South Carolina

[huckleberryfarm]

For those of you with LGD.... We're trying to figure out what to do with Spartacus. He had been living in a pasture with goats and horses and his parents. We've been taking him into the pasture with the goats and sheep on a leash and trying to let everyone see each other. We have a new lamb and several more babies due any day. I guess we don't know when we should let him loose in there. He seems curious about everyone but not aggressive. He did chase my guineas but didn't harm them. I know he's really lonely. We blocked him on the deck the past two nights and he did fine. No barking or whining. He's really sweet and loving. He's in my garden right now because we have to go to church and he's barking his head off. He wants someone to play with. We were going to just let him run around the farm where we are but yesterday he took off over the cattle crossing and I'm afraid he'll run off.

Any thoughts?

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Quote:
Mary,
I can't wait to see your new coop and Silkies. I know you are super excited!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Quote:
Susanne,
he will certainly run off if you turn him loose. LGDs have to be totally fenced in or they will wander away. And even then they may climb over a fence and often leave to go roaming.
Since he is so young he will probably take out a few chickens eventually, not because he is mean but because he wants to play and will kill them accidentally. I doubt seriously that he would harm lambs or kid goats.

From all I have seen LGDs are good with the mammals, it is the chickens and possibly cats they do not do well with.

You want him to bark so never discourage his barking. And take him for walks around the perimeter of what you want protected so his urine smell and paws can scent the area as that will keep predators at bay.

It would be best to pen him or give him a long chain until you can trust him to stay on the farm and then you still may find him off somewhere if you only have barb wire fences or gaps under hogwire where he can get out. Basically you need him to bark at predators and lay his scent (they have scent glands in their paws because that is where they sweat) to help keep the animals safe.

Great Pyrs are not known for being trainable. Though Jolie has been taught some things, she is still obstinate about coming when she is called if she sets her mind to something else.

 

[gvilledh]

Once again, time has gotten away from me and I haven't been on here in forever. I'm going to now try to find some time to catch up. We had an outdoor Nativity event at our church last weekend that took over everything and this week has been spent editing pictures from it so they could be turned in at church today. I was one of the three people trying to capture the weekend in digital format.
The chickens are doing great, just taking their time laying eggs. We are going to add a light today that will come on at 4 in the mornings and stay on until 7. They have started eating a lot more. A whole lot more!
Hope everyone is getting their shopping done and their Christmas plans are going as they are supposed to. We are adjusting to a Christmas without Randy's mom this year, and it doesn't feel quite right yet.

 

[Jackie B.]

My chickens (and surprisingly guineas) are soooooo smart! Only took two days of me shoving them out the doggy door for them to figure it out!!!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Sounds like fun. several of the church's around us have had live Nativity's or a Bethlehem walk. So very festive and more of what my family celebrates. DD wanted a Christmas tree, which I do not approve of but she likes the lights but hasn't done anything except put it together. I put out some Nativity scenes around the house as that is all I feel we need for celebrating.
We did have the church dinner last night and have the Cantata coming up so that is really nice, too. I love visiting with folks that are full of Christmas plans and stories! We were all remembering the white Christmas last year. Wasn't that beautiful?

Christmas is certainly sneaking up!

I have tried the lights in the coop but so far there isn't any change. They are now coming on at 2:30 am and going off at 7 but of those hens I am not getting very many eggs. My tractored girls lay just as many, if not more than the lighted coop. I am going to start shortening the time back now since it hasn't helped and let them adjust to a short daylight time to allow their little bodies to have their winter rest, I suppose. I was really hoping those 1 year old girls would put out more eggs for the holiday cooking season. People are constantly calling wanting more eggs and from 200 laying age girls I get very little. By Easter they will be spitting them out like mad, probably. They always have.

I am anxiously awaiting your first egg and I expect it to be very soon.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Jackie B. :

My chickens (and surprisingly guineas) are soooooo smart! Only took two days of me shoving them out the doggy door for them to figure it out!!!

Your Guineas do not know they are Guineas! They think they are chickens!

Of course, they are smart. You showed them what to do and they love their freedom. I am glad you have the set up the way you feel safer with and can have a lot less worry now.

And Midas can go out in the back yard now without worry?

Do you still have the d'Anvers in a separate cage?​

 

[Don in SC]

Ladies and gentlemen my first egg. Fresh from the coop today. I'm feeling like at proud papa, LOL.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Always exciting to get that first egg!

 

[dixiebeast]

I GOT A BLUE EGG !!! FIRST ONE !!!