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

Status
Not open for further replies.
Question for the old-timers.  Here's the scenario:

I'm trying to figure out where to put some new pens and a large run.  The best place in terms of available space has a round-tailed ground squirrel colony in the middle of the future run area.  I'm thinking the adult large fowl might eat the ground squirrels which would solve the problem, but I thought I'd ask for feedback before spending the time and money building the thing and losing a bunch of birds and feed to the ground squirrels.  Trapping ground squirrels is a losing battle and poison is not an option here. 

So, do any of you have experience with chicken runs and ground squirrel colonies?   Looking for any insight y'all can give me.
Not being the Old Timer in this case, I will report what Dear Ole Dad did. ;)

Once upon a time our street was a neat horse-shoe. A big patch of woods filled the interior. Then the government built Interstate 526 through it. All the squirrels moved quite literally into our backyard. Feeding the chickens became "dodge the sticks" because the squirrels wanted us to drop the food and leave so they could bully the chickens and grab some food, too.

Dad started carrying his pistol and shooting squirrels. Once a week, thrice a week, whenever the squirrels forgot he was a threat, Dad would whip out the pistol and off a squirrel. "Processed" squirrels were neatly wrapped in a bread wrapped and dropped in the deep freeze. When we had eight it was time to have squirrel for dinner.

Dad has thinned the squirrel population back to "normal nuisance levels". I hope this helps!

Edited to fix typo. Dad hasn't hunted squirrels with a gun since his squirrel dog died. Buddy was a Pekinese. I ask you to consider that a moment, lol. Buddy was creamy white and had an actual snout (not smush-faced as usual for the breed). He learned killing squirrels made Mom and Dad happy. There is a picture some place of the Great White Hunter trying to tear the snapping turtle (frying pan size) out of Mom's hands. Mom said she never worried about being attacked by dragons. (Me: Mom, there are no dragons in South Carolina...) Mom: "Don't tell Buddy. He works so had to scare off dragons everytime he runs outside!"
 
Last edited:
Pullets don't go for anything like that here in the US. $20 is probably average for a show type bird in large fowl unless it is an Oriental breed...those can be pricey because they are hard to find.

Walt

the expensive pullets were 20 wks Australorps (show lines),ones at 12 wks (utility line) went for $50 ea,and plymouth rocks,rir,gold laced wyndottes,light sussex went to $50-60 ea -fertile eggs go $30-40 dz + postage $15/dz,day old chicks r now about $10 each straight run,then add about $1-1.50 per week for any breed,stud roosters r about $80 each ,any rooster $10-15.getting to be an expensive hobby here
 
FYI -our gas price is now $1.459 a litre about $6.56 gallon,good grain mix for chickens -$23/20kg(44lbs)layer pellets $17/20kg
 
FYI -our gas price is now $1.459 a litre about $6.56 gallon,good grain mix for chickens -$23/20kg(44lbs)layer pellets $17/20kg

yeah, but you can get really fast cars from Japan cheap. Thats a lot of money for show birds unless they are something special......like being BB or higher in tough classes. In the 1920's a breeder here in the states got $1000.00 for a Barred Rock cockerel (E. B. Thomoson the originator of the ringlet strain of barred rocks). The US has always been blessed with cheap gas compared to the rest of the world. The saying is: "whatever the traffic will bear".......how bad do they want it.

Walt
 
yeah, but you can get really fast cars from Japan cheap. Thats a lot of money for show birds unless they are something special......like being BB or higher in tough classes. In the 1920's a breeder here in the states got $1000.00 for a Barred Rock cockerel (E. B. Thomoson the originator of the ringlet strain of barred rocks). The US has always been blessed with cheap gas compared to the rest of the world. The saying is: "whatever the traffic will bear".......how bad do they want it.

Walt

Hey Walt,

I was under the impression Mr Thompson turned the $1000 down. He declined it. Hmmm... I gotta get this story straight!!! LOL
 
Last edited:
Question for the old-timers. Here's the scenario:

I'm trying to figure out where to put some new pens and a large run. The best place in terms of available space has a round-tailed ground squirrel colony in the middle of the future run area. I'm thinking the adult large fowl might eat the ground squirrels which would solve the problem, but I thought I'd ask for feedback before spending the time and money building the thing and losing a bunch of birds and feed to the ground squirrels. Trapping ground squirrels is a losing battle and poison is not an option here.

So, do any of you have experience with chicken runs and ground squirrel colonies? Looking for any insight y'all can give me.
Are we talking CHIPMUNKS here??
 
Uh....then you have a terrier around other small game...like your chickens. Might want to clarify that you can solve one problem with a good dog but that same good dog needs to be a safe bet around the chickens. This isn't breed specific, by any means, but JRs are pretty excitable dogs in the best of circumstances. You get a few chickens running and squawking and you could solve the problem in a much different~and less productive~way.
wink.png
Would have to really train that JR around the chickens until he is completely safe.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom