Refugee Chickens

[aart]

Can you tell which bird in video is dominant?

Would most BYC folk be able to tell from an 11s vid?

 

[JanetMarie]

I've been looking at the little houses, they make a plastic one! I don't want to clean up chicken poop... not at all... Not on a lark.. not for fun.. not even for the love of the cute little things...

I've seen the chicken house/coop of chicken owners who obviously did not, and do not clean up their chickens' poop, and ends up being a very sad situation for the poor birds who only have to sleep in a poop filled coop.

One of the main reasons I don't have a dog is because I don't want to clean up dog poop.

Other than that I don't have other advise to offer, but can sympathize with your concern for them.

 

[centrarchid]

Would most BYC folk be able to tell from an 11s vid?

With a little practice anyone can tell. The crowing itself is not an indicator of rank. The bird on left is keeping his tail partially collapsed indicating he is showing difference to his brother who has his tail more fanned out. Need to look at reducing the number of males to one really soon.

Based on what little I gleaned from the thread, one cannot rule out that somebody is effectively using the OP's neighborhood as a walk.

 

[centrarchid]

I remember dealing with manure like the OP's husband. Laying hens were kept in large groups pushing 100. They had movable wooden roost that were lifted to get the manure out. Manure was so "hot" we would mix in with cattle manure pile for spreading on fields rather than applying it to garden.

 

[CCUK]

It's a difficult decision. For me, I would want to keep them but with that you would need to make a coop and run for them. They would take time and effort to care for like having any animal would. And doing that, I would agree that two cockerals would have to be removed/rehomed, however you would see fit. If you could find the owner that would be great. But I feel that these may have either escaped or been abandoned. I would have thought your prepper neighbour would want to keep his animals close, just in case IT happens! If your happy to leave them to roam, then if there is a play for dominance between the boys then it may not neccassarily take place on your porch. Or it may never happen at all. If you can't take them in or you can't find the owner or rehome then or your not happy to have them roaming then you should probably call animal control and let them make the decision. You know your limits as far as caring for them is concerned. They will be OK with being fed a few scraps but once they know where to come for food they will return. And as for laying eggs, they will lay wherever they feel comfortable and safe if they don't have a nest.

 

[1cock2hens]

they dont need a man made nest at all, if they want to lay they will find a nice place to lay. IMO The only real advantage of teaching them to use a nest box is you wont have to search for eggs

 

[centrarchid]

If your happy to leave them to roam, then if there is a play for dominance between the boys then it may not neccassarily take place on your porch. Or it may never happen at all.

The play for dominance is a certainty which is over riding other concerns at the moment.

If a "prepper neighbor" is source of birds, then he is abusing classic livestock privileges if no agreements exist for his birds to range OP's property. If I were OP, then the prepper and I would have to have words to resolve it.

 

[123RedBeard]

Looks like "free" chicken & dumplings to me!

 

[Pelzergirl]

Chicken update....

They haven't been sleeping here for a few days.. I'm learning more about their routine.

They come by my porch about 8 AM.. crow and chatter for maybe 10 minutes.. if I don't go outside.. they move on.. I see them loitering across the way.. then they move back through the trees. mid afternoon they stop back by and hang out for a little while and then leave again.

Big news!! There is a different one now. Hoping for a picture this morning.

Still 3 roosters, and the black and white spotted girl. There were 3 golden ones.. until yesterday, 2 of the golden ones didn't come, but there was a new one! I would say half golden in the front, but rear end is almost brown, and the tail feathers stand up almost like a sail.. and she is fast.. and shy! She stayed maybe 2 minutes, then took off running back across the way and they all followed her!!

I'm very curious who comes today.. keeping an ear out and camera ready!

 

[Pelzergirl]

Well I've had a few short visits from them. I wonder if the golden one's feathers just got darker... It's still the same 7.

I saw them fly! It was crazy! The roosters usually come over first.. then the girls follow.. the 2 smallest golden ones stayed in the neighbors yard this time.

I threw some snacks over the rail and the 2 started running and then flapping and then woosh! they flew across the driveway.. I've never seen anything like that!

I've noticed the roosters have alot of white feathers right where the tail feathers come out. Why is that? In looking around the site at other roosters, I don't see that..