constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[centrarchid]

I use OTC on my fish (centrarchids of course) as it is close to being one of the few legal options I have. That is in the process of changing. Alternatives are hit and miss as to whether they work or not.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I loved the baby pics of Eduardo and Sallie!

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
We had some sort of infection going through the Koi where we had to pull them out and paint lesions with Iodine.... fish in the carp family are NOT my favorite. Ikky stuff they carry.... no pun intended.

Sigh I need to get my 110 going again.... My well water is probably good enough for African Cichlids... again.

We all need to keep around first aid kits for our critters and know which home remedies can be used. Like you can give aspirin to a dog but it will kill a cat.... stuff like that. A good styptic for all the livestock is plain old white sugar. Stops bleeding pretty quick. I had two hens have a knock down drag out fight once and one came away with a bleeding comb. I grabbed some sugar caught the chicken and dunked her head in sugar. Voila.... That was my hen that learned to crow that year.... LOL.

 

[centrarchid]

I used to be in African cichlids myself, especially the mbuna and shelldwellers. Now mostly natives (Mississppi drainage). Do still have a breeding colony of Neolamprologus brichardii that produces a cohort of fry every 60 days or so.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Oooh they are pretty.....

I like Fire Cichlids too.... But they excavate too much LOL, and really should be kept in a single specimen tank Actually they probably all should.
I had a N. livingstonii for a few years. Lost the pump over a long weekend vacation....

I also like Geophagus Jurupari they are just so funny. I know they are South American....

LOL. I kind of gravitate towards the unusual and lovely only to a mothers eyes.....

 

[centrarchid]

SALLIE REPATRIATED

I released Sallie from coop after 30 hours of confinement. She was with daughter Spud for a good three hours. While I was pulling wagon around house Sallie launched and flew about 175 feet from location of coops to back yard. Sallie sure likes to fly. She did not attempt to return to nest.


FRONT PORCH CLEANED AND FLOCK MOVED!

With some effort I may have gotten front porch flock to finally move off front porch. New location, remote roost constructed about 125 feet to north, is more varment resistant and softens intensity of Eduardos crowing that can be heard coming through front window and door. To achieve, I removed all elevated structures from front porch, including footstools and wagon, then collected red jungle hen and carried her over to new location. This time I allowed her to fly the last little bit up into roost. Eduardo I was able to call by rapidly repeating the words "come on" which is a fair imitation of the contact call used when birds moving from one location to another as a group. Half of juveniles walked with him but turned around at last second and returned to house. The juveniles were flying up on house and vehicles, up and down repeatedly. Some even got to ridge of roof before coming back down. Sallie did same and they flew up on everythng but desired location that was more than 10 feet above ground. I finally collected Sallie and juveniles and moved them to remote roost allowing all to fly the last little bit up. That last little bit up may have been critical to get them to want to stay in new location. I am now convinced a vocalization that calls flock mates to roost is used by first birds up and maybe by birds staging below roost.

 

[centrarchid]

RESPECTING TERRITORY BOUNDARIES

Now that I have begun moving feeding location about almost daily, an interesting pattern has developed in respect to territory boundaries and who will and will not cross them. Amongst the juveniles, dominique and dominique crosses will cross boundaries to get to food and no roosters, not even Eduardo, can drive them off. The juvenile games and red jungle fowl x games will not cross lines. Game pullet belonging with cohort of some thirty-odd dominiques will not cross into front porch flock's turf and front porch flock juveniles will not enter turfs of the dominique or dominique cross cohorts.

 

[centrarchid]

MOVE TO NEW ROOST SITE STICKING

Effort to move front porch flock to the new constructed roost is complete. They go on their own and pack tightly together. Move was not nearly as simple as done with juveniles imprinted on box but it can be done. Now the jump points will be removed to birds must fly vertically for nine feet to get in. This will reduce odds Mr. Fox will not be able to cause trouble in the event Scoob does not do his job.

 

[centrarchid]

DEFENDING AGAINST COOPERS HAWK BEHIND HOUSE

This morning I was sitting inside near back door watching front porch flock (Eduardo and Sallie) and the juveniles. They got all riled up, Eduardo and Sallie cackled and stood tall and juveniles moved to form tighter group between adults and house. All were looking into black walnut tree with trunk base about 30 feet away. An adult female Coopers hawk had just landed their and was surveying flock. The juveniles are still vulnerable to a female Coopers hawk. The adult chickens appeared to be standing off the hawk in effort to protect their offspring. Hawk watched for a minute or so before flying away. If hawk would have pressed, the rooster and probably the hen would have attacked it. Even hen is nearly double hawks weight so attack would cause hawk damage very quickly. Normally juveniles would move into cover but in this situation, they could not get to it without getting away from protection of adults. Coopers I see so frequently but seldom suffer losses to them. That is unless chicks are not attended by hen or hen with chicks is out in open without rooster around. Juveniles are vulnerable when not attended by rooster (must be father or probably so). My adult games seem to have no worries in respect to their own safety around Coopers hawks but my smaller adult red jungle fowl are definantly on menu so size does matter.

Figure shows house, tree with hawk (red spot), Eduardo (E), Sallie (S) and juveniles (green dots).

I am still not confident that my dominiques if similar social grouping would be able to protect juveniles. Next year, similar such flocks will be setup to see how durable social structure is and if prolonged investment in juveniles occurs.


Something else that does not sit well that is more a function of human nature. In another thread (Predators and Disease) I relate same account and provide insight on how losses to hawks can be controlled. Parallel threads that simply describe situation and work hard on providing graffic detail but provide no insight on control other than stronger coop or SSS get more attention.

 

[welasharon]

Quote:
I think you have it here.