Challenges of living in the woods with chickens

[TOMTE]

I'm going to, in another attempt to reorient this thread, make a fun list of potential predators, pests, and prey on and around our property!

PREDATORS:
Hawks (red-shouldered, red-tail, broad-winged, Cooper's, sharp-shinned)
Eagles (bald— fish eaters, not really an issue; and during migration, golden)
Canids (red foxes, domestic dogs, probably coyotes)
Mustelids (weasels, mink, possibly fishers— have seen exactly none of these but I know they're around)
Felids (domestic cats, possibly bobcat)
Procyonids (raccoons)

PESTS
Rodents (mice, chipmunks [tree squirrels aren't an issue for us here but chipmunks get into everything])
Soricidae (shrews; short-tailed shrews are everywhere here and get into the run a lot)
Diptera (flies; mosquitos, stable flies, any that contribute to bites and flystrike [which is not nearly all flies])
Arachnids (ticks and biting mites, not spiders)

PREY
Mice
Shrews
Frogs
Bugs (colloquial) of course
Songbird fledglings
Snakes

For those of you with roosters, how would you go about picking the best rooster from a bunch of cockerels? I have 9 and I need to pick 2 to keep. They are all Cream Legbars, 6 weeks old. Legbars are supposed to be very good free rangers. The biggest cockerel with the biggest crown so far was starting to peck my hand whenever I invaded their territory to clean. I swatted him away the other day and he stopped doing it. So I’m wondering would this be a good one (protective of the flock) or a bad one (challenging my presence)? I’ve never had roosters before and I’m not sure how to go about choosing the best ones. I know it is a crapshoot but….any suggestions?

I don't have any experience with roos myself. Others with experience have told me (as I definitely want one someday) that cockerels rarely do well as roosters in a same-age flock they were raised with... If that makes sense. Unless the cockerel has older hens/roos to put him in his place and teach him how to respect his ladies, he will likely not be "the perfect roo" for your flock.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Unless the cockerel has older hens/roos to put him in his place and teach him how to respect his ladies, he will likely not be "the perfect roo" for your flock.

This has been my experience as well although most of my cockerels have moved on to do their roostering somewhere else. In the cases where they went to my mom’s I know the ones raised by broody hens within the flock are as a rule better roosters when they’re grown. They still go through a hormonal jerk phase but it’s not a human aggressive thing-just over amorousness lol

 

[Carontheroad]

I've only had one breed of LGD in my life so far and only for two years now, so I'm far from an expert on this stuff. I've simply heard about the Pyrenees thing from others with them. I agree with the other poster that I would definitely leave an LGD as a last case scenario

What LGD breed do you have? In case I ever decide to get a dog again.

I had a Rhodesian Ridgeback (she died a few years ago). Not a LGD that I know of (at least not here in North America) but a beautiful animal and tough as hell but I wouldn’t trust her with my chickens. We had to keep her on leash inside the house for 3 weeks when we first got a kitten. Imagine having to hold onto your dog’s leash for 3 weeks inside the house! It’s not that she wanted to eat the kitty or anything but she was just too rough. She learnt though and they became friends. She was great at letting us know when something was lurking outside and I always felt safer going for a walk in the woods with her by my side. She loved to chase the deer, I think she wanted to play with them but they weren’t having it!

 

[Carontheroad]

I'm going to, in another attempt to reorient this thread, make a fun list of potential predators, pests, and prey on and around our property!

PREDATORS:
Hawks (red-shouldered, red-tail, broad-winged, Cooper's, sharp-shinned)
Eagles (bald— fish eaters, not really an issue; and during migration, golden)
Canids (red foxes, domestic dogs, probably coyotes)
Mustelids (weasels, mink, possibly fishers— have seen exactly none of these but I know they're around)
Felids (domestic cats, possibly bobcat)
Procyonids (raccoons)

PESTS
Rodents (mice, chipmunks [tree squirrels aren't an issue for us here but chipmunks get into everything])
Soricidae (shrews; short-tailed shrews are everywhere here and get into the run a lot)
Diptera (flies; mosquitos, stable flies, any that contribute to bites and flystrike [which is not nearly all flies])
Arachnids (ticks and biting mites, not spiders)

PREY
Mice
Shrews
Frogs
Bugs (colloquial) of course
Songbird fledglings
Snakes


I don't have any experience with roos myself. Others with experience have told me (as I definitely want one someday) that cockerels rarely do well as roosters in a same-age flock they were raised with... If that makes sense. Unless the cockerel has older hens/roos to put him in his place and teach him how to respect his ladies, he will likely not be "the perfect roo" for your flock.

This has been my experience as well although most of my cockerels have moved on to do their roostering somewhere else. In the cases where they went to my mom’s I know the ones raised by broody hens within the flock are as a rule better roosters when they’re grown. They still go through a hormonal jerk phase but it’s not a human aggressive thing-just over amorousness lol

Well, these cockerels will have 11 sisters but I also have 14 mature hens that I’m hoping will “teach” them how to be good roos. One of the cockerels got out the other day and headed for the free ranging hens and right away one of the hens started to go after it with raised hackles. Still too young yet to mix it up with the big girls. Legbars are supposed to be flighty and I think I’m seeing that already.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Still too young yet to mix it up with the big girls.

This is debatable. Your numbers are almost even so I would definitely start the integration process sooner than later. My current in-training cockerel was only six weeks when I threw him in with two adult hens and 8 slightly older pullets. (NOT saying I recommend that-it worked for me but that is not normally how I would have done it). He gets a little correction from the big girls occasionally but there is no bloodshed or fighting when they’re out or even when they’re in the run.
Edit to say the pullets were also not given a slow intro but there are many more of them than the hens. A slow intro is always a good idea

 

[Carontheroad]

I'm going to, in another attempt to reorient this thread, make a fun list of potential predators, pests, and prey on and around our property!

PREDATORS:
Hawks (red-shouldered, red-tail, broad-winged, Cooper's, sharp-shinned)
Eagles (bald— fish eaters, not really an issue; and during migration, golden)
Canids (red foxes, domestic dogs, probably coyotes)
Mustelids (weasels, mink, possibly fishers— have seen exactly none of these but I know they're around)
Felids (domestic cats, possibly bobcat)
Procyonids (raccoons)

PESTS
Rodents (mice, chipmunks [tree squirrels aren't an issue for us here but chipmunks get into everything])
Soricidae (shrews; short-tailed shrews are everywhere here and get into the run a lot)
Diptera (flies; mosquitos, stable flies, any that contribute to bites and flystrike [which is not nearly all flies])
Arachnids (ticks and biting mites, not spiders)

PREY
Mice
Shrews
Frogs
Bugs (colloquial) of course
Songbird fledglings
Snakes

I hear minks are the worst. They will kill your whole flock in one night just for the fun of it, leaving the bodies behind. Not sure if that’s true.

I had to look up what colloquial meant. I’ve never used that word in casual conversation (pun intended).

Can’t seem to get rid of this

 

[Carontheroad]

This is debatable. Your numbers are almost even so I would definitely start the integration process sooner than later. My current in-training cockerel was only six weeks when I threw him in with two adult hens and 8 slightly older pullets. (NOT saying I recommend that-it worked for me but that is not normally how I would have done it). He gets a little correction from the big girls occasionally but there is no bloodshed or fighting when they’re out or even when they’re in the run.
Edit to say the pullets were also not given a slow intro but there are many more of them than the hens. A slow intro is always a good idea

We’ve been thinking about starting the integration process sooner than we have in the past (usually around 3 months). They all live in the same coop with some chicken wire between the grownups and the little ones so they know each other. But the outdoor time has been totally in another spot for the little ones (I’ve been using a little greenhouse for the chicks but they are fast outgrowing that). I have an enclosed section of the outdoor run that I think I’ll start using for the 20 chicks with supervision, see how the big ones take to them outside. In the coop all is harmony.

 

[No Coop No Problem]

Did the bamboo really save that forest?

I agree that this discussion has went on long enough and it's getting off topic, however I will respond to this one final question

They were bulldozing the lot so they could place a Burger King there. The bamboo prevented that and the bamboo forest now has a large abundance of native species growing there. Far more than would be growing in a Burger King parking lot. So yes, I would say it saved the forest

What LGD breed do you have? In case I ever decide to get a dog again.

I had a Rhodesian Ridgeback (she died a few years ago). Not a LGD that I know of (at least not here in North America) but a beautiful animal and tough as hell but I wouldn’t trust her with my chickens. We had to keep her on leash inside the house for 3 weeks when we first got a kitten. Imagine having to hold onto your dog’s leash for 3 weeks inside the house! It’s not that she wanted to eat the kitty or anything but she was just too rough. She learnt though and they became friends. She was great at letting us know when something was lurking outside and I always felt safer going for a walk in the woods with her by my side. She loved to chase the deer, I think she wanted to play with them but they weren’t having it!

My LGD is a Central Asian Shepherd. She's been perfect so far as a guardian for children, land and livestock

I've heard good things about Rhodesian Ridgebacks in regards to guarding people and property. A lot of human guard dog breeds still have strong prey drive though

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I’ll drop this here and scuttle away , in case anyone is thinking of planting bamboo.

There are four named species of bamboo that are native to North America. Google river cane, and then take it from there! It will probably be difficult to source, though, as currently people are trying to re-establish it in its native habitat. It is a Culturally Protected Species as a source of Cherokee basketmaking.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/rivercane.htm

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/arundinaria-gigantea/

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I’ll drop this here and scuttle away

Chicken