Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

[BlindLemonChicken]

Well…I locked the chickens out of the coop. Four ended up in the trees but when I went to move the others the rooster made a bunch of squawking “don’t mess with my girls!” noises so I told him “you’re in charge, bro,” unlocked the bottom of the coop and left them alone. I’ll update tomorrow.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Everyone survived my coop lock-out experiment! Didn’t count on the rooster protesting a rearrangement but I guess he knows what he’s doing. One of the Buckeyes did return to the coop of her own accord at some point. I think I will leave the coop open and see what happens tonight without my interference.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I look forward to the day when I can just shrug off predator attacks.

That sounds weird, but it's true. 3 cockerels down and a foiled attack yesterday on another hen. Neighbor's dogs. So far they've taken birds I wasn't planning to keep, but still.

So far it appears that all the losses have been unwary birds wandering alone, and in open spaces. Interestingly, it's the Dorking-Sussex cockerel in the bachelor pad who alerted in all cases.

Another few weeks before I let him out to see if he's settled down.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Neighbor's dogs.

Ugh. This makes me angry on your behalf. I feel like I could handle a loss to an actual predator more calmly than a loss to someone else’s uncontrolled dog. Are the neighbors doing anything to compensate you?

 

[Mrs. K]

I don’t want to rain on your parade, but the predators have not found you. Every night you are risking it afresh. Predators move and out of an area, depending on a food source.

This would be so sweet if it worked, and I know this is what this thread is about. I have just been wiped out so many times.

I wish you the best of luck, but be wary.

Everyone survived my coop lock-out experiment! Didn’t count on the rooster protesting a rearrangement

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I don’t want to rain on your parade, but the predators have not found you. Every night you are risking it afresh. Predators move and out of an area, depending on a food source.

This would be so sweet if it worked, and I know this is what this thread is about. I have just been wiped out so many times.

I wish you the best of luck, but be wary.

We have trail cams all over the place so I am fairly aware of what is where. The raccoons most certainly know what’s where but they also know what happened to their friends lol. The coyotes I haven’t seen or heard in months and I’m not sure why that is. I suspect it is because of the two black bears. Again, we only know about those because of the cameras. The bobcats I can actually hear and very rarely see. This and hawks are my biggest threat. The truth is that right now there are much easier things to eat than my chickens. Going into winter that might change but I’m fairly confident that for the next couple months the construction project will keep most things at a safe distance.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I have just been wiped out so many times.

My thinking is that with some in the coop and some in the trees I can’t be wiped out in one go. Eventually I will have some in the barn as well.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Are the neighbors doing anything to compensate you?

Not exactly, but I have permission to solve the problem as necessary. They have a kennel that's apx 1/4 acre, but they like chasing chickens more, and that large of an area is almost impossible to secure adequately.

I feel like I could handle a loss to an actual predator more calmly than a loss to someone else’s uncontrolled dog.

As could I. I have told him, the last thing we need is a pack of untrained, unsocialized pitbulls roaming the area.

I have set the large animal trap.

 

[LaurenRitz]

I just talked to him and he said he would replace the lost birds. He's nearly as frustrated as I am.

 

[LaurenRitz]

So in regards to the project, this has actually been revealing. I'm down to two Kraienkoppe boys. The dogs haven't gotten any of the others. One attempt on a fat Ranger hen, which I interrupted.

Other than that, only Kraienkoppe have been taken, all low level cockerels. Feathers have been found in grassy areas, not under trees or bushes.

I didn't hear any of the attacks, but each time was alerted by the Dorking-Sussex cockerel.

Could be a lot of reasons. The male Kraienkoppe coloring is distinctive, but I don't think it's that. They are smaller birds, and the Kraienkoppe tend to be more skittish, running at the slightest scare--often in just the wrong direction.

Most of the other birds are dark or mottled, and don't scare worth a darn. If startled they're more likely to freeze than run. The smallest are also easily 2-3 times the size of the largest Kraienkoppe.

I think it's a combination of size (toy that's too small to effectively fight back) and movement, matched with the birds' inexperience.