New guy.

I just regestered while looking around for a few answers and thought I'd say hi. I've been raising birds for eggs, meat, show, dog training, and pets for the last 26 years. I've kept better than 20 breeds of birds over the years and have had a lot of fun. We sell eggs and my kids love helping me out with the chores.

I'm down to just a few birds right now. I can't stand not having a good size flock. But I do have 7 Leghorns in the brooder (6 hens and a cockerel), and 15 chicks with 5 turkeys on order. So I'm very exited to be back up to the 30-40 bird mark. That seems to be what works best for me. I'm trying out the Buff Orpingtons and Delaware for the first time, and am reordering some breeds I've had in the past. I love a very colorful looking flock!

Pictured is what I've got in the yard right now. After feeding a coyote a fast moving lead pill, and ridding some local dogs with irrespocible owners, my numbers are stable again. Black Australorp rooster and hen. They are both a little skittish, and he is not at all aggressive. I'm glad about this, as he has 2-2.5" spurs. The hen goes broody twice a year and has hatched chicks for me. My two speckle Sussex hens are very friendly and good layers of medium eggs. The Gold Sex links are great layers along with the production reds (I don't believe they are RIR). My Leghorns that I hatched from my neighbors birds in my incubator are two months old now, and will be going into the coop soon. I can't wait as I'm needing the eggs!

 

Hey, thanks! I do like the Australorps. Good birds.

I only loose chickens in the spring when predators are nursing. I'm guessing their diets need to be higher to feed their young, so they are more aggressive hunting for food. That's when I find them looking at my chickens. While the raccoons are just after the trash here, the possums have a taste for chickens. Outside of the spring season, I don't have too many issues with wild predators.

I've got the domestic dogs thinned out right now. Between the local sheep farms, caving pastures, and my place, a rogue dog doesn't last long. But they can do a ton of damage before someone IDs and catches up with the dog.