MJ's little flock

[featherhead007]

Answer for @BY Bob . Chicken napping, happens a lot around here. (Mostly napping under my porch stairs, warm and safe) But away from my loving arms.

Yes Bob, it is sad!

 

[MaryJanet]

I will not tell you what to do but I once explained all of this science in a post on one of these threads. I will try and find it.

I remember. But I can't lie to Mark if he ever asks me about it.

 

[Ribh]

Although I agree, Chickens can be very prejudiced, and single breed flocks may go more smoothly; Many of us have also had fair Success with mixed flocks as well. Take Tailless and her Curvy Sisters. So physically different, from different flocks as well (though there was one
meat bird in Tailless’ first mixed flock) she inserted herself into Roostie’s Flock, and is accepted and somewhere in the middle of the pecking order. Yesterday one of the “other” meat birds wandered around my fence into “their” yard and both Tailless and another of Roostie’s girls drove her off mercilessly. A two and a half, maybe three pound girl the size of a bantam, with no tail and a derpy look to her face (think hei-hei) defending her space from a 10+ lb meat chicken (that looks just like Tailless’ adoptive sisters! I didn’t realize she was an interloper at first glance, until she was set upon by the tiny grey demon chicken)

On these threads nearly all our flocks are mixed. @micstrachan & I have largish mixed flocks without too many issues while you know @BY Bob has had some major issues with a much smaller flock. It really does boil down to personalities & why I am so careful to choose non dominant breeds. It lessens my chances of big issues.

 

[MaryJanet]

I do really appreciate you for who you are.

Me too

 

[Kris5902]

How safe is it for chickens to get soaked? It has been pouring rain all night and day here, my Jacket is still soaked through from my morning chores, Tarp repairs, and impromptu Cow herding adventures. I was hearing an Odd whirr and couldn’t tell if it was chickens sheltering under my trailer or my generator, and when I went out to turn said genny off was rushed by the chickens. Some of them are as soaked as my morning clothing! It was a chicken noise, I think... I’m steeling myself for the afternoon chores, will probably put out some feed in the trailer coop, but my free range flock is Soggy, Soggy, Soggy!

 

[featherhead007]

It also helps, that (Happy hens, come from California )

 

[BY Bob]

What is the birds of a feather point? I think I missed that. Is that about having all one breed? I ask, because of course I am still chewing over whether to get more chicks to expand my flock.

It about similar breeds preferring each other. What I did with 3 different new breeds in my last integration is not what you want to do. I knew it going in but did it anyway to please Mrs BY Bob. 6 different hens is also one of my problems now. I don't recommend it. I believe that you should at a minimum have pairs of each kind. I am determined to only add pairs moving forward, except I MUST get a Polish friend for Phyllis to hang with.

 

[Kris5902]

On these threads nearly all our flocks are mixed. @micstrachan & I have largish mixed flocks without too many issues while you know @BY Bob has had some major issues with a much smaller flock. It really does boil down to personalities & why I am so careful to choose non dominant breeds. It lessens my chances of big issues.

Yes... I started out with exactly all the problems one would expect, and that Shad complains of frequently. My breeds were picked solely for egg colour, prettiness, and because they were available to me, with zero regard for similarities! Although my home breeding is producing some solid crosses and bitsa chicks, that are quite healthy seeming. I think I lucked out some in that I hatched those initial chicks, so all they know is the mixed flock of their birth.

 

[MaryJanet]

Here is the post from last December. I stand by this completely.
View attachment 2472717

I remember it well but it's a moral question rather than scientific. In time I'm sure I'll cave and start eating them but before that I need to adjust to the possibility of either fibbing or telling Mark I deliberately ignored his advice. He'll probably never ask, but that doesn't excuse me from thinking it through. I'm grateful for this exchange because it's given me an opportunity to reassure you that your expertise is remembered and valued as well as articulate the source of my slowness.

 

[BY Bob]

Understood. Hmm. That might cause me some problems. The road runners are about as different from Maggie as it is possible to get! I was thinking of adding both Wyandottes and more Legbars. Now I am not so sure.

Just do it in pairs. Like you did with the legbars. Then they have "like" to hang out with. You should be fine then.