Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Celie]

Originally that was the case. Hundreds of years of careful systematic breeding and "genetic engineering", probably preceded by a few thousand years of haphazard breeding and cultivation, has created a very different creature from it's wild animal ancestor. Very few contemporary breeds could survive very well, let alone thrive, without human protection. Perhaps they could relearn those skills in a few generations, but those first few generations would have a very rough time with a very high casualty rate.

I agree, same as dogs and cats! Goldfish would not fair well in the wild either, no camouflage! My cats are fat and lazy. My dogs have their beds, on the floor, next to mine and sleep with a pillow like a person. Everyone is housebroken and have a very large dogie door. It's outside and far from the house as possible for dog and cat outhouse. No silkies for potty paper,either! No eating before people do and no touching anything that isn't put in their bowl.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Worked really hard today, so I laid down for a little nap, late this afternoon. Had this weird dream. There were flocks of these wild Frizzles and Silkies in the woods all around our place. It was really scary but so real that I awoke in a cold sweat.

Thanks for ruining my nap time.

 

[Pozees]

Worked really hard today, so I laid down for a little nap, late this afternoon. Had this weird dream. There were flocks of these wild Frizzles and Silkies in the woods all around our place. It was really scary but so real that I awoke in a cold sweat.

Thanks for ruining my nap time.

 

[Celie]

Endangered wild Frizzles and Silkies ????

 

[Beekissed]

Worked really hard today, so I laid down for a little nap, late this afternoon. Had this weird dream. There were flocks of these wild Frizzles and Silkies in the woods all around our place. It was really scary but so real that I awoke in a cold sweat.

Thanks for ruining my nap time.

Did they look something like this?

 

[siroiszoo]

Love the video Bee!

 

[HiddenChicken]

Not me, since I started keeping chickens I have lost quite a few to preds, they just didn't come home after a day of foraging, mine go out in the woods up the mountain and down below to the river so they face danger everyday, I know it's something that can happen but still choose to let my flock have the freedom they love. We had to put down several hens because of illness. water belly for one, never pleasant but something we have to do, but I cannot stand to hear any animal in distress. If I lost 10 chickens in one year I'd be very tempted to give it all up. 

Me, too...on the give it up part. If you're losing that many, why bother? Seems like a bad investment...at the very least! :/

I also can't stand to hear an animal in distress/suffering. No matter how hard it will be for me to put my hens down when the time comes, I will feel good knowing it was quick & the hen didn't suffer. It's not the animal dying that is upsetting...that's life, as they say. No one gets outta here alive! But, having it suffer while being attacked by a pred...a painful, slow death...that's where I start to cringe and tear up. I'm a softie that way, I guess.

Re: newbies expecting to lose chickens...yeah. I got the same info, so I got an extra hen "just in case." Is that *newbie* style chicken math?? lol...

 

[Gargoyle]

Great video Bee!

 

[HiddenChicken]

Did they look something like this? 

Ha! I just watched that video today! Love the "rooster vs. ......." videos. Funny watching a rooster chase a dog or cat all over the yard.

 

[Gargoyle]

The person who made the kung fu rooster video just posted a new video two hours ago. Not as good as the original, but still a fun watch.