Landrace/adaptive breeding discussion

[Florida Bullfrog]

The free-range flock has mostly folded back into itself, with only one cockeral and straggler hens regularly doing their thing. Here is most of the flock scratching a pile of hay. It seems like whether they split or come together depends on what food source they’re taking advantage of.

The overall free-range flock is at least 19 strong. I know for sure one small cockerel permanently disappeared so he probably got caught by something or else he’s living somewhere alone. There may be some hens setting on nests somewhere.

 

[Appalachickens]

I let the two game hens and one of the stags out of the broody coop for the first time today. They were happily scratching away when I left. I can hear the other stag crowing in the little shelter and I'm hoping they won't be inclined to seek each other out. We will see how the day goes.

 

[Appalachickens]

The games sought shelter in the coop while a hawk flew over and then ventured back out. I ended up shutting them in (they came in willingly) mid-afternoon and letting the stag's brother and his two leghorn hens out for a couple of hours. Tomorrow I'm going to try the first set with the other three leghorns since they seem eager to be released from their crate. Hope the game girls are nice to them!

 

[Hablo]

It happened that my two new guineas Schorsch (male) and Uschi (female) which I bought one month ago prefer to roost on our walnut tree in about 16 feet high up. As I already wrote, I let them do their thing as they like.
You can see on the pictures that my brown guinea Petra which I own since October 2023 later joined them and preferred a thinner branch. Petra normally sleeps in the coop with the chickens and turkeys.

This night is the first night Petra joined Uschi and Schorsch.
I'm a bit concerned about the thick branch and the little height Uschi and Schorsch picked for roosting. I hope Petra will teach them to roost even higher and on thinner branches - she's about 2 years older than Uschi and Schorsch. On the last photo you can see that Petra decides to stay on a thinner branch. What do you think?

Uschi and Schorsch slept about 10 nights in the tree, I guess.

 

[Appalachickens]

It happened that my two new guineas Schorsch (male) and Uschi (female) which I bought one month ago prefer to roost on our walnut tree in about 16 feet high up. As I already wrote, I let them do their thing as they like.
You can see on the pictures that my brown guinea Petra which I own since October 2023 later joined them and preferred a thinner branch. Petra normally sleeps in the coop with the chickens and turkeys.

This night is the first night Petra joined Uschi and Schorsch.
I'm a bit concerned about the thick branch and the little height Uschi and Schorsch picked for roosting. I hope Petra will teach them to roost even higher and on thinner branches - she's about 2 years older than Uschi and Schorsch. On the last photo you can see that Petra decides to stay on a thinner branch. What do you think?

Uschi and Schorsch slept about 10 nights in the tree, I guess.
View attachment 4311044

I’m no help, but I’m interested since my hope is my chickens will take to the trees soon.

 

[Appalachickens]

I let the three leghorns who have been crated out today. The two game hens weren’t exactly welcoming, but whenever one would try to jump one of the leghorns, the stag would push in between them and stop the squabble. They all returned themselves to the coop in the late afternoon, so I’m trying to figure out the best way to encourage them to want to live outside full-time.

 

[Backroadlogic]

Gave my friend 18 eggs from that 90% game trio I had separated. Incubator time. Pretty cool to me that people want eggs of my freerange flock specifically so they can establish their own freerange flock.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

So here’s what happens when life gets busy. You blink and you realize the composition of your flock has changed. I barely have any black hens. This time last year black hens were dominating. Conspicuously missing are two black hens that were the best free-range mothers last year. Hopefully they’re off setting somewhere.

 

[Backroadlogic]

Exactly what happened to me. That trio I separated is my only 2 black gamehens

 

[Appalachickens]

Gave my friend 18 eggs from that 90% game trio I had separated. Incubator time. Pretty cool to me that people want eggs of my freerange flock specifically so they can establish their own freerange flock.

I stuck 6 game eggs and 6 game/leghorn eggs under a broody hen to see if I can get a jump start on breeding mixes.