OHio ~ Come on Buckeyes, let me know your out there!

[naturegeek168]

@nicklebees there is a thread under breeds called "The Buckeye Thread" and it is all Buckeye owners/breeders, I would try asking there also.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

 My theory is friendliness in any given chicken, like people, probably is based in a combination of personality traits, which would tie into heredity, coupled with experiences and environment.  Some breeds seem to have tendencies, as many books and reviews will attest, but in the end they are individuals with a complex genetic background. Maybe the truer they are genetically to the breed specifics, the more they follow the tendencies they are "supposed" to have.  Theory aside, you could argue that if a trait like friendliness is breed-specific, its roots are hereditary. All of our Amberlinks and RIR are very friendly and seek attention while our 2 Silver-lace Wyandottes and Partridge Plymouth Rock won't let us get within 5 feet. We have one Buff Orpington that will allow you to get close but hates to be picked up. They all get fed the same, treated the same and live in the same environment. So why the differences? Heredity has to play a part. Thanks for the brain teaser!

  Howdy! 
I'm actually across the river from Marietta, but the Ohio folks are so nice, I join you guys! 



This brings up something that I have been contemplating lately.  Do you think friendliness in chickens is hereditary?  Moreso than breed-specific? 

I have lavender orpingtons, handled them a bunch when they were little, but they never got very friendly (much better now as adults, though)  Everyone says they are lap chickens.  Well mine aren't!   

I have a flock of Seramas that run from me, even after I handled them quite a bit as babies.  They are "supposed" to love human interaction.  Mine don't really care. 
But I recently hatched more, from another source, and they are super sweet! 

I have cochins, and some are easy to handle, some are not.  Almost all of my OEGB's are very friendly, even the ones that I didn't get to work with as much.  And even the broody raised ones.  But those came from my original ones that I did handle. 


Things that make ya go hmmmmmm.... 

I don't think it's ever to late to get them more comfortable around you. My first girls were all 2+ yrs when I got them. 4 brown leghorns and 2 RIR. The BLH wouldn't have anything to do with me. The RIR could be picked up no problem. A year later I still have one BLH who doesn't want anything to do with me but the others will eat out of my hand.

Last spring I got 3 mixed breeds. The one who turned out to be a girl loved to sit with me. Once she came of age she keeps her distance. I can pick her up and pet her on the roost but she doesn't look for me like when she was little. The other 2 mixed turned out to be Roos. The dominate male I have to chase to pick up. He's never gone after me or tried to peck my eyes out when I hold him but he's definitely not happy about it. The other boy can be handled and pet on the roost. Not sure how much of that is personality or flock status. Big Boy doesn't want to show his soft side? LOL

I also picked up 4 Black Copper Marans and 2 Wheaten Americanas. The Wheatens would seek attention. Even come when called. The Marans wanted absolutely nothing to do with me. The Wheatens shied away for a bit but now that they are laying have become more friendly again. They will walk right up to me and let me pick them up and eat out of my hand. The Marans still want absolutely nothing to do with me. LOL

I will say when I had an injured Maran and she had to be handled 2x a day and spend nights in the house she got so used to being handled she would eat from hand and let me work on her with no problems. Once she went down to daily checks and staying with the flock she was still very good about being handled. Now she is all healed and protests loudly when I pick her up!

I guess my point is it depends on the chicken, the mood they are in, the day of the week. LOL When handled more often and consistently they get used to it. They seem to decide you're not so bad for a really big weird looking chicken. It helps if they are more friendly and willing to begin with. In getting more chickens would I pick breads that lean more towards people friendly? Yes. But I don't think it's a guarantee. I make a point of checking them on the roost and randomly handling those who don't let me pick them up in day light. I even chase down Big Boy every so often. I know it will come in handy if he ever needs medical treatment. There are very few days when my birds doesn't see me and hear my voice. I think it helps to keep myself as part of the flock. Even if it's as a visitor.

 

[bablessing1]

Question.... How often can you feed your chickens scrambled eggs without over-loading them with protein? We feed them layer pellets and a small amount of scratch just before they head for the roost in the evening.

 

[minihorse927]

I feed ours a huge baked egg omelette once every week or two. Layer feed barely has enough protein in it for a laying bird. I feed a minimum of 20% protein feed plus eggs or meat once a week. They have done fine.

 

[ToniTalley]

I feed meal worms and yogurt for protein, I am not into feeding them any eggs, I eat them all myself!

 

[mamatink7]

I feed meal worms and yogurt for protein, I am not into feeding them any eggs, I eat them all myself!

I agree!! I won't feed ours any eggs. Ours love cottage cheese/ string cheese, meal worms plus I give soy bean protein in their layer feed to bump up protein.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I have a mixed gender and very mixed age flock. I started using Nutrena feather fixer for everyday food. Not as high in protein as a flock starter which doesn't have enough calcium for layers. But not as high in calcium as layer feed so those who weren't laying, (and the boys) aren't over loaded with too much calcium.
I offer oyster shell separately and free feed protein snacks. I'm looking into Grubblies. They are dried black soldier fly larva. Supposed to be better then meal worms. I also like that they are grown and made in the USA.

 

[mamatink7]

I have a mixed gender and very mixed age flock. I started using Nutrena feather fixer for everyday food. Not as high in protein as a flock starter which doesn't have enough calcium for layers. But not as high in calcium as layer feed so those who weren't laying, (and the boys) aren't over loaded with too much calcium.
I offer oyster shell separately and free feed protein snacks. I'm looking into Grubblies. They are dried black soldier fly larva. Supposed to be better then meal worms. I also like that they are grown and made in the USA.

I got some Grubblies from the poultry show and have been Leary on giving them.
I used feather fixer for months and they did well on it

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I got some Grubblies from the poultry show and have been Leary on giving them.
I used feather fixer for months and they did well on it

I tried to find something in between on protein and calcium that would work for everyone. When I first brought home younger ones I still had layer feed and put out separate food. Layer and all flock. I swear they all went for what was not meant for them. I still see my Big Boy eat oyster shell every so often. I try to do my best with what's available to me.

The grubblies sounded like a good option. I've seen a compost drum black soldier fly farm kinda thing. You throw your garbage and larva in and when the larva are ready to pupate they crawl out and become chicken snacks! The flies won't survive as far north as I am once it gets cold. I'm not really wanting to bring them in to keep them alive.

I looked for the original plans and can't find them of course. They turn just about anything to rich dirt. But they are maggots....

 

[Spartan22]

My chickens love those Grubblies but they can get too expensive. Black sunflower seeds are my other option since I found out most of those mealworms are actually shipped from China until I can raise my own mealworms.