Illinois...

[Faraday40]

My rooster is 10. He has survived two dog attacks and keeps on going. I will be sad when he goes even though I haven’t gotten fertile eggs from him in a few years. He is the best “security system” I could ever have for my free range flock. He alerts and the hens all head for cover. Love that guy.

10 years! Wow!

I know what you mean. Ours was "Mr Dummy" He got an injury one day that resulted in a limp, but was still the head rooster. He just had a sense of authority about him and his size also helped. When the young cockerels would make a hen bawk in displeasure, Dummy sprang to life to protect her honor. Otherwise, he allowed the other males to breed but maintained his position as #1. As he got older his breeding became less but he still protected the hens and kept the peace. He was a gentle giant and beloved pet.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Anyone see this video before.

 

[Justso]

I'm down a chicken. Last night at dusk we discovered my Brahma, Clover, missing. No sign of her anywhere, I suspected that coyote that's been nabbing my neighbors chickens. It's a very short window where she must have been grabbed, I was out with them for most of the afternoon. She's not a great loss, she was a hatchery chicken, not a great layer and pretty cruel to her underlings. Oddly enough my senior citizen blind swedish flower hen lives on.

Haha found the dang chicken. She was in the garage.

 

[Molpet]

Haha found the dang chicken. She was in the garage.

Thank goodness...silly girl

 

[Ferd Berfel]

Hey Illinois people! We are also from Illinois, east side, pretty far south, but not way south. Crawford county, near Moonshine. Between Robinson and Casey. 40 chickens, 18 ducks, undetermined number of barn cats, 2 dogs, 17 cows. 3 grown kids, 8 grandkids, all beautiful like my wife, most geniuses.

 

[Faraday40]

Hey Illinois people! We are also from Illinois, east side, pretty far south, but not way south. Crawford county, near Moonshine. Between Robinson and Casey. 40 chickens, 18 ducks, undetermined number of barn cats, 2 dogs, 17 cows. 3 grown kids, 8 grandkids, all beautiful like my wife, most geniuses.

Welcome!


That's a lot to care for. Feel free to join in and share pics. (I love photos!)

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Hey Illinois people! We are also from Illinois, east side, pretty far south, but not way south. Crawford county, near Moonshine. Between Robinson and Casey. 40 chickens, 18 ducks, undetermined number of barn cats, 2 dogs, 17 cows. 3 grown kids, 8 grandkids, all beautiful like my wife, most geniuses.

Welcome. I have been so torn lately wanting to switch directions and homestead or farm. What have these darn birds done to me?

 

[Molpet]

Hey Illinois people! We are also from Illinois, east side, pretty far south, but not way south. Crawford county, near Moonshine. Between Robinson and Casey. 40 chickens, 18 ducks, undetermined number of barn cats, 2 dogs, 17 cows. 3 grown kids, 8 grandkids, all beautiful like my wife, most geniuses.

Glad you found our thread
Yeppers pictures please
What breeds of poultry?

 

[Faraday40]

@BReeder!
The adult quail have been giving me 1 egg (sometimes 2) / day.
18 days ago we set 9 eggs and only 3 developed. Those 3 eggs have pips.
Can't wait to see what hatches.


I was talking on another thread where people have been having poor hatches this year. They were wondering if it has anything to do with the odd weather. Has anyone else here had poor hatches this spring for unexplained reasons?

My turkey hatch was 100% (thanks to @Molpet)
My orpington hatches have been fine. Not perfect but above 80%
My serama hatches have been poor. (In winter when I didn't want chicks, they were 100%) Now only about 50%. Mostly quitters or die at hatch time. Of course, I'm not setting most of the eggs because I do not want a lot of 'useless' serama chicks.
The quail have had many infertile/clear eggs. I see the male doing his thing, so I don't understand. At 1st I though it was because the eggs were from early in the season. Then they had to grow accustomed to their new cage. Perhaps it's age? or weather?

 

[Malthus]

Hey Illinois people! We are also from Illinois, east side, pretty far south, but not way south. Crawford county, near Moonshine. Between Robinson and Casey. 40 chickens, 18 ducks, undetermined number of barn cats, 2 dogs, 17 cows. 3 grown kids, 8 grandkids, all beautiful like my wife, most geniuses.

Welcome!