constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[centrarchid]

All appears normal now. Hopefully the odd behavior was do to short term physical injury. She was trodded on pretty hard by Lucy. Her chicks are starting to get annoying. When I sit on porch in chair the chicks jump up onto my lap and shoulders exploring. Brownie simply watches their antics. Chicks even fly up on Scoob and he does snap at them but stops short of bighting.

 

[scottcaddy]

All appears normal now. Hopefully the odd behavior was do to short term physical injury. She was trodded on pretty hard by Lucy. Her chicks are starting to get annoying. When I sit on porch in chair the chicks jump up onto my lap and shoulders exploring. Brownie simply watches their antics. Chicks even fly up on Scoob and he does snap at them but stops short of bighting.

Good dog that Scoob!

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

CLAMBERING

Brownies three week old chicks have begun to exhibit a behavior on me normally restricted to the rough bark of trees or brick wall of a house. A chick will stand on my foot while looking up at my face as I stand vertically. Then it will launch running up my leg and ultimately up to just below my shoulder on my chest. The wings flap a great deal but the legs provide most of the thrust as it goes up my body. The wings help keep bird close enough to me for legs to keep working. At this point the chicks can fly vertically nearly ten feet if scared but this activity is much easier to do. It is this clambering business that requires closer cropping of wing feathers than is required for simply stopping vertical flight.

 

[scottcaddy]

CLAMBERING

Brownies three week old chicks have begun to exhibit a behavior on me normally restricted to the rough bark of trees or brick wall of a house. A chick will stand on my foot while looking up at my face as I stand vertically. Then it will launch running up my leg and ultimately up to just below my shoulder on my chest. The wings flap a great deal but the legs provide most of the thrust as it goes up my body. The wings help keep bird close enough to me for legs to keep working. At this point the chicks can fly vertically nearly ten feet if scared but this activity is much easier to do. It is this clambering business that requires closer cropping of wing feathers than is required for simply stopping vertical flight.

I have seen many a hen and a few Roo's do the same thing on my 6 ft. high run fences, one of the reasons I have netting over the top of all my runs. In a free ranging bird do you want to stop the behavior?

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

I value my birds' ability to fly so I no longer do anything to suppress it. As a kid I did get free rein with clipping a laying hen flock which did involve some experimentation with strong flying chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

Ralph (harem master of front porch flock) has been a single parent for nearly 2 weeks to a group of eight juveniles (7 female and 1 male with latter already crowing feebly). He takes his job seriously rearing the roughly 8 week old juveniles he has constantly in tow and makes no effort to hang with hens belonging to American Dominique flock in pasture. Despite being 3/4 American Dominique, he has demonstrated most of the characteristics I look for in a broody rooster in that he leads them in daily foraging routine and at least provides oversight with respect predators. I have not seen him take on a Coopers Hawk but that may be because to Coopers have not hunted here at all this summer except when going after songbirds and one juvenile chicken (RIR?) taken from neighbors place. He also leads offspring to roosting location with a particular call that is made only as he walks up to roost, jumps and settles in for night. This works within limits. Tonight I partially closed the garage door so juveniles but not Ralph could fit through. He was able to call young to front porch storage shelf but they would run back and forth between there and usual roost in garage when he made call. Ultimately Ralph lost and young roosted in garage leaving Ralph alone. His grandfather seemed to be more effective at influencing where everyone else roosted. I do not know if the difference is in Ralph or the juveniles. Juveniles will soon have wing bands installed before being moved out to stay with balance of Dominique cross project birds.

 

[scottcaddy]

Ralph (harem master of front porch flock) has been a single parent for nearly 2 weeks to a group of eight juveniles (7 female and 1 male with latter already crowing feebly). He takes his job seriously rearing the roughly 8 week old juveniles he has constantly in tow and makes no effort to hang with hens belonging to American Dominique flock in pasture. Despite being 3/4 American Dominique, he has demonstrated most of the characteristics I look for in a broody rooster in that he leads them in daily foraging routine and at least provides oversight with respect predators. I have not seen him take on a Coopers Hawk but that may be because to Coopers have not hunted here at all this summer except when going after songbirds and one juvenile chicken (RIR?) taken from neighbors place. He also leads offspring to roosting location with a particular call that is made only as he walks up to roost, jumps and settles in for night. This works within limits. Tonight I partially closed the garage door so juveniles but not Ralph could fit through. He was able to call young to front porch storage shelf but they would run back and forth between there and usual roost in garage when he made call. Ultimately Ralph lost and young roosted in garage leaving Ralph alone. His grandfather seemed to be more effective at influencing where everyone else roosted. I do not know if the difference is in Ralph or the juveniles. Juveniles will soon have wing bands installed before being moved out to stay with balance of Dominique cross project birds.

If I remember right, That would be Eduardo?

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

Correct, his maternal grandfather was Eduardo. I would like to switch back to using straight game on male side but current setup does not give reliable separation.

 

[centrarchid]

COOPERS HAWK GAVE FRONT PORCH FLOCK SOME THOUGHT

Yesterday late afternoon a Coopers Hawk (juvenile) flew low and slow through yard to within about 75 feet of Brownie and her chicks. Ralph was near by a gave a low intensity warning for hawk at the same time Brownie made call. The warning calls are not a rooster only thing by a long shot. Both adults stepped in the direction of the hawk fluffing up their feathers a bit. Chicks were actually at the feat of my wife going for her toes. The hawk flew to a power line a couple hundred feet away and was clearly watching us. I was fully expecting it to make a run for a chick but I suspect the adult chickens plus two dogs that love chasing birds not chickens and finally ducks were close by made hawk reconsider. It eventually flew away. I could not get my wife to notice hawk because she was so into chicks going after her toes. My rule is when in and among chickens, look around so you do not miss anything.

 

[scottcaddy]

COOPERS HAWK GAVE FRONT PORCH FLOCK SOME THOUGHT

Yesterday late afternoon a Coopers Hawk (juvenile) flew low and slow through yard to within about 75 feet of Brownie and her chicks. Ralph was near by a gave a low intensity warning for hawk at the same time Brownie made call. The warning calls are not a rooster only thing by a long shot. Both adults stepped in the direction of the hawk fluffing up their feathers a bit. Chicks were actually at the feat of my wife going for her toes. The hawk flew to a power line a couple hundred feet away and was clearly watching us. I was fully expecting it to make a run for a chick but I suspect the adult chickens plus two dogs that love chasing birds not chickens and finally ducks were close by made hawk reconsider. It eventually flew away. I could not get my wife to notice hawk because she was so into chicks going after her toes. My rule is when in and among chickens, look around so you do not miss anything.

I'm not throwing stones here, but is she a city person?

Scott