Online Large Fowl Chat Thread

[CapricornFarm]

I am so depressed, I think a fox took my white EE rooster today. I let them out in the fenced in area of Chicken City. They rarely stray far from the coop but that fox is bold. Too bad I was napping. So without a rooster, I might as well sell the hens
:-(

 

[Chicken Coach]

Sorry that you lost a rooster.I lost a real small bb red hen this week.Her buddies started roosting in another pen.So something happened.

 

[CapricornFarm]

It's not just the rooster, though he was beautiful and kind to his hens. What upsets me is the fact I can't let my chickens out and they do enjoy it so much. I need to get rid of those foxes.

 

[chick-among-us]

HOT hatch some eggs from the hens and get his babies and raise up a another roo like him! we have a beautiful white ameraucana from you. his baby?

 

[CapricornFarm]

Yes, that would be his. I thought about that, but by the time the babies are old enough to breed , the hens will be getting older and mature hens are not wild about young roosters. I could hatch babies and start over, but the hens are moulting and only one is laying. Any way, I have too many chickens and need to cut back . It is hard to let go, but eggs are not selling and feed is not getting cheaper. So sometimes you have to make decisions you don't like.

 

[corancher]

Sorry, about the EE rooster Deb. Nasty little fox. I battle the owls and coyotes here.

I understand about cutting back also. I am having to make the same decisions here. I have decided to let my Welsummers and Americanas go. I got them for pretty egg shades but with feed prices so high I have to work with breeds that I have a market for hatching eggs and chicks instead of just pretty eating eggs.

It is always sad to let them go.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Hey Ann, What color Ams do you have? I am getting a start with Lav and Blacks, plus I have Wheaten roos over my EE girls.
I wish it was only two predators I had to fight , but we have seen foxes, coyotes, dogs, mountain lions, bobcats, vultures, and hawks as well as coons and possums. I could deal with night time predators, but now I can't let the girls out during the day either. They love it so, it makes me sad to keep them penned.

 

[corancher]

I have Black & Blue AM from The Fancy Chick. I purchased chicks last summer for their pretty egg color. I almost got some Lavender AM but now I am glad I didn't. I like the thought of the Cream Legbar as they are suppose to be really great layer and I can sex them at hatch. They also lay a pretty colored egg so a win win. They are pretty costly still but the price is coming down just like it has in so many of the other

I took half of my Welsummer at the auction yesterday. I got $11.00 for the rooster and $7.00 for the hens. I still am trying to figure that one out. I got $5.00 each for some nice Black Orpington hens. Crazy stuff. You can never figure auctions out. I sold two little mixed ducks that were a week old for $4.50 each two weeks ago at the same auction. I guess cute counts for some of it.

My birds love to free range also and they don't like it when they are penned up for the breeding season. We have the Pyrenees and they help a lot but still can't be everywhere at the same time and there is not a thing they can do against a fast snatch from an owl or hawk.

 

[Chicken Coach]

That's my problem.There is very few chickens that i don't like.It's the same with me at the sales, my culls bring top dollar and the good stuff dose so-so.

 

[CapricornFarm]

I am so disgusted, now a coon or something ate the heads off the two polish I had in my pen right near the house! I bet that dog was sleeping. Wish a I could find a couple of good dogs. So I might as well sell my BLP hens. At this rate I am going to have a lot of empty coops. Found out today I got $70 each for the bucklings I took to auction,less commission . At least when I don't stay at the sale, I don't buy anything.
Yesterday I pulled 6 cubic feet of weeds, fed them to the chickens. By the time I was done that, I was worn out. It is so humid and pollen counts are crazy high. Built another feeder, cut two sides for the latest pen for young birds.