Hello everybody

[WhiteRockFarms]

I'm fairily new to chicken raising but i have always wanted to, so about two months ago i stubbled across some chicks at Atwoods..much to my wife's dismay i came home with 6 white rock pullets(our farm's namesake) and 6 rhode island red pullets.. i now have some where between 60 and 80 chickens oh and 6 turkeys...i have learned a lot in the last couple months and i always eager to learn more..oh yeah two weeks ago i had my first succesful hatch also..15 out of 24..so I made improvements to my homemade incubator and put 36 eggs in it. I have learned a lot from this site and i'm always open to any advice or suggestions you all have.

 

[Fierlin1182]

Hello and
Sounds like that 'chicken math' setting in, that's what they call it here. Congrats on your hatch!
Glad to have you on board, I hope you enjoy the site. See you round.

 

[weimarmama]

&

from Alabama. Glad you joined us. Congrats on your hatch and good luck with your next one

 

[Kevin565]

 

[WhiteRockFarms]

ok i already have a question lol..I just read the thread about deciding to free-range..which apparently i already do, my flock spends all day sun up to sun down outside..in runs that allow at least 10 sq ft per bird. But my question comes from the part about LGDs(livestock gaurd dogs) I have a young pup, she is half pit bull and half alstrailian(cant spell that i guess) shepperd, ever since i introduced her to the flock she has bonded with them and she is feircly protective of them, she runs off other dogs, including our other dogs, and even went nuts when a neibors cow come too close to our fence lol I assumed that her bond with grow with age and she would be a super chicken-gaurding-dog or am i making a big mistake?

 

[Fierlin1182]

I have heard of people using a guard dog for the chickens, and as long as she is showing no signs of aggression towards the birds, I would say you are safe.
Here's a bit of a thread about the topic.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/544806/guard-dog-for-chickens

 

[Aeropennchick]

Hello and welcome! I hope things work out with your pup. Sounds like you fit right in here

 

[WhiteRockFarms]

as far as aggression towards the chickens, i have carefully allowed her into the run with me at her side to test that..she will lay amoung them, once she even slept in the run with them running over and around her but she usually goes in with my cornish hens and sits there and eats the feed off the ground with them..she did once playfully snatch a feather from the rear of a by-passing hen but she was quickly pecked lol..that was the last and only try. the hens are comfortable with her as is my rooster

oh and thanks for the warm welcome!

 

[MasterofMind]

I am newbie on this forum site

 

[WhiteRockFarms]

hi newbie