Looking for advice...

[Dmontgomery]

I can't offer you any advice on your question but I just wanted to chime in to say I think it's great your management is allowing chickens to free range on the golf course. I envision hens sitting on lost golf balls in the woods! I am curious how 85 screaming guineas aren't causing complaints from the golfers though.

 

[aart]

Quote: Thanks. Well, I am curious to see how this works out in the long run.....hopefully you keep this thread updated with all the happenings of the course flock.
What is the reason/goal of having these birds on the course?
Who will care for the birds over the winter....do you have a plan for keeping open water for them??
BTW chicken wire will keep chickens contained, but to a raccoon it's just an appetizer....does someone lock the barn up at night?

Long time golfer here and 3 years flock keeper......would not want my ball to land in some of the holes I've seen chickens dig (free drop?).
Cannot imagine the horror of them tearing into such carefully managed turfs.
....and the guinea noise<shudder>

 

[meeko626]

Thanks. Well, I am curious to see how this works out in the long run.....hopefully you keep this thread updated with all the happenings of the course flock.
What is the reason/goal of having these birds on the course?
Who will care for the birds over the winter....do you have a plan for keeping open water for them??
BTW chicken wire will keep chickens contained, but to a raccoon it's just an appetizer....does someone lock the barn up at night?

Long time golfer here and 3 years flock keeper......would not want my ball to land in some of the holes I've seen chickens dig (free drop?).
Cannot imagine the horror of them tearing into such carefully managed turfs.
....and the guinea noise<shudder>

Basically we just thought it would be an interesting and unique addition, you know something that other golf courses don't have. My goal for them is to have a flock of about 80 going into winter and about 40 come spring. Any extras are for the employee appreciation clam bake every fall

. Over the winter we plan to put one of those horse water heaters in their water. I saw them at tractor supply and they take a 9 volt and just float in the water (might get one of these for my home flock too). The good thing is that they are real close to our burnpile, so they spend the majority of their time picking through all the sticks and trees and not on the turf. Come night time its wide open. By my count we've only lost 5 since they've been free. We did a lot of heavy predator control over the summer on the coyotes though.

 

[donrae]

My vote would be for the Old English Games. The Buckeyes are a great idea also, but personally I like the variety of color the games would offer.

I wonder if NCF has seen this thread?

 

[N F C]

My vote would be for the Old English Games. The Buckeyes are a great idea also, but personally I like the variety of color the games would offer.

I wonder if NCF has seen this thread?

Thanks for the shout out Rachel!

My husband and I moved to WY this spring for his new job as GM/Superintendent of a public course (I manage the club house which includes a restaurant, bar and pro shop). I'll be interested in reading how this works out for you.

We've talked about having some chickens down at the course but in a fenced area because of all the predators around here (we have a lot of coyotes, badgers, hawks, eagles, etc.). I'd like to have the eggs for the club house restaurant. We've also discussed putting in a garden too...mainly for the same reason, the restaurant.

Another breed you might like to check out is one I've given some thought to, Icelandics. They are winter hardy and docile, not to mention beautiful with all their coloration variations. Here's a link to a breed review on them:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1083508/chicken-breed-focus-icelandic

Good luck to you and please keep posting so I can follow along...this is really interesting to me!

 

[meeko626]

The more and more I think about it, why not get both the modern games and buckeyes?

 

[N F C]

The more and more I think about it, why not get both the modern games and buckeyes?

Sure, go for it! I personally like mixed flocks...it gives you a chance to observe the differences in breeds.

 

[henny1129]

Sure, go for it! I personally like mixed flocks...it gives you a chance to observe the differences in breeds.

X2! Imagine the colors!! e

 

[meeko626]

So some bad news about the flock. Over the weekend a pack of three coyotes seemed to have come in. Henry and one of the 16 week old jersey giant roos tried to fight them off, and you can guess what happened. The good news though is that they did their job, only one guinea fowl was taken with them. To the Halls of Valhalla Henry goes!

 

[N F C]

Sorry for your losses...it would be a tough job for a bird to ward off coyotes.