constructing a single chicken family unit for porch

[welasharon]

Congratulations on the newest chicken chaser! Soon you'll all be home.
sharon

 

[Daisy8s]

Congratulations! (Truman was my top pick for our second son's name--but he ended up a Gideon after protracted negotiations with husband.) Your Trueman looks like a beautiful boy! I wondered if that was what you meant by the "newest addition"!

 

[pinkwindsong]

Quote:


what do you mean by this? hybridization?

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Red jungle fowl are a nominal / true species. The games are typical of chickens in that they are a domesticated hybrid that is approximately 85% red jungle fowl and 15% grey jungle fowl. Normally one would be concerned about maintaining purity of the red jungle fowl but for my purposes the greatest concern is for the games.

 

[boxedcow]

Congratulations on baby Trueman, he is adorable! I have enjoyed following your journey, and can't wait to hear news of the little one sprinkled in as well.

 

[emys]

I hope Trueman is home disturbing the flock soon! Best wishes to your family!

 

[Elbowmarie]

So, I've just sat and read the entire thread. This has been fantastic, I feel like I've learned so much about animal behaviour (not just games and crosses, but also predators). Thank you! I hope we hear more about the porch flock after little Trueman settles into a schedule at home.

 

[centrarchid]

I try to continue this thread. Remaining free-ranging pure games will have to be confined soon but the red jungle x game left should provide similar behaviors with less risk of deathmatches if they drift down to cockyard.


WINTER / NON-BREEDING SEASON IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM BREEDING SEASON
Males crow less and court much less, even when interacting with egg-laying hens of dominique project. Birds also flying more, apparently with intention of conditioning. My games on walks in past flew much more frequently and much longer distances during winter months. Longest observed flights reported in this thread involving front porch flock have been > 300 feet but the even the pure games are capable of much more. Last winter before thread started, a large dog pushed Eduardo into a flight that approached 600 feet and he landed about 35 feet up in a tree. It is not desired to have a threat push birds into such flights but I do want to be able record flights with video camera.

Based on previous observations with free ranging flocks, during winter months, especially with snow cover, birds will fly from one resource (food, water, cover) to another. I am going to encourage this by setting out straw bales that are distributed a hundred yards apart and set up so only one type of feed item is present at each. Types of food items will be scratch, black oil sunflower seeds, vegetable / fruit matter, fish cakes and layer pellets. They will have to feed at all straw bales to get a balanced diet of adequate volume. They will walk most of time until snow hits. Then I will also be able to film against a white background.

 

[centrarchid]

CRAP HAPPENED


Today a dog, despite Scoobs efforts came into yard and mauled Eduardo and rendered a dominique moribund. Scoob was unable to repell black lab but according to my mother he did the Lassy thing and lured her out to see what dog was doing. Mom drove dog off with some effort and noted Eduardo was hurt pretty bad. She called and I rushed home from hospital expecting some pretty bad outcomes. I did find hen with broken back and some of Eduardos tail, hackle, and torso feathers. After about 30 minutes of looking and calling Eduardo came out of bushes limping with right wing hanging low. He was in mild shock and let me pick him up with minimal protest. Eduardo appears to have suffered a crushing bite to back and right leg. Right lung appears perforated and muscles / ligaments holding right wing up maybe torn. No bones appear broken. He will be confined and babied. Eduardo is sore as can be but I think he will make it although flying up to roost is several days to weeks away. It will be another year before Eduardo will realize proper cock feathering.

Luckily I did not kill dog or its owner despite a very heated discussion.

 

[welasharon]

Leave mom with a loaded gun....no second chances...