Montana

[Adalida]

BigSkyBird, my setup is close to what you're describing. My coop is an 8x8 shed with a little door out to a 12x15 run. My run isn't covered but I don't get as much snow as other places in Montana. We got about 2 feet this year.

 

[dawnmt70]

Any Eastern or Central Montana folks raise quail? They are on my to get list this spring.

 

[Bantambird]

I raise heritage turkey and birchen Marans and cream legbars

 

[Blueyes132]

How is the turkey raising going in Montana? I'm thinking abt raising them.

 

[Bantambird]

Turkey are very hardy. I had to convince them to start roosting inside when it was windy and -20 out by shutting them inside! They are more weather hardy than chickens. But the wild turkeys can steal them away if they aren't happy! Or, conversely, if you have a Tom, he might bring in the wild ladies. My turkeys have started laying eggs, so I'm starting to set some clutches. Our Tom is a burbon red, and we have 2 burbon hens and a royal Palm hen plus a cross that my oldest daughter would not let us eat. Getting 3 eggs a day from 4 hens! They are seasonal layers so once they are done, they may not lay again until next year!

 

[Bantambird]

Turkeys can get really attached to their owners. They fly really well and love to do it, for being so big, and they can jump up on your roof. Our Tom loves my daughter and follows her like a dog, begging for her to rub his head and pay attention to him. If she doesn't, he will bump into her until she pets him! He hates our dog, however, and any cat that he spots in the yard had best run very quickly. Big Red Tom will attack our boxer dog if she isn't paying attention to him, he likes to sneak up on her and nail her from behind. He likes to wing punch her, he's a real jerk to that dog, but she likes barking, and he cannot stand the barking at all. Any barking, and he makes it end with a good peck in the rear!

 

[Adalida]

@Bantambird that is an absolutely adorable picture! I never knew turkeys could be so nice. The only ones I've been around were my aunt's, and they were pretty mean!

 

[Bantambird]

On the turkey talk thread, there are terms they have come up with for turkey niceness. He would be termed a tolerant turkey. He doesn't seem being held, but accepts it when it happens. Some of them have lapper turkeys; they climb into your lap if you sit down with them for a nap and a pet! Lurkey turkeys hang out but don't want to be touched, always lurking to keep an eye on what you are doing and commenting on it. Then there are the bellybuttons. They are obnoxious, or mean, turkeys. Most turkey keepers eat mean ones, turkeys are big enough they can really hurt you when they are mean.

 

[Adalida]

Are any of you Montanans having trouble lately with all the big birds eyeballing your flock? It seems like it's a constant battle to keep my peeps from becoming a buffet for some hungry predator. In the last week, an osprey was hanging around; a hawk dive bombed the flock right at the front porch; and an owl got ahold of my Muscovy. I've seen bald eagles and golden eagles circling too. If my birds free ranged all the time instead of just when I'm home, I probably wouldn't have any left!

 

[mobius]

Interestingly i have a lot of crows around and they sound a warning call (noisy). From an early age I would watch my chickens freeze when they heard the crows warning of a predator bird and then dive for cover. The crows are helpful. Then I read about someone here who got a crow caller (like a duck caller)...worked for him like a charm to get crows to come around.

Also in my extended fenced area there is a lot of natural cover (bushes, trees, etc), and I have seen the chickens hiding and can't find them, they are very good at it if given cover!