constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Looking for fresh ideas from those that are either have a different background or able to think outside box because they do not already "know" what will not work.

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

Quote:
Looking for fresh ideas from those that are either have a different background or able to think outside box because they do not already "know" what will not work.

Okie Dokie

 

[centrarchid]

Not working as planned. Eggs were deposited in nest within 24 hours. I wrote eggs.

Four eggs and only one is white (Sallies).

Somehow Eduardo is to blame. Hens preparing to lay somehow signal to rooster they got one peeking and he promptly leads flock to nest site he has scoped out. I will have to setup four, possibly five nest to deal with this mess. I never really figured rooster was so involved with nest site selection.

 

[welasharon]

How cute is that? I'm sorry...not making light of your problem but that tickled me so! Perhaps you and Eduardo should have a man-to-man...
sharon

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I read the whole thread in a nut shell:
You are raising chickens totally free range without a coop.
You feel this makes the chickens stronger and more following their natural survival abilities.
Your hen is nesting in a box on your front porch.
You want to protect her from red-tail hawks because she isnt protected by her flock.

If its survival of the fittest why protect her...

But that said why not put up some camoflaged netting in a canopy out from your front porch. You can buy it at an Army Surplus store or you could make your own using Aviary netting with strips of green and brown cloth woven in randomly add in a few branches too. This will protect her from the hawks and give her cover on her way back to her nest.

 

[centrarchid]

perchie.girl :

I read the whole thread in a nut shell:
You are raising chickens totally free range without a coop.
You feel this makes the chickens stronger and more following their natural survival abilities.
Your hen is nesting in a box on your front porch.
You want to protect her from red-tail hawks because she isnt protected by her flock.

If its survival of the fittest why protect her...

But that said why not put up some camoflaged netting in a canopy out from your front porch. You can buy it at an Army Surplus store or you could make your own using Aviary netting with strips of green and brown cloth woven in randomly add in a few branches too. This will protect her from the hawks and give her cover on her way back to her nest.

Conditions for keeping my line of games has been maintained for a lot longer than I have been around as my grandfather and his forefathers did same. They are not of hatchery, show or backyard stock. Birds kept as such can and do live many years so situation not as bad as you might think. I am trying to keep them tough, not make them tougher. Survival of fittest not interpretation intended.

Front porch location is actually well protected against ground dwelling predators which are normally biggest hazard. I want to oberve the birds to monitor development. At this point I plan on using burlap to make a semi-permiable curtain where I can see in Sallie (and now the dom girls) can see out yet have their outlines obscured from prior eyes of red-tailed hawk.​

 

[MomMommyMamma]

I'm not familiar with game birds, but I am curious why they have to be weighed, daily is it?

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Yes daily, growth rapid and may be affected by weather so want to detect that if so. Purpose two-fold; first monitor variation in hens weight as a function of reproductive cycle, second determine growth curve (weight) of chicks to see when gender differences detectable and to see if growth temporally slowed at independence(weaning). Hen weight appears maximal when egg laying initiated then drops during incubation and I suspect drops even further while she tends very young chicks. At some point I think weight starts coming backup once chicks become more mobile and her weight may return to pre-laying weight immediately after chicks weaned as hen can forage more for her needs. If method works, then will be replicated next year with more hens.

 

[perchie.girl]

So you had the solution already.....

I would be the last to criticise over three generations worth of tradition. I was just trying to absorb your logic.

Quote:
Conditions for keeping my line of games has been maintained for a lot longer than I have been around as my grandfather and his forefathers did same. They are not of hatchery, show or backyard stock. Birds kept as such can and do live many years so situation not as bad as you might think. I am trying to keep them tough, not make them tougher. Survival of fittest not interpretation intended.

Front porch location is actually well protected against ground dwelling predators which are normally biggest hazard. I want to oberve the birds to monitor development. At this point I plan on using burlap to make a semi-permiable curtain where I can see in Sallie (and now the dom girls) can see out yet have their outlines obscured from prior eyes of red-tailed hawk.

 

[centrarchid]

perchie.girl :

So you had the solution already.....

I would be the last to criticise over three generations worth of tradition. I was just trying to absorb your logic.

According to my mother, a solid 6 generations with same family name. As for logic, more credit is given than due. I have kept birds for years but took for granted all the very interesting behaviors they engage in. The games at least have a rather large set of behaviors that keep them out of or get them into trouble. The behaviors are quite different than the dominiques and California greys I am also studying in some detail.​