Consolidated Kansas

[Ivywoods]

Our female was the wanderer. She was also the one that would chase cars, and eventually got hit, but did heal up from her injury. She would get the younger pup to wander with her, and got him to chasing cars. We rehomed her and have not had a problem with the other two since.

Yes, they are all different with their own personalities.

 

[chicken danz]

Yes all GPs are different but my dogs have been natural protectors and they are very family orientated. My female never left the place until I got my male. He wandered when he was younger but as he matures he sticks around. He does like to go to the creek to cool off in the heat of the summer but other than that he stays home. I've had several people I sold the pups to that said they were taking the guarding of goats and chickens both very seriously at just 3-4 months old. I have friends that raise literally thousands of goats a year and depend on their GP to protect them. Not only do they keep away predators but they have also kept away people attempting to steal the goats. Same dog that does all this is a wonderful family pet as well and they love her to death. I think if a dog has the guardian instinct it is going to be a good guardian regardless of how it is raised. My male is a big baby that will love on everyone. My female is very shy and doesn't normally warm up to strangers. Both of them act entirely different if I'm not around when someone shows up. She has gone after one of my friends a couple times because she felt threatened by him. He's kind of a ruff and fast moving guy. But she is a sweet and loving pet to me.
I think the best information is probably on the GP club of America web site. I guess every dog can be different but mine are my babies and my protectors. Maybe it all boils down to the hereditary traits more than how they are raised. My daughter trains dogs for a living both obedience and guardian. She says it is all hereditary.
'Nuf about that. Everyone has their opinions.
I found out I will be out of commission for a while. Guess I'll be eating my TG dinner in the hospital. I'm going to have another spinal (cervical) neck surgery on the 22nd. This will be the 3rd one on my neck. I hope I am feeling good enough I can use my laptop while I'm in the hospital and keep in touch. You might get some weird posts because I will be on morphine! I'm going to have to find someone to help with my birds for awhile. DH cant be available to do it if he is working cause he works 12.5 hour shifts.

 

[chicken danz]

More updates. Just emptied the hatcher. I have 22 new chicks, all but one are Seramas. And 10 new ducks. I am sure glad I decided to stop hatching until January! Some how my stopping isn't every stopping. I really have to quit though or I won't be able to take care of them.
Seramas lovers, I think I have 3-4 that will be pure white. Now just to keep them thriving for a few days. Seramas are the hardest chicks to raise. That lethal gene thing is awful.

 

[Trish44]

Danz, sorry to hear you have to have another surgery, especially over the holiday. I hope it goes well for you & that this is the last one. I have had two surgeries this year myself, although totally different than yours, but I know how that sets you back. I had them a month apart & it was a hard summer for me this year. At least you get to do it & recover while it's cold out, that's a plus if you have to do it.

I'm so glad to hear that some people are able to handle their GPs & still have them do their jobs too, that makes me feel better. I was told that you can't have them bond with you & have them as LGDs, but as we already said there are very strong opinions about that subject on both sides & I don't want to start another heated discussion so we'll leave it at that. I just can't have a totally untouchable wild dog here, I have to be able to catch it when I need to & it has to learn some basic commands. I don't plan to have her in the house like some people do, we have two house puppies that are very small dogs & very spoiled, so we don't need another dog in the house. Besides I need her to be outside to run off the predators, that will be her job here.

 

[rittert3]

Danz I hope everything goes ok, I will keep you in my thoughs, I would also offer to help with the birds if I was closer

I hope you don't have trouble finding anyone.

 

[lburress]

Today my girls are 24 weeks, I have no eggs yet. Losing hope in Wichita.

 

[Trish44]

My Barred Rocks started about 24-25 weeks & the Red Stars didn't start until a couple of weeks after that, so don't give up yet. I know that the EE hens are slower & mine hasn't laid yet either.

 

[ChooksChick]

Danz, sorry about the surgery! That's horrible, but perhaps you'll be very well hereafter?

lburress, don't give up. Boost their protein with canned tuna and give them a bit!

Trish, hope the Denagard does the trick and everyone gets much better soon! I've never lost a bird to Bumblefoot, and it seems that if one keeps them wrapped and covered in ointment, there can be a recovery. It sometimes takes months, but it's still always worked out for my birds. I've soaked in Tricide-neo, too, but I am not tenacious enough to do that with all of them.

LN2008, Roger at Lawrence Feed is an absolute hoot! I always get a kick out of him when I go in there.

I hope all are well- I'm just back from a field trip to Oklahoma to visit Heirloom Orpingtons and picked up my Chocolate roo and got Victor (now Lionel because he's a black tank and makes a whoooooo like a train!) from Tammy.

I'm working like a dog right now because some new natural foods stores are opening and I've got some extra hours to put up...but it's a good thing.

Tomorrow I go help sort out some extra cockerels and then I'll be building coops again this weekend for another friend. Oy! Busy bee before winter!

 

[chicken danz]

Iburess, WELCOME! With the daylight changing at the same time they are reaching maturity it slows down their laying. Try putting a a light on a timer to come on about 4AM or so in their house, but let it get dark naturally. The light should stimulate them some to start laying and help the process along. Have you switched them to layer feed yet?

Thanks for your well wishes, I have a degenerative disease and there isn't a lot I can do to change or prevent it. I try to keep active with my birds which has helped me tons. I don't think most people would know I have major physical issues. At some point the pain becomes more than one can tolerate and then it is time to go under the knife again. This will be the last neck surgery, because I will have virtually all my neck movement gone. The doc is going to go in and remove all the metal from previous surgeries and replace it with one long one. I am almost bionic. I have more artificial parts than real ones.

Trish give your pup a chance to get mature before expecting it to work real hard. A GP actually doesn't reach full maturity until they are about 2 and 1/2. My female was out chasing coyotes at 5 months but my male took close to a year before he really got into it. He was very laid back and lazy comparatively. But he is excellent now that he is about a year and a half old. I think part of that was because she made him stay here while she went out. Kind of a mothering thing to protect him. My dogs don't want to be in the house, other than my female likes to come in and eat the cat food, and take an afternoon nap in the AC when it is super hot outside.

One couple that bought two of my dogs had one that immediately attached to their goats and the other one attached to the chickens and stays closer to the house. Talk about the best of both worlds.

 

[Trish44]

Danz, yeah I know I will have to give Lily time to grow some & mature before expecting her to work that much. But I also keep reading that these dogs are just so super intelligent & start paying attention to things at a very young age. I will just play it by ear & see what happens with her. It sounds like the females mature earlier than the males just like people. I was told by the breeder that she came home one day recently & one of the pups was standing on one of the goats that was sleeping looking through it's horns just watching, how cute is that & they were only 5 weeks old! I hope your surgery goes well & you get some pain relief when it's done. Let us all know how you're doing.