Might have to change my mind about breeding light Sussex.......

[The Sheriff]

We think we had another hawk in the yard today. DH went out just as a crow was flying up and everyone was hiding in corners. The crows chase the hawks away, usually. No chickens hurt or missing though.

I think white chickens on green grass are just hawk magnets! I sure don't want one of these GreenFire Farms chickens to be carried off. I hate keeping chickens in runs. Maybe my yard is too small for runs big enough for these guys. I am going to have to think about this plan.

Mary

 

[TimG]

What kind of cover do they have in the yard?

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
Lots of big oak trees on one side but open grassy area on the other.

 

[keesmom]

I know what you mean. White (or black/white) chickens are definitely hawk magnets. Once we had silver spangled hamburgs. Lightweight, fast, capable of flying, yet which breed did the hawks pick off? The hamburgs.

I also have some of Greenfire's Sussex. Just about had a heart attack when a hawk almost got one several months ago. So for now they're in a shortened covered run. I know they'd rather have a bigger area, but until I can hatch more that's where they'll have to stay. They will have a snow free area though, unlike my free range group.

 

[kathyinmo]

You are right, Mary. You shouldn't have them there ... much too dangerous. Send them all to me .... for safety reason, ya know.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Get some turkeys in your flock. My turks will not tolerate hawks, & run them off.

 

[Bantimna]

You are right, Mary. You shouldn't have them there ... much too dangerous. Send them all to me .... for safety reason, ya know.

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
I had read that turkeys and chickens should not be housed together. Is that wrong? And I have a small yard. Check out my BYC page for pics.

But, if it works, I could raise the turkeys and sell them, right. I am one of those who could never eat anything I have raised. I am not against it, just unable to do it.

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
You just want the eggs! You are starting to go into withdrawals as the end of your staggered hatch approaches sometime in the first quarter of 2010.

You are starting to feel a little anxious and like bugs are crawling under your skin.

You are thinking to yourself, "those light Sussex are about 8-12 weeks old right now. By the time this staggered hatch ends they'll be laying!"

Well I am a nurse and I CANNOT support your addiction.

Mary

 

[ultasol]

Turkeys and chickens aren't supposed to be a good combination. Geese, however, don't share the diseases as readily and are definitely aggressive enough to scare a hawk. That said, I would get young geese and raise them with the chickens to ensure they imprint on them and it will, hopefully, limit aggression. I would *not* put geese in a small covered run with chickens.

My geese have been kept in pasture with chickens without any problems. During breeding season my ganders do get protective of their nests, but they limit themselves to displays of territoriality unless the invader is persistent.

In order of gentleness from most to least gentle (of the breeds I personally have):
1) exb toulouse
2) buff americans
3) sebastopols (my sebbie goose just laid and my gander is being a bit of a bear)