INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Leahs Mom]

@JanetMarie

That IS a pretty goose! Do you find that your geese help with aerial predator protection for your chicken flock?

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

New Hoosier chicken mom here! Hello! I'm Amelia from New Harmony, IN...got 5 hens in March, added two pullets in August and having the time of my life!

Hello!
What breeds of chickens do you have?

 

[JanetMarie]

@JanetMarie

That IS a pretty goose! Do you find that your geese help with aerial predator protection for your chicken flock?

If everyone is free ranging (which geese need) it won't hurt to have some. Geese tend to make noise when unusual things happen. Chinese geese in particular are noisy.

There was a instance this spring when I found one of my chickens dead, with head wounds. The two geese were standing close, so I think what happened is that a hawk killed the chicken and the geese went over and were honking about it, which drove the hawk away. I know the geese didn't kill her, because there was never aggression towards her from them. Even if a hawk kills a chicken, they won't stay around to be able to eat it and soon will learn that it's not a good place to hunt.

I think Wilbur killed one of my EE hens early this summer, protecting his chicken girlfriend. He hasn't been aggressive toward anyone else, but was towards this chicken. I don't know why he didn't like this chicken and thought she was a threat.

Considerations to think about if adding geese for flock protection: extra food, extra bedding, is the housing large enough for chickens and geese together, or keep them in separate housing? enough green pasture for grazing, how bad of a hawk problem is there to warrant geese, do you like geese?

 

[Faraday40]

Does anyone know if turkeys give a little hawk protection?

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Does anyone know if turkeys give a little hawk protection?

Adult mature turkeys yes. Same rules apply tho, must be raised with the birds you want to protect.

 

[Faraday40]

Adult mature turkeys yes. Same rules apply tho, must be raised with the birds you want to protect.

We hatched 3 turkeys this summer.... named "Thanksgiving", "Christmas", and the 3rd may either be "Easter" or "Pardon." I heard that they are tougher to raise than chickens & may die. So far all are fine at age 3+ months, but I've been careful not to get attached. They're trained to walk into the chicken tractor in the morning & into the coop in the evening. They sleep with the whole flock but only share the chicken tractor with 2 cockerel hatch-mates. We probably won't keep any, but if they might offer some protection, I may decide to let them out of the tractor during the day. I've been keeping them in the tractor out of fear that they'd find a new way to hurt/ endanger themselves (a fav pastime when they were small) or they may decide to stay up in the trees or simply leave.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

If everyone is free ranging (which geese need) it won't hurt to have some. Geese tend to make noise when unusual things happen. Chinese geese in particular are noisy.

There was a instance this spring when I found one of my chickens dead, with head wounds. The two geese were standing close, so I think what happened is that a hawk killed the chicken and the geese went over and were honking about it, which drove the hawk away. I know the geese didn't kill her, because there was never aggression towards her from them. Even if a hawk kills a chicken, they won't stay around to be able to eat it and soon will learn that it's not a good place to hunt.

I think Wilbur killed one of my EE hens early this summer, protecting his chicken girlfriend. He hasn't been aggressive toward anyone else, but was towards this chicken. I don't know why he didn't like this chicken and thought she was a threat.

Considerations to think about if adding geese for flock protection: extra food, extra bedding, is the housing large enough for chickens and geese together, or keep them in separate housing? enough green pasture for grazing, how bad of a hawk problem is there to warrant geese, do you like geese?

Lot of very valid points!
#1 do you even like geese. Young ganders can be jerks when they begin to reach maturity. I never hand feed a gosling, its just teaching them to bite your hands as they get older! A goose flock will protect its flock mates. They have to be raised with that flock, or trained young to accept new birds. I have seen my adult geese run off a fox. Anything larger will kill them.

We hatched 3 turkeys this summer.... named "Thanksgiving", "Christmas", and the 3rd may either be "Easter" or "Pardon." I heard that they are tougher to raise than chickens & may die. So far all are fine at age 3+ months, but I've been careful not to get attached. They're trained to walk into the chicken tractor in the morning & into the coop in the evening. They sleep with the whole flock but only share the chicken tractor with 2 cockerel hatch-mates. We probably won't keep any, but if they might offer some protection, I may decide to let them out of the tractor during the day. I've been keeping them in the tractor out of fear that they'd find a new way to hurt/ endanger themselves (a fav pastime when they were small) or they may decide to stay up in the trees or simply leave.
View attachment 1544713 View attachment 1544714

Toms do well. They stay, and consider any bird part of the flock. I have seen turkey and geese fight, and its always a stale mate. I had 1 horrible bantam mixed rooster that insisted on harassing one of my toms, and every other male bird I owned. Before we were able to process that rooster, the tom killed him. He saw him as a predator and removed the problem! Toms call out an alarm, hens too and the chickens learn that sound fast.
Turkey hens are broody, so they will disappear to brood eggs. Here, that won't work. Too many predators. I loved keeping turkeys. The expense of feed and so many non-viable eggs made me decide it wasn't for us. Can't free range or you lose your hens! I've tried several breeds and mixes, just wasn't cost effective for us.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

@Faraday40 I am still not sure what your 3 are, look for a shorter neck in a hen. Difficult to tell by pics. Boys are taller, thicker legs. Hens will have a "Mohawk" running up the back of the neck, sometimes on her head. Toms will always position themselves between you and a hen also.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Its really fall weather! And just that fast. This sudden temp change has ended most of my garden. I still have some spaghetti squash, pumpkin, and butternut squash out there. Some peppers, but tomatoes are done. Finding a lot of produce insects are taking over, we are just feeding to the chickens, cows & goats.
Been going over my chicken flocks. De-worming if needed. Found Beefy (Dark Cornish) has some sort of mites! Red bare skin around his butt. He rarely dust bathes. He instead chooses to stand over his girls while they do. Beefy will get another "spa day" where he gets a good bath. Blow dry, and examine him head to foot. I adore this rooster so he will get the best care I can offer. Of course my hens matter too, but my roosters help keep my hens safe and continue my line of birds. Beefy is also a pet - in your lap fella, he is probably 3 or 4 years old now. I take good care of my roosters, so they take better care of my hens.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Its really fall weather! And just that fast. This sudden temp change has ended most of my garden. I still have some spaghetti squash, pumpkin, and butternut squash out there. Some peppers, but tomatoes are done. Finding a lot of produce insects are taking over, we are just feeding to the chickens, cows & goats.
Been going over my chicken flocks. De-worming if needed. Found Beefy (Dark Cornish) has some sort of mites! Red bare skin around his butt. He rarely dust bathes. He instead chooses to stand over his girls while they do. Beefy will get another "spa day" where he gets a good bath. Blow dry, and examine him head to foot. I adore this rooster so he will get the best care I can offer. Of course my hens matter too, but my roosters help keep my hens safe and continue my line of birds. Beefy is also a pet - in your lap fella, he is probably 3 or 4 years old now. I take good care of my roosters, so they take better care of my hens.

What are signs that you should deworm? I look at poos, but that is it.
Have you posted a pic of beefy?