kathy
- Mar 20, 2014
- 1,454
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I joined this thread about a month ago, but it was so hard to keep up I unjoined, but now I'm going to try again because I've read posts before of things going around in this area that's good to know and there's so much info! We are new to ducks, we just got are first three yesterday! One Muscovy and two anconas
my four year old son named them Ana, Elsa and Kristof. We have spent the last month and a half building a duck house, making the yard ready, I've read a few duck books and tons of BYC forums (this site is amazing!) and now the babies are here! It's been so hot this year I almost feel like outside is as hot as there home inside! Some days my house feels like it's under a heat lamp even when I open every window.
- Jul 12, 2013
- 72
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Awwwwwwww, they are adorable!! The little black and brown one looks like my Rolo, when she was a baby.
I joined the EE band wagon! These three pullets spoke to me!
- Mar 20, 2014
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Omg! That is the coolest chicken I have ever seen!Two hours in the car, a trip to Tractor Supply to get a new feeder and waterer...and I have a new chicken! She's a frizzle Tolbunt Polish. I love her! She had to have a little bath in the sink because she laid in poop on the way home. I bet it actually feels nice to be wet when it's already hot out. She's so pretty!! I love her. My flock has not tried to bother or peck her at all, but she will be kept in a dog crate in the coop for a few days just to be on the safe side.
Quote:
Darn right she is!! She's awesome!!
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