Spring 2017 first timers post!

[lynly444]

Well finally ordered my chicks
2 buff Orpington
3 blue silkie bantams
1 black cohin bantam
2 light Brahma
But sadly I will not receive the! Until July 17
So after some thinking I decided to order
More some I can get sooner
3 buff Orpington
2 silver laced wyandotte
2 black frizzle bantam
3 buff Brahma
And these babies will come April 17th
All my clicks will be female's that should even
My 2 flocks out
My show birds and my free range crew now it's
Time for me to finish up my coops yes it's time looking by

Oh I say all this no way I will probably change my plans 10times
Does anybody know if my large birds would get along with my bantams or just leave things as they are these are my first time babies with no help from my husband
Just you guys good luck to all of you

 

[bajabirdbrain]

Here is a question for you, we anticipate supervised free ranging of our girls fairly often. While our property is sort of rural, lots are at least 2.5 acres and pretty heavily wooded, we probably won't put them in a protective device for these relatively short periods. Our day time predators are most likely eagles/hawks and the odd dog. We have a few coyotes and raccoons but rarely see them during the day. My wife is concerned what she can do if a dog/coyote especially and eagles to a lesser degree, IF there is an attack in her presence??

We have a shotgun, .22 rifle, some handguns, and a pellet rifle. She is adequate with all of them but we do have neighbors easily within bullet range. We also worry about shooting the chicken! Maybe a pellet/bb pistol? Bear spray? OR, just suck it up and hope for the best?

Looking forward to your thoughts. BB

 

[saguaroskeleton]

Here is a question for you, we anticipate supervised free ranging of our girls fairly often.  While our property is sort of rural, lots are at least 2.5 acres and pretty heavily wooded, we probably won't put them in a protective device for these relatively short periods.  Our day time predators are most likely eagles/hawks and the odd dog.  We have a few coyotes and raccoons but rarely see them during the day.  My wife is concerned what she can do if a dog/coyote especially and eagles to a lesser degree, IF there is an attack in her presence??

We have a shotgun, .22 rifle, some handguns, and a pellet rifle.  She is adequate with all of them but we do have neighbors easily within bullet range.  We also worry about shooting the chicken!  Maybe a pellet/bb pistol?  Bear spray? OR, just suck it up and hope for the best?

Looking forward to your thoughts.  BB

I always say non lethal ways are best just for everyone's safety. I had a huge problem with hawks and a bobcat when I first had chickens when I was 14. Obviously I couldn't have my own lethal methods on hand at 14, so I used a pellet gun for the hawks, I usually had about 10 in the tree near my coop every morning. I would shoot them all out and shoot at them again if they just went to a closer tree. Bobcat was solved with fire and bear spray. Honestly I wish I had a shotgun for the bobcat, getting close enough to one to spay it in the eyes wasn't fun.
So pellet gun is good to have on hand whenever they're out, and be ready to use it a lot for flying predators. The bigger predators will typically go for the coop after dark

 

[lilchicky07]

They still have Cream leg bars, I just added one to my order next week.

So I updated my list a bit and I checked a few different hatcheries.  There are no blue egg layers anywhere!  Or if they have any they dont have the majority of the other chicks I want.  I added light Brahma to my list.  

My new list is:
1 Dominique
1 Partridge Cochin
1 Light Brahma
2 Black Australorp
1 Speckled Sussex
1 Barred Rock
2 Buff Orpington
1 Gold Laced Wyandotte
1 Silver Laced Wyandotte
Can't get the Easter Eggers or Blue Ameracuna
Maybe a Lavender Orpington

I dont think there is anyplace that will have everything I want.  Meyers had all except EE, blue Ameracuna, SS and Dom.  Cackle had all except Blue Ameracuna, EE, and Lavender Orp.   Has anyone used Cackle?

Columbian Wyandotte were on my list initially so maybe.  Are the white rocks a white version of barred rocks?
Like the Salmon Faverolles but cant find them anywhere.

Hmm.  Dont know anything about buckeyes.  Ill check them out.  

Thanks All, I hope to order tonight or tomorrow so they dont keep selling out.

 

[naturegeek168]

Here is a question for you, we anticipate supervised free ranging of our girls fairly often.  While our property is sort of rural, lots are at least 2.5 acres and pretty heavily wooded, we probably won't put them in a protective device for these relatively short periods.  Our day time predators are most likely eagles/hawks and the odd dog.  We have a few coyotes and raccoons but rarely see them during the day.  My wife is concerned what she can do if a dog/coyote especially and eagles to a lesser degree, IF there is an attack in her presence??

We have a shotgun, .22 rifle, some handguns, and a pellet rifle.  She is adequate with all of them but we do have neighbors easily within bullet range.  We also worry about shooting the chicken!  Maybe a pellet/bb pistol?  Bear spray? OR, just suck it up and hope for the best?

Looking forward to your thoughts.  BB

I would also suggest nonlethal since it's pretty illegal to kill an eagle/hawk

 

[bajabirdbrain]

Thanks for the comments. I guess my pellet rifle is my best tool. In a former life we had nearly "tame" foxes that would stop by for breakfast. Of course we did not have any chickens or anything else they wanted and this was in rural BC. Our "mini lap Lab", Raven, is a 30 # cutie that will, on command, chase deer out of the flowers. The challenging part of relying on her to chase away raccoons or dogs is getting her off the couch!

 

[Merrymouse]

its on my screen check post 381 above

@sheetmetaltom We are saying that your picture of you EE is not coming across. We cannot see it. Try reposting it. We can see where you said you posted the picture but for some reason the image is not coming over. We'd love to see your EE!

 

[Merrymouse]

They still have Cream leg bars, I just added one to my order next week.

Thank you. I didn't get a cream leg bar because I thought they were flighty but now Im not so sure. I'll check them out further. I plan to free range my chicks on the weekends when I can supervise but they will be fenced in a wooded part of my property with just a fence no cover. So I'm afraid if they can fly over the fence I wont be able to protect them from my own dogs or my neighbors dogs or other predators. Ill check them out Thanks

 

[The Golden Egg5]

I am getting my first babies during he first week of April and I am so excited!! I am buying them from a local breeder and I am getting 4 Easter eggers, 4 buff Orpingtons, 2 Rhode Island reds and 2 barred Plymouth rocks! I cannot wait until I get to go pick them up!!!

 

[wafarm]

My biggest concern right now is predators. We are new to this house and it seems to get way more wildlife than our last place. Last night we had a coyote come within a few inches of our home. His tracks are all along the perimeter. Between this, the hawks we've seen, and the bobcats...I'm more than a little concerned. I'm trying not to get too attached to this first flock!