New from New Scotland (Nova Scotia)

[HamptonHardtack]

Hello, all. My girlfriend and I live in rural Nova Scotia on a picturesque little hobby farm with alpacas, wild blueberries, guineas...and chickens! We got our first birds just last month. We started out with a few guinea keets to eat some of the plethora of bugs that we have here. Then, we got a few silkie chicks, because we found out that the guineas are not the best parents. Then, we got a few Ameraucana/Easter Eggers, because we found out that neither the guineas nor the silkies are going to lay the number of eggs that we would want.

We have also adopted a couple random roosters (including a gorgeous Buff Orpington) in order to rescue them from the soup pot.

My ultimate goal is a nice flock of Buff Orps, another of Black Australorps, and one mixed flock. We have the chickens for eggs. Meat is not one of our goals, although I will be informing all of the ladies that once their egg production ceases, they will become chicken parmigiana.

Next animal purchase is a guard dog to protect all the birds, as we have already had two incidents with foxes. Suggestions on dog breeds that have worked well for you would be welcome.

 

[tdepointe]

The dog I had that was best with guarding the my hens was a german shepherd, collie cross. He would move though the field with them keeping the flock together and lay near them. More than once ran of ran off coyotes that I am aware of and who know what did not coming because he was there.

Currently I have a beagle/lab cross that hangs out with the chickens. She is not as actively protecting them as the shepherd did.

 

[drumstick diva]

Actually the sex linked chickens,- red or black sex links, or those called red stars, cinnamon queens, etc. are great layers - Easter eggers lay pastel eggs but not large amounts. Black australorps produce many more eggs than Buff orps. Buff orps frequently go broody and can cover more eggs than a silkie. Silkies however being much lighter would be less likely to crush small eggs.

Other responders will probably have different views.

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. X2 on drumstick diva; if high egg production is your main priority, the Black Sex Links (Black Stars) and Red Sex Links (sold under a variety of labels such as Red Star, Gold Star, Gold Sex Link, Golden Comet, Brown Sex Link, Golden Buff, Cinnamon Queen, Isa Brown, etc.) are egg laying machines, churning out more than 300 large brown eggs per hen per year. If you want a true breed (sex links are hybrids and will not breed true), Black Australorps are a good choice as they are the best layers of the standard brown egg laying machines. If you don't mind white eggs and breeds that are high strung and flighty, White Leghorns are also egg laying machines churning out more than 300 eggs per hen per year. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck in getting your flock.

 

[N F C]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

I've read that Great Pyrenees can be wonderful LGD (livestock guardian dogs). Of course, any dog will take training and dogs that are raised strictly to watch over the livestock are not pets, they are working dogs with a job to do. I don't currently have a dog but you can try asking for a breed recommendation by posting on the "other pets & livestock" forum:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/22/other-pets-livestock

Good luck to you with your farm & chickens!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!