Dixie Chicks

[Alaskan]

Sounds like a plan...making for play space in the coop.

 

[WVduckchick]

Hennible, I have three SLW that are about 5 years old now. Never saw any feather picking. I wonder if your friend's birds have enough space? Or if they are homed together with the turkeys?

I've lost three birds, including my favorite English Orp brood hen this fall. My neighbor gave me a critter cam for Christmas...and I just set it up last night. If Waldo is a chicken killing opossum...where's waldo? It is easier to see if the pic is enlarged.

Dirty baztards. More proof that they always go after our favs. I'm so sorry for your losses
(why did autocorrect keep changing that to kisses? :/)

Do you have a trap? Get 'em.

Thanks you two
Space could be part of it, but her coop is large about 12x12 including a small storage area (not sure her current flock size though), not free ranging at this time of year and they do not have pen access... Her coop is sort of boring, limited perch space and nest boxes. Not mixed in with the turkeys, no.
Thinking through this, perhaps setting up the coop differently could solve some of these issues.

Now that Mahen mentioned it, I do believe I read space is the biggest reason for picking, but I'm not really sure. If you have room for them, give it a shot!

Pics are required, of course

 

[hennible]

Lol!
I have room! Ha ha ha I only have 27 birds (my total with ducks and chickens) in a 16x16 coop (my pens only 16x16 though, they free range usually, my pen is for predator emergencies...)
I'm going to help enrich the coop and she's going to add a bit of extra protein to their diets, then I'll just hatch some from her rather than taking "defective" birds lol!
Hopefully we'll get it corrected

 

[Mahen100]

@hennible, I have an even smaller coup with now 9 large hens. Mine free range too, except when it rains days on end, or goes well below freezing and snowy. I do know the big English Orps really do need a bit more protein, but I have not heard that the Wyandottes do. I don't think Wyandottes are real happy unless they can free range and they are great foreigners.


@WVwoodduck, yup, I have a couple of traps, but now I know where to place one...I had it baited with hen eggs, but had no takers. Any idea what would be better bait for a raccoon possum? and "you were sorry for my kisses?" lol not.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Lol!
I have room! Ha ha ha I only have 27 birds (my total with ducks and chickens) in a 16x16 coop (my pens only 16x16 though, they free range usually, my pen is for predator emergencies...)
I'm going to help enrich the coop and she's going to add a bit of extra protein to their diets, then I'll just hatch some from her rather than taking "defective" birds lol!
Hopefully we'll get it corrected

You got great advice already, so I'll just agree... increase protein and add boredom breakers... good luck...

@hennible, I have an even smaller coup with now 9 large hens. Mine free range too, except when it rains days on end, or goes well below freezing and snowy. I do know the big English Orps really do need a bit more protein, but I have not heard that the Wyandottes do. I don't think Wyandottes are real happy unless they can free range and they are great foreigners.


@WVwoodduck, yup, I have a couple of traps, but now I know where to place one...I had it baited with hen eggs, but had no takers. Any idea what would be better bait for a raccoon possum? and "you were sorry for my kisses?" lol not.

Get 'em all!!!



Hi, B... how's it going?

As for bait... pop a chicken leg in there... works for me...

 

[minihorse927]

great foreigners.


@WVwoodduck, .

I didn't know Wyandotte were great foreigners! WVwoodduck....lmao

 

[hennible]

Ha ha
I love a good typo
(Never would have caught it without mini)

 

[ApiaryandAviary]

Sounds interesting, though I'm no help with complex genetics, but would love for you to update as you go!

I have a bantam frizzle cochin cock that I didn't even realize was carrying muff/beard gene until I hatched some eggs from a small chocolate orp, covered by him. The bearded/muffed/feather-legged girls have really grown on me! 2 black smooth, and one blue frizzled. The father is now away from the other cochin girls, and penned with his offspring, so I'm thinking of hatching some, to see if they will carry the cochin look, small and round, feathered legs, and keep the beard and muffs.

I've googled bearded cochins, and don't find very many.

Thank you, yes it is true some chicken breeds there is a mountain of information and others were scrape for it. I tried googling too.

 

[hennible]

Well what the deuce?...
Thought I had a loose wire on my incubator, heater didn't want to work last time I needed it, so I pulled it out to fix it, figured I'd run it first to see what was what... And it's working again :/
Think I'll leave it run a few days to make sure, but I'm baffled

 

[Alaskan]

Well....as long as it keeps running...