San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[wwmicasa1]

My Turkeys went in at night.... FWIW.... Albeit not exactly in the coop. they decided my Greenhouse Room was the highest spot to roost. Right over the back door on a piipe that led from the house to a structural beam..... LOL. Every once and a while one would sleep a little too hard and fall off... My computer was set up by that back door soo I heard Thats how I found out they were roosting there.

I suspect they can be conditioned to come back to the coop at night.... that roosting spot was a good eight or nine feet off the ground by the way and mine were some sort of heratige or wild turkey.... Dark brown with lots of Bling in the form of gold, bronze, green irridescence... Mr and Mrs T.... I miss em

deb

Deb,

Thanks for the info. My fear is that we have Bobcats & everything needs to be locked up "tight" at night. I would hate for those big'uns to be dinner for a cat

 

[ozexpat]

My Turkeys went in at night.... FWIW.... Albeit not exactly in the coop. they decided my Greenhouse Room was the highest spot to roost. Right over the back door on a piipe that led from the house to a structural beam..... LOL. Every once and a while one would sleep a little too hard and fall off... My computer was set up by that back door soo I heard Thats how I found out they were roosting there.

I suspect they can be conditioned to come back to the coop at night.... that roosting spot was a good eight or nine feet off the ground by the way and mine were some sort of heratige or wild turkey.... Dark brown with lots of Bling in the form of gold, bronze, green irridescence... Mr and Mrs T.... I miss em

deb

My two turkeys found a nice beam outside the coop. I was quite shocked to see them so high up. Feral cats our our biggest predator in the Philippines but even the wild cats get eaten so we dont have too many. My coops are cat proof though after losing a bunch of 2 month olds to them. Its still amazes me how predators seem to target our favorite birds rather than the ones that will head for the pot.

The turkeys are safe for now.

 

[malndobe]

My Turkeys (Royal Palm, Bourbon Red and Blue Slate) were good about coming back to the coop and roosting at night, and actually on a regular basis choose a lower roost over some of the higher up ones. I noticed as they got bigger they seemed more inclined to choose the lower ones.
Unfortunately it turned out their run wasn't coyote proof and I lost 3 of the 4 about a week ago sometime during the day. My Bourbon Red, Hank, is now safely in another run/coop with the remaining chickens (the coyotes got some pullets that were in with the Turkeys also) and I know they are safe there, there is evidence of the coyote(s) trying to get into that run also and being thwarted by the hot wire. Haven't seen any evidence of them having come back since.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: If you can Condition Guineas to come back to the coop..... You can condition Turkeys.... Just work a routine with some sort of noise maker and a very special treat. All your poultry would benefit... I would just call out Treat Treat Treat..... and EVERYONE would come running or flying form the "field" The guineas up and over the house the turkeys from the Chaparal and the chickens from the horse poo pile.... LOL.

And like Guineas they like to roost high so setting up a safe spot higher up in a coop for them would be excellent. I have seen some Turkey coops that were A frame arrangements with a single wall on one side facing the prevailing wind a short cap on the other side to shield the roost and completely Enclosed with hardware cloth. Then when it gets cold all you have to do is tarp the other wall. Mine handled the cold famously.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

My Turkeys (Royal Palm, Bourbon Red and Blue Slate) were good about coming back to the coop and roosting at night, and actually on a regular basis choose a lower roost over some of the higher up ones. I noticed as they got bigger they seemed more inclined to choose the lower ones.
Unfortunately it turned out their run wasn't coyote proof and I lost 3 of the 4 about a week ago sometime during the day. My Bourbon Red, Hank, is now safely in another run/coop with the remaining chickens (the coyotes got some pullets that were in with the Turkeys also) and I know they are safe there, there is evidence of the coyote(s) trying to get into that run also and being thwarted by the hot wire. Haven't seen any evidence of them having come back since.

I was amazed to see how High mine wanted to roost. But then they were still under a year..... Mr T was such a goof.... he would fluff up and strut his stuff for me..... sidling sideways like snidely whiplash hiding behind a pole..... Youd turn to take a step toward him and he would hurry off as if he had forgot something very important he needed to do. He was a good flock protector too.

deb

 

[OffGridMAMA]

Re: the turkeys, If you got them from the feedstore they are most likely Broad Breasted Bronze and Broad Breasted Whites. 

No, I brought these eggs home from my moms farm in new Mexico. They bought theirs at a rural livestock flea market/swap... and don't recall the breed. Their tom is the partridge looking pattern and the hen was a buff color. Unfortunately I have no pics of the parents. They are not big like the commercial breeds. Likely a heritage mix.

 

[chef glenn]

Well I sure hope he learns to come inside at night or her will be having to "free range" in an 18'x 12' chainlink enclosure,
could very well become an 18'x5' as more companions are added.. so far I have picked him off the top of the 6' fence
and placed him in a nice Cedar Shed play house with a 4' high roost till I get the top of the chainlink thing installed..(tomorro)

Btw everyone, I am still looking for a nice Bourbon Red Hen. Someone in Valley Center told me they had a 10 month old BR hen
and it turned out to be an ENORMUS 20" hen who has stripes and lots of irridescent green gold and brown on a slate grey base..??
I took her as the price was right, the hen was sweet and the owner had raised her to be a pet so was pleased she would
continue being a pet on Palomar Mountain and the person could visit her whenever she liked..
(I imagine this time of year is not a real great time to rehome a beloved turkey..)
just hope she dooesnt beat up my Cletus II, the deal is she will be returned if it doesn't work out..

Glenn

 

[salkxsj]

Hay San Diego if you know anyone I'm still looking for a cocker or young roo

 

[RHRanch]

Hay San Diego if you know anyone I'm still looking for a cocker or young roo

What kind of roo are you looking for?

 

[salkxsj]

What kind of roo are you looking for?

an ameraucana but will maby concider ?? I have a bantam roo and he can't mate with my brb. Lol he is just...