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

[therapydoglady]

Just beware, Sam thinks Buff Leghorn bantams, Naked Neck bantams and Cubalayas are the best breeds. He may even sell you some Naked Necks. Sam is also on BYC at https://www.backyardchickens.com/u/2793/sbrush88

Just looked these three breeds up. The Buff Leghorns and BL Bantams are very pretty birds. The Cubalayas are beautifully colored, and their prolific tails are a sight to behold, but those Naked Necks are the ugliest things I've seen in a while! I guess they must be "an acquired taste." Ha! Ha! At least the axe has a clear target, and there are fewer feathers to pluck...sorry Sam.

Brie

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:

I wanted to be sure and state the way we have raised our Anatolians is not the recommended practice. We currently live on just three acres and they have no problem going under or over the fence. With several hundred acres behind us they have expanded their territory a bit and we had to reign them in. The neighbors will shoot dogs. So, our dogs have not been left with the herd or other stock as we initially intended. Even so we are very happy with this breed. We will be moving to 26 acres in a year or so. The neighbor there currently has two GP running with his goats/sheep/cattle. They seem to do an excellant job and meet us at our shared fence line whenever we are there. I wonder what is going to transpire when we move with our dogs. The 4-5' goat wire fence won't keep ours in as they can easily clear that if they choose to. While these dogs behave well for us they are not your typical hous guard dog. They do not respond to commands in the same manner as say a lab or rotty or german sheperd. I can't wait for the day we have a hundred acres and these dogs can live as intended.

Quote:

Let me clarify my earlier post. I most certainly did NOT mean to imply that a big, white, rescued dog which appeared to be of livestock guarding ancestry, should be entrusted with anyone's flock. I apologize to anyone who thought I meant that. What I meant was that sometimes known, proven, trustworthy LGDs end up in a rescue operation after their flocks are sold and they have nothing to guard and no where to go. Jim is entirely correct in his points about farm inspections and contracts. And all the fence climbing/hole digging/escaping problems are present in my dogs, too. My Great Pyrs get out of my 4 foot fence anytime they want to, but come back home on their own, too. The Anatolian can climb a cattle panel faster than I can, and we have had to retrieve him from neighbors over a mile away. The Anatolian does come home, but the goober can't seem to figure out how to get back inside the fence. I still love the goof ball, and he has certainly stopped the problems we had with 2 legged varmints bothering my livestock.
Sorry for the misunderstanding.
Angela

With Buddy, a 140+# registered Anatolian male, we resolved his escape issues with a wireless fence from http://www.petsafe.net/products/fencing-and-containment/wireless-fences

 

[Beekissed]

I use Petsafe Wireless fence also...have used it for the past 6 or 7 years now and I'm very satisfied with the results. Keeps the dogs safe but will still allow them some freedom if they simply must chase a pred out of the boundary. It doesn't shock them as they come back inside the boundary, which allows them to get right back where they belong with the livestock.

 

[Kansas Prairie]

We have In-Ground Fence for our German Short Haired Pointers, it transmits to cover up to 100 acres. Works like a dream. German Short Haired Pointers are not flock guardians, they are obsessed with finding birds. It is not wise to allow them access to any birds you want to keep.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Spor...tt=dog+fence&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Quote:
So you do not think this Buff Naked Neck Bantam is a nice bird?

http://redstagacres.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=151330775​

 

[Beekissed]

At my place? Definite cull!

 

[cubalaya]

i can agree with him on the cubalaya only.

 

[galefrances]

So is there a reason or some sort of purpose for this poor naked necked bird to be naked?

 

[Kassaundra]

At my place? Definite cull!

B/c it is NN or bantam???

 

[Beekissed]

Small bird, naked skin, not known for exceptional laying...or so I hear. What say you, folks? Good laying qualities or great laying qualities?