Kauai Moa Discussion, E Komo Mai!

[skgray]

Another kauaian here, link to introduce post:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1130323/aloha/
Gonna try to get some pics up.

 

[skgray]

Egg layers:

Bantams:

They look like they have one of the genes that dilutes black.

Ferals:

Not very common coloration/patterning for ferals here. Most likely only a few generations from some domestic breed.

 

[skgray]

The wild roosters are very persistent.

As soon as I got rid of one, another would take it's place.

Let me know what solution you eventually settle on as you're not the first to have this problem.          

This is still very true, been trapping almost non-stop for several months in and still have feral chickens of all ages keep on coming. Amount and frequency depends on the initial population I've noticed.

Where I live the feral population isn't that high in the immediate vicinity. Our yard was clear for a couple months after initially trapping around ten or so, but recently a few more started coming around.

At my mom and step dad's place the feral population is pretty high. This is where I was talking about trapping non-stop and they keep coming. I probably trapped over thirty birds there. They also multiply pretty quickly even with both domestic and feral cats preying on the chicks.

We have RIR cockerel there but he and the hens are kept in the run and sometimes let out for supervised ranging. Maybe when he grows some spurs we can let them range all day and hopefully he will keep out the feral roosters, but that won't keep out the hens, chicks, and young pullets and cockerels.
Maybe we need to keep trapping till there's no more ferals in the area, but not sure how long that would take...

 

[HawaiianRoo]

Aloha Skgray, and welcome...

Seems that the Kauai thread has been inactive for some time, but I'm glad you found your way to it.

The cockerel will eventually be big and bold enough to keep the wild roos away, but it will take some time. As you said, it won't help with the hens and chicks. What seems to be your problem with the wild birds? If you selectively breed a couple of generations, they quickly become adapted to our local tropical conditions, parasites and all.

Young wild hens at about 16-24 weeks don't taste half bad slow roasted, contrary to the popular belief! Maybe you could find a use for all those wild hens.

 

[skgray]

The issues are mainly parasites and disease, planning on selectively breeding as you suggested.

They also dig holes all over and spread out raked up leaves if we don't pick up them up right away.

May have to at least try slow roasting some also.

I wonder if anyone would be interested in taking any of the birds I trap.

 

[skgray]

Update on keeping feral roosters out of my parents place:
Had a Brahma/Jersey Giant/Marans mix cockerel ranging and guarding the yard and the hens (which were in the coop/run). He did ok but got a little injured from a feral rooster, probably because he was young with nubby spurs. Crowing was getting loud for my mom, so gave him away. Now we have a mixed game bantam rooster with spurs over an inch long ranging and he has been keeping out the feral roosters even though they are quite a bit larger than he is.

 

[KauaiCherie]

Hi I live in Kekaha I have both laying hens and am raising my first sets of ducks...anyone on Kauai with info on raising Muscovy Ducks? I have both my 4 ducks and 4chickens in the same yard. Doesn't seem to be working to well. We have a feral Rooster(who moved in) about two years ago who attacked one of the female ducks. I think he may have to go. Chickens seem to be bullying the ducks as well- they(ducks) are still juveniles 2 months old. I am hoping the ducks will get large enough to put the chickens/rooster in their place or am I dreaming? Need to build two separate areas?
I have gotten a lot of great ideas and advice off this site...looking for other locals who have similar issues .
Mahalo!

 

[skgray]

Hi! I have friends that have a few Muscovy ducks but no chickens. I had both when I was little and don't remember our chickens (mostly Leghorns) attacking any of the ducks.

If your hens aren't hurting the ducks then they should be okay, just keep an eye on them. I would get rid of the rooster if it attacked your ducks, actually if it were me I would get rid of it either way. My goal is keeping feral chickens away from my chickens as much as possible. If you can and want to keep a rooster, I would get a rooster of the same breed as your hens, or one that would create a sexlink cross with them. That way you can hatch more of your own layers if you wanted to. Having a rooster of your own can keep the feral roosters out, otherwise you have to trap or shoot them.