Illinois...

[cavemanrich]

Quote: I suggested to a few others to post this poster inside coop. CHICKENS LUV MUSIC. I heard it was successful.......

 

[jerryse]

Egg production has stopped . Set up the light timer today in 1 pen . Just wrong to keep chickens and buy eggs .

 

[ChicagoClucker]

It is just starting to pick up for me (haha). I am getting 2-3 eggs from the 8 older girls(pitiful) and one of the two new orps have been laying for about 2 weeks now. Today I found a little pinkish cream egg in the box, my cochin bantam Minnie, has began to lay. But now my leghorn is even taking a break! She has never missed a day! I think my girls are stressed from the 4 roosters. Even though Crazy Toes has a hard time walking, he is still trying, and trying is the word I would use, to unsuccessfully mate. I think he needs to go and kind of thinking about getting rid of Thor, his brother. I don't want to get rid of Thor, he is just beautiful and huge and he is a gentlemen to the girls. I just think there are too many roosters for the 11 adult girls. But I think if I just hang on til the other pullets mature, it will get better. I have to keep Mick my SL bantam cochin for Minnie, also keeping Al, who I would love to kick out just because he is, let just say, he is not a gentleman. But he has to stay for my SL orp breeding. I have them all in the same coop for the winter, which I can see is hard on the girls, but even if I wanted to move the roosters to the small coop, Thor and Crazy Toes are so big, the other 2 wouldn't fit, well maybe Mick could squeeze in, but he might get flattened.
,
I also want to add, that Papa's Poultry sent a blue orp and black orp with the Silver Laced and since I have a blue and black already that I am happy with, I don't need them. I will be selling them as a Trio with the Splash Orp cockerel who is a couple of weeks older and unrelated. Then I also have the Trio of Blue Isbars available if anyone is interested. And if anyone wants to save Crazy Toes from the butcher, let me know, he is free to a good home. No big rush, they are just added heat to the coop right now.

 

[Justso]

Ours are near 30 weeks.  NOT ALONE!!

*grumble grumble freeloaders grumble*  

OK, ice has been broken! Found an egg from one of my AB girls in the box!!!

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I spent the day baking cookies and listening to Christmas music on Pandora. There was a moment of silence in between songs, when I heard the chickens going nuts. Run out the door and looked around, no chickens anywhere except for Clara, the broody Mama, she was having a stand off with a hawk sitting on the 4 ft. fence! Everyone else took cover, including her not so little chicks and the 4 roosters. She was standing right under him, squawking at him so insanely. As soon as I started to head over there, the hawk took off. My Clara is a very brave, protective, and lucky! I was very proud of her today.

 

[daskhan]

I spent the day baking cookies and listening to Christmas music on Pandora. There was a moment of silence in between songs, when I heard the chickens going nuts. Run out the door and looked around, no chickens anywhere except for Clara, the broody Mama, she was having a stand off with a hawk sitting on the 4 ft. fence! Everyone else took cover, including her not so little chicks and the 4 roosters. She was standing right under him, squawking at him so insanely. As soon as I started to head over there, the hawk took off. My Clara is a very brave, protective, and lucky! I was very proud of her today. 

Makes me wonder if it's possible to breed/develope a chicken or rooster that is awesome at spotting and taking down hawks wouldn't that make a hawk think twice when it gets it's but kicked by a chicken..

 

[cavemanrich]

Quote: INDEED THERE IS .............. All you need to do is cross a Serama Rooster with a Pterodactyl Hen... Then ALL HAWKS beware.. THERES A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN...

Wait!!!!! I think one of those is on the RARE and ENDANGERED SPECIES List. Not sure which of the two ??? Well, just an idea to the top breeders to think about. =D=D=D

 

[daskhan]

INDEED THERE IS ..............   All you need to do is cross a Serama  Rooster with a  Pterodactyl  Hen...   Then  ALL HAWKS   beware..   THERES A NEW  SHERIFF IN TOWN... 

Wait!!!!!   I think one of those is on the   RARE and ENDANGERED  SPECIES List.   Not sure which of the two ???       Well, just an idea to the top breeders to think about.  =D=D=D

I actually looked that up.... Thinking it was a real possibility.. Although a Sumatra and jersey giant breed to hunt hawks would work.. Give them treats every time they spot a hawk.. Breed for bigger sharper feet? Train them specifically to fight a hawk a big chicken gets a hawk on the ground and pinned I think the hawks a goner

 

[cavemanrich]

Egg production has stopped . Set up the light timer today in 1 pen . Just wrong to keep chickens and buy eggs .

My girls were on strike the last 2 months. Combination of molt, shorter days, and they just were short on motivation.. For the last 2 week, all laying returned back to normal. NO CHANGE IN DIET. NO CHANGE IN AMOUNT OF LIGHT. About a week before Thanksgiving, I put my SMALL FLOCK of 8 into winter housing in my garage. Temps are kept above freezing, and also provide 12 hours of supplemental light on a timer. Do you suppose that the girls might have got a message from Santa, Lay for the Holidays, because He knows who has been NAUGHTY, and who has been NICE.???

 

[Faraday40]

I actually looked that up.... Thinking it was a real possibility.. Although a Sumatra and jersey giant breed to hunt hawks would work.. Give them treats every time they spot a hawk.. Breed for bigger sharper feet? Train them specifically to fight a hawk a big chicken gets a hawk on the ground and pinned I think the hawks a goner

Makes me wonder if it's possible to breed/develope a chicken or rooster that is awesome at spotting and taking down hawks wouldn't that make a hawk think twice when it gets it's but kicked by a chicken..

INDEED THERE IS .............. All you need to do is cross a Serama Rooster with a Pterodactyl Hen... Then ALL HAWKS beware.. THERES A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN...

Wait!!!!! I think one of those is on the RARE and ENDANGERED SPECIES List. Not sure which of the two ??? Well, just an idea to the top breeders to think about. =D=D=D

I actually looked that up.... Thinking it was a real possibility.. Although a Sumatra and jersey giant breed to hunt hawks would work.. Give them treats every time they spot a hawk.. Breed for bigger sharper feet? Train them specifically to fight a hawk a big chicken gets a hawk on the ground and pinned I think the hawks a goner

I think they already have created these. I know there are people who raise those aggressive fighting cocks. (Still don't understand the whole concept???) Anyway, I bet those mean suckers would try to take down a hawk. Of course trying to own an aggressive bird raises a whole new set of problems. Nothing like getting a daily flogging with your morning eggs! LOL

That's why people keep turkeys, guineas, & geese with their chickens. Great hawk deterrents! (Just not an option for those of us living in neighborhoods.)

ChicagoClucker- I'm glad your little broody & chicks are OK. She must really be something to make that hawk think twice. Before we had the giant orp roos, I caught my fearless, little EE hen (Tyrion) & my EE roo literally chase away hawk. The hawk was making a low fly-by & those two were chasing, flapping, & screaming at it from the ground. The orp roos are great spotters & make the hawk warning noise while theh hens all take cover. The boys are great about making sure all the girls are inside & then on guards the entrance.