Feral chickens...

[thehackleguy]

+1.....and catching them on their roost. No prob, just go out before dusk and listen to the roost. Find the tree, wait till after dark and go up and get them. Of course have a spotter on the ground because they will fly from the roost but a little determination will catch you a few wild chickens.

One thing is for sure though, they won't just walk up and ask to go home with you

 

[gunnarwordon]

where in new york? I am in the hudson valley..................

 

[lookitsatree]

I live in Zephyrhills, too, and I was trying to look up whether the feral chickens here are protected. I want to raise a few layers, but I don't know what the laws/codes are for this area (I am so totally green). When I saw your post, I just had to reply! Wild chickens live in the yard beside my house. I admit that when I first moved in and heard one of the roosters crowing at 2 in the morning, I wished I had a shotgun. And this is precisely why I don't (to head off those dark-thirty-in-the-morning violent tendencies...) But my family and I have come to like them. We watched a hen raise a family from tiny, over-protected chicks to stately adulthood--hours of free, wholesome entertainment--and I fell in love.

And no worries about these birds getting ugly with your children. I also have a wee little one, but the chickens are all, well, chicken. If we come within a wide radius of them, they dash off. I love how broody(?) the roosters are, strolling with the hens, protecting the chicks. Quite protective, but still very afraid of the humans. I just want to catch them, or build a little coop (though they seem to do fine on their own) and lure them into laying for me. Mwa ha ha.

Yep, I love 'em. And I'm glad to hear the sentiment shared.

 

[caeti21]

Wow so I was also trying to find out if the wild chickens where I lived Zephyrhills, FL lol were protected, I grew up here and I know the chickens have been around since I can remember but we have a bunch of broods running around and we were wondering if we could catch them for fresh eggs ( we used to raise some) and we miss the fresh eggs but we are not sure if they are protected either my husband can't remember were he ever heard it , me on the other hand have never heard they protected so I was searching when I came across this forum

 

[sandijoco]

I too live in Zephyrhills and am raising my own flock. I find the feral chicks a nuisance for this reason, afraid of disease to my chicks. They have been hanging around the empty yard next door and delivering new babies often. I have literally found a whole clutch of babies in the one with my girls when they were small enough to squeeze in, my girls seemed to care less. I know Dade City is a bird sanctuary so no you can't trap birds there but don't think same here. I have actually just caught four birds between yesterday and today, 3 roos and 1 hen, which I will be relocating. I used a regular trap, raccoon size, with scratch and mealworms as bait. There are just too many hanging out here. I thought of their eggs, if they lay before I transport but don't know if they would be good to eat since, although they look very healthy, I have no idea if they have any disease or worms. Any thoughts?

 

[caeti21]

Well we ended getting some chick's from other people, not the ones running around town, but I would like a hen that's laying, our neighbor says he eats their eggs that they lay in his yard everyday ,they all seem pretty healthy , I did catch a rooster and he seemed solid and healthy didn't notice any bugs or things that would cause alarm I let him free again, the two neighbors across the street feed all the hens an chick's so they linger over there more and I get dang roosters lol ,Im assuming since they are feeding the hens that they too eat the eggs too ,I'll ask them the next time I see them, I'm wondering though how close I am to you guys, lol it would be funny if we live on the same street, I'm located on 9th Ave

 

[CrazyChickLady7]

I'm so jealous. At the same time though I'm relieved. My dogs would go after the poor birds.

 

[grannyh6]

I live in Lakeland and am looking for hens that are already laying. Do you know of any

 

[caeti21]

I live in Lakeland and am looking for hens that are already laying. Do you know of any

There is the swap meet if you go into the sunny side up Florida forum they have flyers with the swap meet information I'm sure you could get layers there and also that is a good place to post your question as well cause so many in areas surrounding us both look they may have some layers for sale as well , I personally do not have any for sell, but that's the best advice I could offer at this time

 

[grannyh6]

thank you