Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[OneMountainAcres]

The flock is much more calm and relaxed today. We didn't manage to get to butchering yesterday. Things just kept coming up. But, we just finished up 10 cockerels. I know the flock will be crazy again here in a couple weeks as the younger boys start to mature but we've got a couple more weeks till we have to worry about it again.

 

[fisherlady]

The flock is much more calm and relaxed today. We didn't manage to get to butchering yesterday. Things just kept coming up. But, we just finished up 10 cockerels. I know the flock will be crazy again here in a couple weeks as the younger boys start to mature but we've got a couple more weeks till we have to worry about it again.

I do love the peace in the coop after the hormonal teens are removed!

 

[LadyBehir]

So would canning chicken in a pressure canner be one way to process older birds? In bone or off bone? I am with LMP - I gotta get a pressure canner!

 

[emorems0]

What kind of pheasants are they?

Ringneck

Add roosting areas in the run for them to get up on during the day....I have used tree limbs shoved through the chain link in corners or just construction saw horses. Having spaces to 'escape to' can help ease tensions and conflicts between flock members. They can 'hang out' without being in the faces of the more dominant flock members.

My FIL used to raise ring-necked pheasants up until a few years ago. Imagine 6,000+ of those guys flying all over the place whilst trying to catch them at 5 am come Fall/Winter...

(I actually do miss having them...)
They definitely like to have space and plenty of roost/hidey spots. The pen netting would be raised at least 10 ft high throughout the middle, and lower around the perimeter. Just watch for potentially getting snagged on the netting above. Had a lot of those, mostly because of bird glasses, but once in awhile would get a foot stuck and they'd be like a pheasant disco ball until we got them down

As soon as I finish securing the turkey pen and process the turkeys, we are going to move the pheasants in there... I think it is about 10ft at center. There is a big long branch in the run and a couple of roosts inside the 'shed' portion. I think I'll put a few roosts out in the run area too.

Anyone know what kind of shelter and nest boxes they'll need... I can't imagine they'll need anything more than the turkey shed since they live out in the wild here, but I'm not sure what to provide them for laying.

 

[BullChick]

So would canning chicken in a pressure canner be one way to process older birds? In bone or off bone? I am with LMP - I gotta get a pressure canner!

Both. If you do it off bone, FL suggested putting the drummie (wing section) in the jar for good broth.

Ringneck




As soon as I finish securing the turkey pen and process the turkeys, we are going to move the pheasants in there... I think it is about 10ft at center. There is a big long branch in the run and a couple of roosts inside the 'shed' portion. I think I'll put a few roosts out in the run area too.


Anyone know what kind of shelter and nest boxes they'll need... I can't imagine they'll need anything more than the turkey shed since they live out in the wild here, but I'm not sure what to provide them for laying.

Did your turkeys have a tire or lean to for a nest?

 

[emorems0]

Did your turkeys have a tire or lean to for a nest?

No, I tried a couple of different things for nests and the turkeys just flipped over or moved anything I had in there... A tire probably would have worked nicely, but I never thought to try that (and don't have any either). I had to go in and fix the nest box and put more straw in every day, so eventually, I just let them lay on the dirt since that's what they insisted on doing anyway.

 

[stake]

looking for opinions, not sure if I am in the right place, my silkie has gone broody, again, what would u all recommend, barred rock or wyonette?

either are good...add orps on that list too if looking for opinions......

 

[stake]

Hi All. What would you guys do? I have this beautiful Welsummer/silver laced Wyandotte cockerel. I bought three and ended up with him and two pullets. He is well behaved in the pen. Doesn't try to attack and I can touch him if the mood strikes. But I have two Ameracauna cockerels growing out and for sale. I don't really plan on hatching eggs. Is it better to keep my well behaved boy or take a chance on one of the Ameracaunas just in case I want to sell EE?

imho, a good roo who takes care of the flock is great....I've had one so I know...don't know your breeding agenda, but a good roo doesn't need to bully the girls, feeds the girls and defends them....if you see those three traits...he's a keeper!

 

[BullChick]

Stake, would say a good rooster is nature or nurture?
It is just at this moment occurring to me that I can't be sure that my Rock will be as awesome as my mutt. When my lucky roo (escaped on processing day) tries to mate, Steven always comes out of nowhere to save her.

I do believe the mean gene is passed down. I am wondering about the good husband gene

 

[stake]

saw a post with a hawk sitting on top of the run, that is why I posted about getting an air soft gun

imho, shotgun...12 gauge takes care of business...if you are suburban shoot #6 shot....has about a 35yd kill range for small game including fox/racoon...etc....if you need a longer shot #2 will give you about 30yds more 'legs'.....

be careful about shooting hawks...they are mostly protected....but, you are allowed to protect your pets/flock...better to kill the intruder and call the game commission than kill it with a pellet gun and hide the incident....my two cents.....