South Carolina

[EggieRowe]

My flocks' very first new addition! Honestly didn't think any would make it - I only let her set some eggs to break her broodiness.

But I might have a problem. The eggs under her are from two different days - about 4 days apart. She returned to the wrong nest on day 4 so I took the original 4 eggs and moved them to her new nest. (Didn't really think much about it at the time.) Someone on FB told me I needed to take the chicks that hatch from the first eggs away so she will stay on the other eggs. Is that true?

 

[EggieRowe]

Did you ever find this little guy's owner?

I know this is a chicken site but this guy turned up on my porch last night and I am hoping to find the owner. I know some of you are in my area... so if you might recognize this dog, please let me know..

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Does anyone have two roosters with several hens running free range? I had two roosters once, but they fought. One was an Americanau, and one is a large mixed rooster. It seems like people do have more than one rooster together with no problems.

Actually the more roosters you have together the less likely they will fight. Unless you have them with your hens. Then it's on usually. I am fencing in a 64x64 foot area for my new breeds. Going to be split in half. Community hens on one side and community roosters on the other. Will have at least 8 roosters together at once. Only time they will be with the hens though is when I put them in the breeding pens.

 

[NestingHillsSC]

I am by no means an expert (I've had my chickens for less than a week) but with the millions of books and internet postings I read prior to getting them, I would say for most of the time they need to be in a covered run and only allowed to free range when you can be there to supervise. But I could be completely wrong on this...

I never have my chickens under cover!! They are outside all day all year. They only go in the hen house to lay or roost at night. There's no way for me to put 100 chickens under a covered run. They have free range. So far my lose has been NONE!! Maybe lucky. If you only have 3-4 chickens then by all means have them in a covered run if you feel the need. But they do not NEED to be in a covered run. Will you have losses. Well like somebody here said, maybe. The only reason I have lost one is by my hands. And they are good.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

You are indeed lucky to have not lost any. It will eventually happen.
My friend texted me yesterday morning because the evening before she was outside letting her chickens free range, I think she has 10 or 12, and a fox slipped out of the woods and grabbed a nice BLRW pullet she got from me. Right in front of her. It happens with foxes, they have no fear of humans when food is involved.

I run anywhere from 400 to 700 birds here and I have plenty of losses, either due to foxes or hawks. My Great Pyrenees takes care of raccoons and possums pretty good and will go after a fox but they have learned to lure her away and circle around to come back and snatch one while she is still thundering through the woods after them. My other dog was on a break away chain so he could get them when they came back around but he has learned he could break away so now he goes after them the first time and is also gone when they circle around. If I am here then I creep down with the gun and take care of it but if I am not here I lose a bird or two.

Now, not all of mine are free ranging, only about 100 or 125 chickens, as well as about 40 ducks and 25 Guineas. The rest are in breeding pens or grow out tractors.

 

[Avonshire]

Well my broody just had two chicks hatch but she stayed in one place hardly moving for several days longer. I think it depends on the bird but she might wait for the others. Might need to get a bator ready jic!

My flocks' very first new addition! Honestly didn't think any would make it - I only let her set some eggs to break her broodiness.

But I might have a problem. The eggs under her are from two different days - about 4 days apart. She returned to the wrong nest on day 4 so I took the original 4 eggs and moved them to her new nest. (Didn't really think much about it at the time.) Someone on FB told me I needed to take the chicks that hatch from the first eggs away so she will stay on the other eggs. Is that true?

 

[EggieRowe]

Well my broody just had two chicks hatch but she stayed in one place hardly moving for several days longer. I think it depends on the bird but she might wait for the others. Might need to get a bator ready jic!

I ordered an incubator last week, but its still 'processing'. She seems to be hanging in there, but I'm not sure how much longer. The first chick to hatch has started using her as a jungle gym. It spends so much time on her back I feel like it needs a mini saddle. LOL Two chicks are two more than I planned for, so I'm happy whatever happens to the last egg.

Edit: Forgot to say a 2nd chick hatched overnight.

 

[Woodi]

Does anyone have two roosters with several hens running free range? I had two roosters once, but they fought. One was an Americanau, and one is a large mixed rooster. It seems like people do have more than one rooster together with no problems.

Actually the more roosters you have together the less likely they will fight. Unless you have them with your hens. Then it's on usually. I am fencing in a 64x64 foot area for my new breeds. Going to be split in half. Community hens on one side and community roosters on the other. Will have at least 8 roosters together at once. Only time they will be with the hens though is when I put them in the breeding pens.


Thanks, That's good to know, I'll certainly keep that in mind!

 

[Woodi]

During the Urban Farm tour last year we went to a home where some of the runs were uncovered, but the owner propped cut/fallen limbs against the wall in sections at an angle. It gave the chickens a shelter they could run under that would stop a aerial attack. I thought it was brilliant - free and zero maintenance, except maybe replace a fallen or rotten limb periodically.

I really like this idea! We have LOTS of limbs to work with!

 

[NestingHillsSC]

Actually the more roosters you have together the less likely they will fight. Unless you have them with your hens. Then it's on usually. I am fencing in a 64x64 foot area for my new breeds. Going to be split in half. Community hens on one side and community roosters on the other. Will have at least 8 roosters together at once. Only time they will be with the hens though is when I put them in the breeding pens.

Thanks, That's good to know, I'll certainly keep that in mind!

Now due note, there always can be exceptions. Some roosters are just plan mean and will fight for the heck of it. And new roosters going in with the older ones will fight a bit. But nothing usually major. No more really than hens do. There worse sometimes I think. I have a VERY calm older Reds rooster. I had put a younger roo in there with him, which I since ate, he was trouble. Once the younger roo knew that the older was in charge it was all good. Unless the younger one was raping a hen, which he did, again he was terrible, the older one would run and knock him off but no fighting.