Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Molpet]

I seen one of the month old chicks was missing. Found in front of a shed in the shade, dead face down feet straight out, not a mark on him.
It's been very hot but they have been in the shade. Comb looked normal.

 

[BDutch]

Livestock guardian dogs and human Shepard's were used in most areas before efficient ways to eliminate them.
Some European countries are using dogs again.
Mastiff dogs protect livestock from wolves in Spain https://share.google/X0VP7Y4gCS6PE7WvY


I'm very grateful that I don't have to deal with wolves, bears and large cats

The wildlife specialist are happy the wolf returned in the Netherlands for a natural balance of wildlife. The wolf causes problems too and many people don’t like it that the wolves live here. Our country is so densely populated and many people like to recreate in the forests. Some wolfs are very daring and even come in peoples back garden.

Recently a mean wolf attacked/has bitten children (not kill) out of the blue and a large forest has warning signs not to enter. In general wolfs are protected, but for this mean wolf there is allowance to kill. The increase of the number of wolves seems to get more and more problematic. But biting incidents with dogs still outnumber the incidents with wolves.

I think there are also more sheep getting killed by dogs than by wolves in the Netherlands (not sure , I have t seen recent statistics).
People tend to blame the wolf after a kill. Investigation (to get paid) often shows it wasn’t a wolf but a dog who killed the sheep. And there us another strange thing going on. Many sheep farmers dont want to make better fences. The cost are low bc the government helps to pay for the materials. But some farmers dont bc if a wolf attacks their sheep, they get paid for the damage.

 

[MrsNorthie]

I would like to offer a caution; do not let yourself become the groups rooster!
It's easily done with a group that has had males in it. The hens will look to the keeper for all those things they expected from the rooster. You can't do it, none of it really.

This is why I have 5, the 4 get along very well, and Goldie is doing an amazing job with his little group of hens, and they are all great with the hens. I can't imagine life without the roosters to manage the ranging and sorting out the nesting.

Chickens know chickening best and our only job is to feed, water and clean up after them. With the weather returning to normal, they are all just foraging, dust bathing most of the day and it is the most peaceful, serene environment.

 

[MrsNorthie]

Yeah I know, some experiments are also done in the Netherlands with this. I personally don't like livestock guardian dogs, feels like inviting the enemy into my home. I also read in the news a while back someone had a donkey for protecting sheep. But because bystanders complained the donkey was too lonely the farmer decided to get rid of it. To be fair this is kind of the point, if there was a second donkey then they wouldn't stay with the sheep and then the sheep aren't protected. But the donkey does still have social interactions with the sheep, so still less lonely than dog keepers which leave their dog alone for 9 hours a day

If we had a livestock guardian dog, it would be sleeping on my bed, like our other 2.

 

[Perris]

Congrats @Molpet on your wonderful chicken tractor photo being chosen for the caption comp this week!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/byc-poultry-caption-contest-08-08-25-pic-by-molpet.1673354/