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

[bruceha2000]

I'm glad my thoughts were somewhat helpful. This is rather an "axe to grind" subject for me. I truly love chickens and chicken keeping. I'm frustrated, as an old curmudgeon, that people are cursed with such lousy birds. It's bad enough that people take up the "hobby" and haven't a clue about chicken behaviors or flock keeping and have no facilities in which to keep birds in a healthy, normal way, then, to add insult to injury, get such crummy advice from folks that are novices themselves and finally, the real topper is that they get such lousy birds that that whole thing collapses into armageddon.

Once a person becomes adept, to a degree, in chicken keeping, I believe they deserve better birds. I also believe that really good birds enhance the whole experience in positive ways. I don't want to see really good birds wasted by being stuck in a bad environment, with a goofus flock keeper, but good flock keepers just need good birds. I just cannot describe the difference such birds make.

Apologies for the rant.

Is there a difference between "taking up the hobby" to get eggs rather than "taking up the hobby" to breed? Given they only lay for a few years (or so I understand) the expense of a "good bird" vs a $2.50 plus shipping hatchery chick is pretty wide.

Of course, I got my first chickens 5 months ago so I have no way to compare the laying value a "pure bred" breeder bird vs my "have not laid eggs yet" hatchery birds. At this point, I probably rank with the "goofus flock keepers" anyway. I do think my birds ARE in a good environment though. They have an indoor coop 2.5 times the 'minimum' for the number of birds, an indoor run that they leave regularly whether the 4' gate is closed or not

and thus access to the rest of the lower barn. They have an outdoor run, again with a "keeps all the chickens in IF they want to stay there" 4' fence and, at least until it all dies, as much grass and as many bugs as they care to eat.

At this point, I figure the "good birds" should be going to those who will breed them and expand the gene pool.

Bruce

 

[thedragonlady]

The thing you need to know about common sense is.....its not actually that common. I'm glad she posted it though because educationally it is very informative. I would never have thought a hawk would go in a pop door. And be that crafty in general. I would have expected them to be flying overhead and swoop but not laying in wait, getting impatient, hiding on the roof and then right in the coop.

Made me think of my situation. At night nothing can get in the coop except perhaps a genious sasquatch or a rabid 1000 pound bear or a bulldozer.

But during the day the galvanized gate is open, the insulated reinforced door is open and the interior coop door is open. The reinforced door has a dog door in it that I have kept closed...How hard would it be to train the chickens to walk through it and what about the flaps? Could they do that? Its a big enough dog door that 110 pound dogs used to go in and out....Daisy couldnt but she topped off at 170 before she died. I gues to simplify this question....does anyone have any idea if chickens can handle flaps on their pop door.

Sorry to be so unable to communicate this evening. Finding a kill site, dosposing of the carcas myself and then 2 classroom holloween parties, friday folders, a costume parade and setting up and attending trunk or treat followed by tired kids with millions of aches and pains and sugar packets, I forgot to eat and made the kids raman noodles for dinner, DH out of town- it has all has kicked my bussle.

The chickens are safe. The maint area is a poop fest. I honked the horn for ten minutes before I let the kids out of the car when we got home and 5 hunters at the trunk or treat offered to spend the night waiting for the cat. Everything from bows to glocks. LOL. Dh is half cracked he's not here and the kids are sleeping with me tonight.

Calgon take me away! I'm glad you guys are around to help me get my head around this. The sheriff did say, when I asked him just exactly when we could kill the cat "you dont have to convince me, its DOW you have to convince it was to protect life or limb" Interesting, huh.

I have flaps on my poop door for the Orps.The trick is to start by putting one on either side for a few days, and add the flaps as they get used to it.I had some old Naugahyde ( from my days of raising Naugas !)

That I cut for the strips. Works great!

 

[siroiszoo]

Chiming in late on the GMO corn thing. I got some organic non-gmo corn for myself. It is dry "dent corn." Mine won't eat the corn in regular scratch either. Threw a few grains of the nonGMO at them... gobbled it right up. Cracked some and gave them more.. they turned their noses up at it. LOL. I guess it just looked like the "bad stuff" so they didn't bother.
Incidentally, I was at the store yesterday and the wild bird food was cheaper than the scratch I got at the feed store last week. Yep, got them a bag.

Where'd you get the non-GMO corn? What is "dent corn"?

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I agree with Bruceh!!! These chicken huggers and chicken mommies are going to cause laws and inspections that will cost us for their fad experience.

I understan the point being made here but I have to pop in here. My chickens are livestock and pets, not in the way a dog is a pet but I care for them, give them treats and talk to them and sit with one on my lap and they follow me around in anticipation of more treats. They are far differnt than hogs. I hug my turkeys on a daily basis but am not an advocate of Chicken are people, or anything. Since I have gotten my own flock and stopped caring just for my gmas flock my depression is gone, I have lost weight that was threatening my life and countless medications now gone. I am not one that dresses up the birds or brings them indoors and puts a diaper on them but I care about these animals deeply and take pride in that. Each has a name or at least nick name since we are growing rapidly, and I spend time with them each day giving treats and talking to them and petting them. They are all tame and come to me and I can handle them and that is important, I need to know I can handle them if one needs treated so it isnt a wild chase around the barnyard to catch a chicken. I do agree that those urban, rich, I have money falling out of my a@@ types that have million dollar coops in their back yards shouldnt have any chickens because of the fact that yes once their fad is over or the first time Sarah Jane gets poop on her dress she is gonna freak and sell the chickens and then we end up with a huge problem every were. But I have to say I owe my birds alot and thank them every day for what they have done for me.

Protect Backyard Birds From Hawks

By Melissa Mayntz,

• Shelter: Providing natural cover for small birds is the best way to protect them from hawk attacks. Dense trees, shrubbery and brush piles are all suitable, and shelter should be within 10 feet of birdfeeders so small birds can reach it quickly when they feel threatened. To make landscaping do double duty, choose plants that provide seeds or fruits for the birds and they will be able to feed in the cover and in complete safety.
  
• Shield Feeders: Place birdfeeders in covered areas such as under an awning or umbrella or hanging from lower tree branches where the canopy will prevent hawks from seeing available prey. Alternatively, covered platform feeders can provide some visual shielding from circling hawks.
  
• Avoid Ground Feeding: Birds that feed on the ground are more vulnerable to hawk attacks because they cannot react as quickly to a predator and their options are limited as to where to go. Avoid low feeders or feeding birds on the ground to minimize a hawk’s success.
  
• Remove Hawk Vantage Points: Hawks will often stake out suitable hunting grounds and wait for unwary prey to approach. To make your backyard less inviting, remove dead branches that a hawk may perch on, or choose a type of fencing they will not be comfortable with, such as thin wires that can be difficult for larger birds to grasp.

Thank you, do you know if any of those fake plastic statues of animals would do anything?

 

[smilot]

The fake plastic animals don't work well unless they're the electronic head moving kind, and even at that you have to move it all the time. I know this sounds redneck and depending on where you live you could get in trouble for it, but where I live the neighbors are very fond of fireworks which got my noodle to twitching and I realized that bottle rockets will do the trick. It would be a miracle if they hit your flying predator but that's not the purpose. It's keeps them moving on to a safer place to hunt. Problem is you have to notice there out there and wait for them to be close enough to be affected. I guess roman candles would do the same thing but they are pretty dangerous. Bottle rockets are fairly harmless when used in a bottle and from a proper distance. Obviously use your common sense and make sure your chickens and or turkey's ducks or what have you are far away encase of a side shooter (which tends to happen if the stick is cracked or broken FYI...

 

[Kansas Prairie]

.I had some old Naugahyde ( from my days of raising Naugas !)

 

[maidenwolfx80]

The fake plastic animals don't work well unless they're the electronic head moving kind, and even at that you have to move it all the time. I know this sounds redneck and depending on where you live you could get in trouble for it, but where I live the neighbors are very fond of fireworks which got my noodle to twitching and I realized that bottle rockets will do the trick. It would be a miracle if they hit your flying predator but that's not the purpose. It's keeps them moving on to a safer place to hunt. Problem is you have to notice there out there and wait for them to be close enough to be affected. I guess roman candles would do the same thing but they are pretty dangerous. Bottle rockets are fairly harmless when used in a bottle and from a proper distance. Obviously use your common sense and make sure your chickens and or turkey's ducks or what have you are far away encase of a side shooter (which tends to happen if the stick is cracked or broken FYI...

ok sounds great, I use bottle rockets to scare away lots of stuff lol. I will have to set up a welcoming party for my guest

 

[Miss Lydia]

I saw that would love to see a pic of Naugas most be an ancient breed of something.

 

[Kansas Prairie]

maidenwolfx80
I credit my mini dachshunds ( weenie dogs) with scaring off many hawks attempting to kill my chickens! They start barking and heading towards the hawks even if they are far above circling, I think that's my best line of defense when the chickens are out free ranging & in the horse corrals. Those dachshunds are bred to dig vermin out of holes, they are smart and if they feel pain on their face they get more aggressive. They seem to be enough to send the hawks on their way. The hawks are over populated here.

 

[Pozees]

Did the Native Americans grow corn in your area? If so, perhaps there are varieties that grow pretty well without as much water and fertilizer as our pampered sweet corn.

Good question, I will look into that - I don't believe they did, but never really tried to find out, so I could certainly be wrong.