Kauai Moa Discussion, E Komo Mai!

[HawaiianRoo]

This thread is for Kauaians to more easily connect, share hatching eggs, trade roosters, and exchange ideas about caring for domestic chickens in the tropics. Local places to source quality feeds, affordable feeds, organic feeds, feed co-op. Where to get supplies, building materials, fencing, etc. Providing for feed stuffs locally, maybe from your backyard! How chickens can be incorporated into the tropical farm and homestead. All tropical topics can be discussed here. Aloha,

HawaiiRoo

 

[Miabearfan]

Aloha! I am a Wailua Homesteads girl and raising birds. Would love to connect with others locally who can share info and ideas etc. I have 2 7 month old layers and 5 chicks. I love my girls

 

[HawaiianRoo]

Aloha, and welcome!

I started this thread several months ago... it's been very quite, but I'm glad you found the thread. I also live on the e. side and would be happy to discuss raising chickens in the tropics. Your older girls must have started laying not to long ago. What breed of bird are you raising?

 

[Miabearfan]

Hi, YES! my girls just started laying mid October and it is going great. I have two French Black Copper Marans. Sweet and very tame.
Pita and Roxanne
My new chicks are (hopefully) all egg layers.
I have two Reds, two Aruacanas and one Orphington. They are about 11 days old now and thriving. I have a small coop, and enclosed yard and a place they can free range. The only problem I am encountering now is the local boy roosters coming down from the hill and trying to make friends. They just started that in past few days and I have been trying to shoo them off. Any advise there?

 

[HawaiianRoo]

The wild roosters are very persistent, especially when an opportunity like an unclaimed flock of beautiful hens, just in lay, is presenting itself. In the beginning, horrible as it may sound, and after trying everything to scare them away, I got rid of several permanently. I would suggest if you go that route, a nice slow cook with a crock-pot is the way to go, any other cooking method will render the rooster to tough. Needless to say, that method wasn't very successful. As soon as I got rid of one, another would take it's place. Who knows where they were coming from, I had no idea so many roosters lived in the neighborhood.

They just wouldn't stop coming, not matter what I did. So, I finally decided... to get a rooster. If you get a rooster, say a beautiful Rhode Island Red, he'll do his best to keep the offending wild chickens out of the yard. Often, he will be successful at fending off the wild ones, so successful that the wild ones won't dare go near his girl friends. I haven't seen a wild rooster in years. Now, adding a rooster to your flock may or may not solve your problem, because you might not want roosters, even domestic ones. If you do add a domestic rooster to the flock, the hens will feel safe and secure. It can be very distressing to the hens when any wild rooster flies over the fence for a quick visit. Not to mention, unless your birds are several generation acclimated local stock, the wild birds can transmit unwanted ills, such as internal parasites, like tapeworm, or external parasites, like mites or manson's eye worm. It's best to keep the wild birds away.

You could always get a well trained dog to chase the wild birds but not your own.

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

 

[Miabearfan]

Thanks, I agree as the wild bird illness scare me. I don't really want a rooster, noisy when they are right under your window in the morning. I am not sure what I am going to do, but will keep you in the loop.

 

[Miabearfan]

So my girls decided to venture out of the yard and head back to the hills to meet the boys, so now I have even more of a problem. Good news, they came running when I called them, the bad news is that as soon as I noted they were back and gave them treats for good coming home behavior, they went back. sigh - I really want to avoid having to keep them cooped all the time. Wish I could train a rooster to keep it down haa haa. I know my neighbors and family would not love a rooster in the yard.
That said, I LOVE the fact that the girls came running like puppy dogs to me when I called them. I brought out their "treats" (dried meal worms) and shook the container where they could hear it - Voila!

 

[HawaiianRoo]

Yes, that does sound like a bit of a problem. But... they are domesticated stock, so I doubt they will totally go ferrel. I'd imagine that as long as you feed them and provide for them a nice coop, they won't run away. You might have a problem if they start laying eggs in 'secret' nests. Hens will sometimes find or make a nest of their own to lay in, sometimes that nest can be hard to find. Other than that, they will put themselves to bed at dusk. Just be sure to continue providing the basics, and they will stick around. Also handle them often, that seems to keep them friendly and less wild. A big pen or pasture is another idea. It won't help to keep the wild roos away, but it will help to keep your hens in.

 

[miakauai]

Aloha I live in Lawai I have a couple marans myself
This is my too boss

This is one of my hens fluffy

 

[Miabearfan]

Hello! Your birds are beautiful. Things are going great with my birds. My Marans I discovered are not pure bred, but I love them. They are a year old now.
I have 5 other hens now
2 Aruacan's
2 Reds
1 Orphington

They are all laying now, which is great. I haven't had too much of an issue of late with the wild roosters which surprises me but I guess I am doing a good job of shooing them away.
So far everyone is healthy and seems happy. They definitely have their pecking order worked out but really they get along well.

Are you raising for eggs, chicks or/meat? I only raise for eggs right now.