Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

[LaurenRitz]

Four of the five found their way without any assistance tonight. That includes the girl I thought was night-blind! as well as the BA cross.

The fifth had tucked herself in under the rooster in the big kids coop. I carried her over and she climbed up.

I have two more to get up there, then the boys.

I think this may be the best solution. They're protected from the winter winds, high enough that predators can't reach them, and more or less protected from night-hunting raptors.

And no risk if I can't let them out for some reason.

When I first moved into this house and opened up the coop door for the first time, I discovered three intact chicken skeletons and a bunch of scattered bones. Whether someone had died or just forgot about them, 10 or 12 chickens died in there with no way to get out.

That's one of the major reasons I want them to roost outside.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

When I first moved into this house and opened up the coop door for the first time, I discovered three intact chicken skeletons and a bunch of scattered bones. Whether someone had died or just forgot about them, 10 or 12 chickens died in there with no way to get out

This is actually a recurring nightmare of mine and one of the reasons I’ve decided to raise more self-sufficient chickens. For years I had dreams I had forgotten to feed and water my chickens and I would go out to the coop and find some dead, eggs broken, dead chicks, no food or water etc. No idea how I got this random phobia in my head but probably from reading weird stories like this.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

For the record, I have never forgotten to feed or water my chickens but the idea that they’re so dependent on me and locked in a coop makes my stomach turn in knots. Happy to say that the flock I have now is much more independent than I’ve had in the past. They even find water on their own somehow even though I always have water available for them.

 

[Molpet]

Four of the five found their way without any assistance tonight. That includes the girl I thought was night-blind! as well as the BA cross.

The fifth had tucked herself in under the rooster in the big kids coop. I carried her over and she climbed up.

I have two more to get up there, then the boys.

I think this may be the best solution. They're protected from the winter winds, high enough that predators can't reach them, and more or less protected from night-hunting raptors.

And no risk if I can't let them out for some reason.

When I first moved into this house and opened up the coop door for the first time, I discovered three intact chicken skeletons and a bunch of scattered bones. Whether someone had died or just forgot about them, 10 or 12 chickens died in there with no way to get out.

That's one of the major reasons I want them to roost outside.

this is my night mare . I die and no one notices until the property is sold for back taxes. The Poor animals

 

[LaurenRitz]

this is my night mare . I die and no one notices until the property is sold for back taxes. The Poor animals

I'm pretty sure my siblings would notice within a year (frequency of our contact, pretty much), but that doesn't help the animals.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Found this guy stalking my chickens this afternoon. They were making crazy noises so I wandered over to see why and didn’t spot any chickens but spotted him.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Found this guy stalking my chickens this afternoon. They were making crazy noises so I wandered over to see why and didn’t spot any chickens but spotted him.

View attachment 4209670

Cooper's hawk?

They're smart. They do their research and figure out your routines - when you're out, when the chickens are out alone.

They're my #1 urban predator, although the local crows do a great job of alarming and then driving them off.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

They're my #1 urban predator, although the local crows do a great job of alarming and then driving them off.

I think it might be a red tail. I’ve seen it often on the power line above the field across the road. Usually the crows don’t put up with it but I suppose since breeding season is over all bets are off haha

 

[LaurenRitz]

I put the final two girls up in the rafters and they didn't skip a beat. The next night they were up there without coaxing.

So ten. Five still to shift, which I believe includes 3 Kraienkoppe (all boys) and at least 1 girl which I believe is American Game.

I had two boys that I was dithering over. Not that they'll be breeders, precisely, but I want at least two roosters going through the winter. I let the BYM out to see how he would do a couple weeks ago. The girls avoided him, he was wandering alone, and he was going after the 12 week pullets so he was eliminated last night.

I let the other out this morning and he has already acquired a couple of groupies who are following him around. Of course he went rather nuts for a little while there, but he settled down quickly.

11 young cockerels left to work with, including 3 Kraienkoppe, 2 game (probably won't keep those), 1 Sussex-Dorking mix and 5 of my lines. One of mine is sick and will probably be eliminated.