constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[centrarchid]

MORE TIDBITTING GOING ON


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/812969/tid-bitting-call-more-interesting

In addition to what is noted in thread above, the related juveniles tell not only each other about quality eats, they even tell mom and harem master. When a gold mine of eats is found a juvenile tidbit calls like a seasoned old cock calling balance of harem to location. Even the pullets do it which surprised me. Tidbitting is far from being restricted to roosters keeping their "girls" happy.

Brownie is not only still clucking, she is also tidbitting when to advertise a captured big grasshopper and then allows offspring to take it from her. She is still less than nonbreeding weight so she is still sacrificing significant resources. I handled her chicks as well and they are heavier than American Dominiques that appear larger than the game juveniles.

 

[centrarchid]

LOTS OF HAWK ACTIVITY THIS MORNING

At about 0800 a male sharp-shinned hawk flew south over yard with small brown bird in it's talons. Catch was already dead and likely an English house sparrow. At about 1015 a juvenile male Coopers Hawk flew low and slow over juvenile pen that is being disbanded today. The houses about 30 juveniles about 18 weeks old and 2 chicks about 4 weeks. The juveniles are at low risk owing to size but the chicks are easily small enough for a male Coopers Hawk although one of the chicks still has mother American Dominique defending it's interest. The free-ranging American Dominique cock would likely also come to aid hen if he could get past netting. Both hawks riled chickens at least a little causing Scoob and Lucy to chase the sharp-shinned hawk down the hill. The Coopers was a much bigger risk riling the cockyard birds only causing Lucy to come running in from south. She and hawk did not seem to see each other. Coopers Hawk was in hunting mode as flying south with altitude 10 feet or less as it went. I will be out much of today and will likely see more of same.

 

[centrarchid]

MAJOR CHANGE IN FORAGING BEHAVIOR OF JUVENILES

Juveniles no longer forage in discrete unit when hawking. They scatter throughout the front porch flocks home range that has mowed grass to hunt insects. Plants still consumed but insects seem to be priority targets. Scattering is great enough that Scoob can be in middle of them and not be able to see a single bird. I think Brownie may have finally stopped clucking. They all still roost together with their mother. This beginning of time when juveniles will begin exploring new social units to join if female or float around if male. The females would be able to breed next spring just fine but males would likely be denied harem leadership roles is a competent cock is around. Males will not me fully mature for another year at least which can attest to their slow rate of maturation.

 

[centrarchid]

FRONT PORCH FLOCK MAKES ABRUBT CHANGE IN RANGING HABITS

Over last few days since start of heavy rains the front porch flock has shifted its foraging area much more to northeast side of house. They still forage areas around house but seem to move through route quickly catching very little insect fare. Then they head over to field which seems to be virgin with respect the flocks impact on the insect community. A couple problems exist with this. First it takes them off my property into the direction of the neighbors free-ranging flock. I suspect they will attempt to drive off the neighbors flock if they come together since latter is all juveniles. Brownie and the juveniles would do most of that because Ralph would rather have them come into his harem. The second problem is that the birds are wondering well away from cover. The neighbors flock in many ways provides a canned hunt for predators and I do not want my birds on the menu since they are going beyond where I have good predator control. A red-tail hawk routinely hunts from a tree overlooking where the front porch flock now forages and in the open even Ralph is vulnerable. They are also more vulnerable to Mr. Fox because cover from him is beyond Ralph's flight scope. Ralph is suffering from being 3/4's American Dominique making him heavy in the *** molting too many flight feathers later in season.

 

[scottcaddy]

FRONT PORCH FLOCK MAKES ABRUBT CHANGE IN RANGING HABITS

Over last few days since start of heavy rains the front porch flock has shifted its foraging area much more to northeast side of house. They still forage areas around house but seem to move through route quickly catching very little insect fare. Then they head over to field which seems to be virgin with respect the flocks impact on the insect community. A couple problems exist with this. First it takes them off my property into the direction of the neighbors free-ranging flock. I suspect they will attempt to drive off the neighbors flock if they come together since latter is all juveniles. Brownie and the juveniles would do most of that because Ralph would rather have them come into his harem. The second problem is that the birds are wondering well away from cover. The neighbors flock in many ways provides a canned hunt for predators and I do not want my birds on the menu since they are going beyond where I have good predator control. A red-tail hawk routinely hunts from a tree overlooking where the front porch flock now forages and in the open even Ralph is vulnerable. They are also more vulnerable to Mr. Fox because cover from him is beyond Ralph's flight scope. Ralph is suffering from being 3/4's American Dominique making him heavy in the *** molting too many flight feathers later in season.

But, just what if anything short of penning them up can you do?

Scott

 

[centrarchid]

But, just what if anything short of penning them up can you do?

Scott

Penning these guys up is not a first line option. Purpose of front porch flock to enable observation of free-range behavior and see how it varies and can be manipulated.

I can setup a feeding station to southeast of house, or just about anywhere near cover so they can loaf in same area when not actually feeding. There ranging habits will contract immediately, especially if the feeding station provides nutritionally what they are short on. My bet is based on low temperatures that energy is limiting so putting out an incomplete ration of whole corn and / or BOSS will do the trick. Insects are still abundant but if they being valued more as an energy source then the birds are looking for honey-holes to meet their needs.

 

[centrarchid]

TEMPERATURE AND SUNLIGHT INTERACT TO EFFECT HAWKING


Hawking requires chickens to see insects from a distance and insects must be moving for that to work. Today temperatures where similar to yesterday except for sunlight. Yesterday had lots of sun while today it was overcast. The result is today the front porch did not employ hawking to catch insects because the insects were not moving. Yesterday the insects were moving so hawking was very profitable. The heavy frost that occurred over the last week or so has greatly reduced the abundance of the summer time species which are almost all green but the winter species which represent many of the dark species are evident throughout the winter so long as temperature is at least in the middle 50's and sunlight is intense. The dark grasshoppers are very good at catching heat making so they can be active when the green species cannot warm enough. Currently only the front porch flock makes consistent use of hawking. The other free-range birds around cockyards have largely depleted their insect prey bases.

 

[centrarchid]

PATTERN IN FEED INTAKE RELATED TO MOLT AND PRODUCTION

My games are not production birds in my eyes once they mature. Nonetheless their rates of feed intake are important to know so I can budget for feed needs. Greatest need for feed is always early fall when bird number / biomass is highest. Starting in early fall I begin culling to bring biomass down to winter / off-season mode. Even so feed needs do not drop off with bird count and occasionally increase further. With penned birds, on a per bird basis feed needs actually increase for birds in heavy molt. Some is related to actual replacement of feathers where protein is particularly important which I compensate for by applying a higher protein ration. Majority of change is related to temperature of such molting birds are exposed to. The birds are penned separately making direct observations of individual intake possible. When temperature drops, they want more which I cater too. Once molt is complete, especially with respect to feathers on the body, then feed intake drops of greatly. They can still eat very large amounts of feed but that is associated with much cooler conditions. In contrast, the American Dominiques held under identical conditions do not show the decline in feed needs following molt. Hens promptly resume laying once photoperiod is appropriate while game hens don't start coming into lay until photoperiod is longer and temperatures at night start averaging in the 40's. Exceptional game hens that are babied do start laying earlier as do free-range hens.. The games appear to be managing their own weight where winter weigh is less then during molt and when eggs are being produced. I suspect the games manage weight for off season since that is when physical abilities limited by weight are more important. The American Dominiques are not so constrained so gluttony seems to prevail with them. Overall. maintenance ration for American Games I have is lower than that for American Dominiques but the molt does impact feed intake, especially when temperatures are low.

 

[centrarchid]

NEIGHBORS FLOCK DOES SAME THING TO WARM UP WHEN SUN SHINES ON COLD LANDSCAPE


I can often predict what my birds will be doing based on behavior of neighbors flock as I drive by. His birds sunning on south side of building means mine will be in full sun protected from wind. Difference is my bird seem to pile up more laying closer together.

 

[centrarchid]

BROWNIE CLUCKING AGAIN

One of her male offspring got too involved with hawking and got lost. He started calling indicating his position and Brownie started clucking loudly and they ran to meet up with balance of brood following Brownie. I am missing something here.