Those boxes are a great idea! I bet my rabbit would like those, too. Not that she deserves it, the little crabcake.
Maybe the chickens will leave them alone, maybe not. I would be more concerned about your children picking up the leaves and putting their hands in their mouth. Oleanders are so highly toxic, livestock frequently die from accidentally ingesting the dry leaves.
See if your neighbor will keep them trimmed. Maybe explain your concern for your kids.
Yes I have been really careful with the kids. We trim/have them trimmed back over her property line, and my oldest (he is 6) is very conscious of them. He is on the spectrum (highly functioning aspbergers) so he takes it very literally and very seriously.
I think I might talk to her about taking them out. I grew up with a bunch of them and never had a problem, but with all these little boys you just never know what could happen.
re: oleander, i have several large bushes of it (planted by a previous owner of the house), & the chickens often forage nearby but have never had any trouble -- there are actually quite a few plants that they completely ignore (lavender, sage, rosemary, the daffodils that are up right now, etc).
edit: sorry, should have quoted @manychitlens directly, but couldn't find the original posting! this thread moves too fast!
Thank you for your experience! I would love to hear about anything that they leave alone, actually.
I've read other people say lavender as well...
Well, I'll throw in my 2 cents
The basque are so friendly they are annoying. So are the Dark Brahma's. Our Dark Brahma Cockerel would eat daintily out of any one's hand and trail along behind people like a puppy. Even as a chick the DB pullet would seek out human interaction. These are sexable at a pretty young age, the pullets have lovely silver lacing and no black feathers whereas the cockerels have solid black in their feathers.
The Basque though, they are almost strange because they are so friendly! I step on them when they get between my feet. A good thing about the Basque is that they are also sexable young. AND, they have a Mille Fluer pattern that breeders are culling so you can get a beautiful and friendly pullet for low cost.
Our crabbiest birds are Wyandottes (sorry people) and the flightiest are the Leghorns
Sorry. That's just how it is. I wouldn't recommend either of them for pets, egg layers, yes but not for pets.
With a flock of just 5 you'll want uber friendly birds!
I do not have either the DB or Basque for sale, this was just an excellent reason to brag a little about two of my favorite breeds.
Yes I could not agree more with this statement! It is definitely my number 1 priority. Most definitely higher than egg production, although that is somewhat important to me, but we don't eat eggs every day. Ideally I would have something like a dozen per week, which I hope is reasonable with 4 or 5 birds (??). I will definitely look into those breeds, thank you so much!
Well, I'll throw in my 2 cents
The Basque though, they are almost strange because they are so friendly! I step on them when they get between my feet. A good thing about the Basque is that they are also sexable young. AND, they have a Mille Fluer pattern that breeders are culling so you can get a beautiful and friendly pullet for low cost.
Our crabbiest birds are Wyandottes (sorry people) and the flightiest are the Leghorns
Well I don't know exactly where she lives either but I do know that she is way So of you. There is a gal in Chico from whom I was planning to buy hatching eggs. If the planets align and someone is broody when you are ready to part with a couple of your babies I will combine trips...if not that's OK too
Hi there!
No gun jumped...wish I had found BYC before I bought my girls
Yep...when the rest of the world thinks you are the crazy chicken lady, this is the place to come to find the crazier chicken person!
My sweetest birds are my Speckled Sussex, My Barred Rock, My California Grey and one of my EEs. But my Delawares and my Australorps are also calm, friendly, and curious. I will have Pita Pintas one day based on Pet Rock's and Ron's descriptions they may be pretty close to perfect.
It is great that you are considering straight run birds. I wish I had known what I was supporting when I got my first pullets from My Pet Chicken. Now I know that anything I wanted I could have found round here at a higher quality but live and learn right?
Oh my ! you sound just like me with my first hatch. I was a wreck and it went terribly...I did get some sweet birds out of the hatch but I messed with it too much for it to have been successful. I still want a couple of your splash or blue mixes. When the weather clears we should be able to finish the new coop in a few hours but who knows when that will be. Now with the Genesis my mom is getting for me I hope to be more relaxed too.
Precious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We have huge oleanders and they are a favorite hangout for peas and chickens. They provide cover and shade. Like you I was worried but I watched them and the never ate the leaves..green or dry. It has been almost two years now and I have only lost two birds once they were out of the brooder. One to a dog and my little rooster Curly to his birth defect.
Nope. Just my brother and wife and their youngest still live there. I am in Lake County.
This has been my experience as well.
The Yuba river is beautiful and so much fun to swim in
What is the name of the Greek restaurant you used to go to? I have a feeling it is one a friend of mine talked about but said it closed.
Sorry, I somehow messed up my multi quotes here. So two votes for no Wyandottes, check.
At first I was all for just walking into a feed store and picking up some chicks, but as I've been researching I just don't know if I can do it. I hate that I will likely have to get rid of roosters and know what is going to happen to them, but I think it's more humane than what happens with hatchery chicks. It makes me sick.
Thank you to all for your oleander input! I think I will definitely talk to her about taking them out (I was already considering it anyway, I was thinking I could offer to have my husband do it), but even if she won't I will try not to worry too much.
@chickee It is beautiful! I think maybe you're right that it closed. I think maybe it was called Opa. So sad, the owners were so nice and would come over and chat with you, such a great place! But it was definitely pretty empty all of the times we went.
I'm here to learn right now! I want to make sure I don't cause them too much damage my first go-round...
e
