Nevadans?

[SunnyDawn]

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It's really up to you. If you are really attached to the bird give her suggestions a try. I would probably go the easier route and work with a flock that is not stressful for me. Call the sanctuary and see what they say... But really it's a personal choice.

 

[vegaschick]

Knemeyer - Give it a couple of days. We tend to stress about everything like there is no tomorrow. Let her heal a bit, give her some TLC and in a bit, a companion. These things have a way of working themselves out. It's probably the group working out the pecking order...some are on top and some are on the bottom. It's just the way things go.

I find that it's best to give treats in two or three spots so that those birds that are lower in the pecking order have a chance to get some w/out getting beat up. That may help too.

Whatever you decide to do will be fine. Good luck!

 

[Knemeyer]

I think we're going to add a divider to the coop so we can have the polish and the sultan on one side and the layers on the other and give the little ones they're own run. I know I probably sound a bit paranoid, but they got her real good. My mom said that had she come out a bit later, Nan would have been dead. When she went out most of her crown feathers were ripped out and they were starting on the skin and it got real worse just in the time she ran back to the house to get my dad to help get her out. She's still pretty upset about it. I happened to pick up an old issue of Backyard Poultry and of course I open to the article about Polish and how you shouldn't mix them with non-crested breeds due to their penchant to pick at the crowns.

 

[SunnyDawn]

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I think that is a great solution!

 

[vegaschick]

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X2!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Kneymeyer – I think that is a great idea also! Sometimes there are a few or a breed(s) who are just gentle and do not mix well with a bird who has leadership issues. I am so glad you are keeping her.



Well, had one disappear yesterday. Did not notice until the just before bed snack/water check – then noticed I was missing one of my Splash Buff “Brothers”. I looked and looked for him after chores with the flashlight. Could not find a body or part. Looked again this morning and finally found some saddle feathers – newish ones, so they were part blood feather – not something they normally just loose, but that was all. So must be an aerial predator (raptor), large enough to carry a 3 to 4 pound bird off. I might think yote or something of that nature, but I do not think it could make it over the fence – a 100 yards into the frontish yard by the drive, get the bird without a chase and make it back to the other side of the fence before the dogs got it. Plus the dogs never alerted that there was a yote around – and Hannah has an incredible hate for the things.

It was one of these boys, the cockerel on the right (ok, him or his brother, not sure)

At least it was a quick death and it was a freezer bound cockerel – not a breeding hopeful cockerel or a breeder hopeful pullet. Now, thou I have to watch for a new predator and make some changes. A LGD might be in the future, I could go crazier than I am worrying about the chickens during the day.


Ok, couple gratuitous dog pictures.

Hannah – Border Collie and Cristo – Cane Corso

Last year - mayish 2009 – I snuck out the back door of the house to sit in the chick pen and take chick pictures. I made some noise and the dogs came to investigate.

Splitting up when they got closer, still did not know it was me

Oops, now he knows – I did tell him he was a very good dog………he still felt foolish I think.

 

[SunnyDawn]

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Beautiful dogs Genny! Sorry about the roo, but at least he wasn't a favorite.

What is a Yote raptor? I had no idea, so I looked it up on line and couldn't find it there either. The curiousity is killing me!

 

[Knemeyer]

Genny, love the expressions on their faces when they realized it was you. The Cane Corso looked like he was saying "you could've let us know sooner."

I have two border collies, but haven't let them mingle with my chickens. The smaller one has killed about 5 wild rabbits and both of them circle the run like they can't wait to get at them. I just don't want to take the chance. Sorry to hear about your roo. At least you know when it comes from above it's a quick death.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Sorry - yote - coyote - I am just lazy.



Our border, and the corso, both are fantastic with the chickens - in fact, they spend the day together (chickens and dogs, loose) even if I am not home. The corso has no prey drive really - when he catches a rabbit, he has no clue what to do with it - in fact stands with it until another dog takes it away. I am sure he ponders "why - why do we chase the cute fuzzy things".

The border has an incredible drive, we have just let her know that rabbits, mice, rats (pack and others), squirrels and moles are "good" the chickens, ducks and geese are off limits. When she catches the right prey she is really praised and I take a picture - make a *huge* deal of it; she does hunt daily and we have made it part of her job. She gets called to the coop to catch mice (any I catch alive I release so she can catch them

)

She has never hunted a chicken - but her and the corso have stepped on two while playing - and yup that is the end of the chicken. Spring is always confusing to her - geese and ducks breeding with all the noise and "activity", she did not understand and tries to split the couple. She has even brought me a duck - carrying it by the neck - I yelled her name

, she dropped it, and the duck ran off complaining, like it was really mad about the interruption and not worried about its life

- no blood, she never broke the skin. She also had trouble with the duck who raised a couple chicks - she kept trying to "save" the chicks from the angry duck - the duck did not want Hannah near "her" babies. I wish I had a couple more just like her.


Kneymeyer - maybe a stern "No - leave it - mine" would work with your dogs and their possible hunting toward the chickens? Maybe try with one first - the most sensitive to your moods and pleasing you.




eta: I wish I had a couple more like the border collie, not like the duck.

 

[Knemeyer]

Horsefeatherz-What's funny about the one who hunts the rabbits, she is the most sensitive. I wouldn't believe if I didn't see it, but she is the only one with enough speed to catch them. I hate to say it, by my other one is a fat, lazy border collie. Kind of like an oxymoron. She doesn't care if you yell at her, not concerned about pleasing anybody and will just hop up and take your plate of food right before your eyes. We do tolerate her because she is the most protective especially when my son is in the backyard. That's her boy, so don't mess with him or even come near him. She is the one who paces the most around the run, but I'm not fooled with the other one. I think she's just waiting for the right moment to strike. That one is crazy, but I don't underestimate her intelligence. Crazy like a fox would describe her.