Dominique Thread!

[Alaskan]

It is more than just about the birds. It is also how they are kept.


Tail of cock thin and a little too up.

I can't remember if you incubate, or only use broodies....


But, if you incubate, when do you let them free range out by themselves? Or, do you integrate them with the flock first, than free range them?

 

[THeelChickinKY]

@Alaskan
We've found that free ranging is a great way to accomplish integration into the flock. We move our incubated chicks, at about 6 weeks, to a large dog kennel that we put near the coop. They stay there for about a month where everyone can see each other and accept the others' presence. Then we start letting the new ones out to free range with the flock. We supervise this for several days, as much as you can, and put them back in the kennel at night. Then our final step is putting the new guys in the coop after dark one night, placing them on the roosts, when everyone is calm. This method has worked really well for us and we haven't had any bullying problems. Good luck finding what works for your setup!

 

[centrarchid]

I can't remember if you incubate, or only use broodies....


But, if you incubate, when do you let them free range out by themselves?  Or, do you integrate them with the flock first, than free range them?

Majority incubated and brooded as cohorts. A cohort is moved outside to chicken tractor at about 4 weeks and after a week of acclimation birds are allowed to free-range during the day but still roost in tractor. By ten weeks they are roosting up about 6.6 feet in elevated coops out in field. They are protected in part by dogs. Integration is not a major issue for me when cohorts are able to avoid each other and adults easily. They begin to combine as a given cohort comes into lay. Typically cohorts start around 36 birds each but this year I will be struggling to start at half that.

Hen reared birds integrate almost immediately.

 

[Alaskan]

Thanks for the information.

I have had horrifically impressive predation issues...... but I keep wondering, if I maybe raise up a big set of chicks, if I should try one more time to free range.

 

[Sylvester017]

Thanks for the information.

I have had horrifically impressive predation issues...... but I keep wondering, if I maybe raise up a big set of chicks, if I should try one more time to free range.

Wow - aerial or ground predators? If aerial use a roll of bird netting over a confined grazing area or use a lot of doghouses, popup canopies, low shelters, etc for the open range hens to dash and hide - for some reason our Cooper's (chicken hawks) and Red-tailed hawks don't go after our hiding hens who have a lot of shelters to hide quickly - I think the hawks prefer to swoop down on open field running hens or they aerially catch flying smaller birds in mid-air. However if your predators are the 4-legged kind you may not want to tempt fate with free-ranging your birds unless they're inside fortress walls with fencing buried at least 18 inches under the ground to prevent digging critters. If you have Raccoons they'll be shifty and attack late night/early morning and almost nothing deters those crafty vicious buggers. One owner was losing her flock 1 to 2 chickens per day until she caught a Fox climbing over the chainlink fence so secure roofing is a must with canine predators. In your area it'll probably not be wise to free-range any chicks w/ their moms. Crows don't seem to bother our hens and they keep the Hawks out of the territory but Crows WILL go after chicks or ducklings in open ranges. GL!

 

[Alaskan]

I have had Hawks and eagles dive right through fish net that I had up over all of my runs. I have also had a hawk actually enter my chicken shed to eat chicken.

I have no raccoons.... but the depredations by all raptors has been pretty crazy. My other big killer is dogs.

Several people up here have said that this year the ravens have been bad too... they will chase down and corner a chicken and eat it alive.

 

[Sylvester017]

I have had Hawks and eagles dive right through fish net that I had up over all of my runs. I have also had a hawk actually enter my chicken shed to eat chicken.

I have no raccoons.... but the depredations by all raptors has been pretty crazy. My other big killer is dogs.

Several people up here have said that this year the ravens have been bad too... they will chase down and corner a chicken and eat it alive.

Your aggressors are heavier to deal with than anything I have - although my DD lives at the back of a nature preserve and Lynx and Bobcat are frequent in her area besides Coyotes, Deer, Rattlesnakes, Skunks, Raccoons, 'Possums, Rats, Rabbits, and one year a Mountain Lion (Cougar/Puma) and 3 years ago a Bear! She has a large dog but at night makes certain it is indoors to keep from getting injured by the wildlife. Obviously she chose not to have poultry on her land

.

 

[centrarchid]

I have had Hawks and eagles dive right through fish net that I had up over all of my runs.  I have also had a hawk actually enter my chicken shed to eat chicken.

I have no raccoons.... but the depredations by all raptors has been pretty crazy.  My other big killer is dogs.

Several people up here have said that this year the ravens have been bad too... they will chase down and corner a chicken and eat it alive.

Do what some around here do. Setup an electrified perimeter to keep larger ground predators out and keep a dog inside perimeter with the chickens to deal with smaller stuff. That would be my approach when dealing with wolves and ravens. Keeping chickens outside in areas with intact wildlife assemblages will not get along well with a job away from farmstead,

 

[Alaskan]

thanks for the thoughts and inputs.

 

[Junior]

well it took me a few days but I made it through all 350+ pages of this thread.

I have another question. This one about the Dominique Club of America. I tried to print off the membership application & it says file not found. I don't do pay-pal so does anyone have any suggestions on how to join?

Thanks,
Junior