Keeping Chickens Free Range

[ShrekDawg]

they are unless they got pups to feed they they will hunt for easy pray for when times are tough to get their pups a meal.

That makes a lot of sense! Although I haven't seen any pups or any other foxes (not sure if this was the same one or not). Although there's a lot of other prey around? Maybe it's not a good hunter? Or maybe there aren't as many as i think?

 

[islandgirl82]

Fox are far more brazen than a lot of people realize. If they stumble upon easy prey they'll take it and will keep coming back, especially when they have hungry kits. Daylight sightings don't mean the fox is ill/rabid either. They're patient and will wait ages until the coast is clear before making their move. Given the time if year, it wouldn't surprise me if the one you had circling your coop was young and learning.

I shot one years ago when I first started keeping chickens and ducks because it started approaching my son (who as 2 years old at the time) when we were outside. Twice within a few days it got within 40' of him while he was playing. I could deal with the losses of a few birds every now and again but that was much too much for my comfort when it came to my baby. Whether the fox would have done anything to my son or not... doubtful but I didn't care to take any chances.

 

[Tikkijane]

Well that's rather disappointing to know I am adding 2 Wyandottes this fall. I have heard some say they can be mean, especially when adding new chicks, but I've also heard some thaey are nice chickens so I'm hoping mine turn out to be the latter. I am adding 1 Golden Laced Wyandotte, 1 Silver Laced Wyandotte, 1 Partridge Rock, 1 Speckled Sussex, and 1 free chick, don't know the breed. Of course since the other 2 are more mild breeds, or at least the Sussex is, I am sure the Wyandottes may indeed be at the top of the pecking order but I am hoping that by being new chicks themselves and being integrated in they won't be bullies as opposed to getting them first and adding new chicks. I likely won't be adding more after these so that shouldn't be a problem. I hope they behave. I'm actually worried about the newbies getting picked on. None of mine are mean anymore but never know.

My SLWs are very sweet, fwiw. Unless they are broody.

My SLW is a normal rooster jerk with people {just doing his job}, single spurred {lost one fighting something off}, but absolutely fabulous with the ladies. He also does a great job keeping the other boys in line.

The biggest bully breed I've ever had were my barred rocks- no matter the age, they hung together and would consistently harrass the others. It was so bad we named them "the barred rock gang." Heh. Individually, they were sweet as pie. Together, they adopted a mob mentality.

 

[Tikkijane]

Wyandottes are great chickens. The thing is when you have a mixed flock you need to have breeds that complement each other. It wouldn't be fair to get a road island red which are known to be dominant with a faverolle which are almost always low on the pecking order and easy targets for bullying. I would just do a little research on the breeds you are purchasing and just get the ones that compliment each other. It will save you alot of heartache later plus any integration problems can lead to a chick being hurt badly. Good luck.

Space is the key in the coop. They need enough space to get away from each other. My more flighty breeds like to roost in the rafters - my heavier breeds can't get up that high and roost on multiple leveled roosts.

I've got at least 15 different breeds and they do fine. My guineas and ducks are also all mixed in. But they have space.

 

[Tikkijane]

That's a very good point and probably true. And I actually feel that way about any animal, it's part of why I don't like using choke and prong collars, e collars, etc. Of course, all have their place (though i try to train more positively anyway) but I find that some people tend to just slap it on a dog and call them trained rather than fixing the real problem. And then you run into the issues with collar wise dogs and a dog that won't listen if he gets loose without it, etc. So finding and fixing the actual root of the problem is definitely important. Of course they can have their place to help fix the problem if one so chooses but should never be the sole tool or a case of just slapping one on and calling a dog trained. ALSO. I don't personally use a prong collar but a huge pet peeve of mine since I learned this info is people putting them on improperly. They're supposed to be fairly tight, high up on the neck (like behind the ears is good) with the prongs on the side of the neck and of course it should be for corrections only when they're bad but people just slap em on extremely loose, at the base of the neck, prongs on the throat, whatever. That can also be dangerous to the dog. And of course the people that not only do that but slap it on a Lab for control. Of course I get that any dog could have a use for it and yes even a Lab, hyper or not, but it annoys me when A. there are many other ways to train the dog and it's not NEEDED but they choose that (though everyone is obviously entitled to train their own way) and B. When they aren't even training with it but just have it on 24/7 for control. It's a training tool not a regular collar. For instance I saw this English Lab at an ice cream shop once and to me she seemed fairly calm and well behaved but they had about 3, 4 collars on her, one of which was an extremely poorly fitted prong collar, and they pulled her back a few times which of course was attached to the prong collar thereby correcting her for no reason. Stuff like THAT annoys me.

But sorry for the huge rant hahah

 

[ShrekDawg]

Fox are far more brazen than a lot of people realize.  If they stumble upon easy prey they'll take it and will keep coming back, especially when they have hungry kits.  Daylight sightings don't mean the fox is ill/rabid either. They're patient and will wait ages until the coast is clear before making their move.  Given the time if year, it wouldn't surprise me if the one you had circling your coop was young and learning. 

I shot one years ago when I first started keeping chickens and ducks because it started approaching my son (who as 2 years old at the time) when we were outside. Twice within a few days it got within 40' of him while he was playing.  I could deal with the losses of a few birds every now and again but that was much too much for my comfort when it came to my baby.  Whether the fox would have done anything to my son or not... doubtful but I didn't care to take any chances.

Hmm, that's interesting. I knew the coyotes around here are brazen but always thought fox were more shy but apparently not. And do theu hide the kits or? But yeah, it definitely could be young as I thought it looked it and we haven't seen fox in a while so maybe hasn't yet learned how to be elusive.

We can't shoot it since we have close neighbors and also no gun but I can certainly understand why you did. Scary!

My SLWs are very sweet, fwiw. Unless they are broody.

My SLW is a normal rooster jerk with people {just doing his job}, single spurred {lost one fighting something off}, but absolutely fabulous with the ladies. He also does a great job keeping the other boys in line.

The biggest bully breed I've ever had were my barred rocks- no matter the age, they hung together and would consistently harrass the others. It was so bad we named them "the barred rock gang." Heh. Individually, they were sweet as pie. Together, they adopted a mob mentality.

Thanks, thats good to know and not planning to brood at least atm so that's good lol your rooster sounds nice!

Hmm, interesting, my BR doesn't seem to be a bully! Although I do wonder what would have happened if her sister hadn't died at 6 days old, maybe they would have teamed up.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I can't tell if this is directed at me or agreeing and mad at the people that do that lol

 

[islandgirl82]

Quote:
I don't keep a gun, there just happened to be one around at the time.

Fox do hide their kits but not always in the most secluded areas. Years before I kept poultry, we had what I'm assuming was a first time mother hide her kit in the garden under our bay window whilst she buried her cache in our herb garden. She did this multiple times until our Newfoundland/Chow Chow mix found the kit. It was sad but she learned not to bring any future kits to the house and she moved her cache.

 

[ShrekDawg]

 I don't keep a gun, there just happened to be one around at the time. 

Fox do hide their kits but not always in the most secluded areas.  Years before I kept poultry, we had what I'm assuming was a first time mother hide her kit in the garden under our bay window whilst she buried her cache in our herb garden.  She did this multiple times until our Newfoundland/Chow Chow mix found the kit. It was sad but she learned not to bring any future kits to the house and she moved her cache. 

Ahh that makes sense.

And aw that definitely is a little sad but it's weird she hid it so close to the house anyway and a coyote or other predator may have found it anyway even if she hid it in the woods so a good lesson I guess. I hope any future kits survived. Maybe she was really young

 

[Tikkijane]

Hmm, that's interesting. I knew the coyotes around here are brazen but always thought fox were more shy but apparently not. And do theu hide the kits or? But yeah, it definitely could be young as I thought it looked it and we haven't seen fox in a while so maybe hasn't yet learned how to be elusive.

We can't shoot it since we have close neighbors and also no gun but I can certainly understand why you did. Scary!
Thanks, thats good to know and not planning to brood at least atm so that's good lol your rooster sounds nice!

Hmm, interesting, my BR doesn't seem to be a bully! Although I do wonder what would have happened if her sister hadn't died at 6 days old, maybe they would have teamed up.

I've got at least 20 boys right now, and he'll break them up if he feels like they've been tangling too long. It's really cool to watch.