The Middle Tennessee Thread

[debid]

I dont have chickens in town but we have a house in inglewood and see hawks FREQUENTLY we had one eating a snake in the back yard one day. Now my farm neighbor has never had a chicken taken by a hawk and she free ranges all her chickens and we have several pairs that live in the woods nearby. They are all over now. Just would have to watch them.

Our resident red tails are less of a threat than the migration that comes in Fall. Around October, we have many, many more than usual and they are hungry and bold. The trees are simultaneously providing less cover. That was how I lost by biggest Welsumer hen when I ran in the house for a few minutes. She was under brush in the forest where you'd think she'd be at low risk. I saw the hawk responsible when I came back and it was reluctant to leave even with me yelling and throwing stuff at it. Pretty sure it was a Northern Goshawk by size, coloring, and the long tail. My Wellie's neck was broken -- that hawk knew how to make a kill. I've had two other attacks in the yard by juvenile red tails. One was thwarted by a rooster and the other simply couldn't get a good hold on a loose-feathered puffball. Both escaped with only a fist full of pulled feathers. I range under pretty close supervision and still can't prevent losses to raptors.

 

[bantamfarm]

We have so many hawks here in Giles County, we have found that if we have darker chicken the less we lose. From what I was told they don't like crows, so my Dad went out and bought a bunch of black chickens, (boring I know) but he hasn't lost any in a long time. Plus we have a dog that patrols the property.

 

[SteamChick]

We don't seem to have a lot of hawks, but we do have a lot of those black buzzards. We only have the six chicks (still inside) but I'll be building the run enclosed to protect them. It does help that the neighbor has four big Great Pyrenees dogs that think we're family and chase them off.

Here are the chicks - now 1-1/2 weeks old approx. When I put my hand in the brooder, they all try to hop on my arm and on the edge.

 

[debid]

BTW, we have a large dog that marks the perimeter of the yard and is fond of marking the chicken run corners. He was playing fetch in the yard when one of the hawk attacks occurred. Don't kid yourself, if a hawk is hungry, it takes chances. The dog is an effective deterrent for a great many other critters, though. The coyotes, for example, stay away from our yard now and I can't remember the last time I saw a raccoon around.

 

[Tncowgirl1903]

Tennessee is a LONG state...where are you? I typically dont keep extra roos that long. Are you going to use him for breeding or what? Do you have a breed in mind? Oh i have a SLW roo about that age or a little older. They are very calm roos. And VERY pretty too.

I am about an hour from nashville and do you have a pic of him? I dont have a specific breed in mind but I dont want the naked neck, and I want him for many reasons breeding as just one of them

 

[Penny Hen]

Sharpie can be removed from non-porous surfaces (even finished wood!) with rubbing alcohol.

Not sure on the pencil -- haven't done that yet. I did have bright red lipstick on my tan carpet that I got out with help from Google so don't lose hope. Dry erase on wool rugs, though? No hope.

Have you tried the dye lifter solution that RIT sells? I have seen it at Walmart.

 

[Penny Hen]

We have so many hawks here in Giles County, we have found that if we have darker chicken the less we lose. From what I was told they don't like crows, so my Dad went out and bought a bunch of black chickens, (boring I know) but he hasn't lost any in a long time. Plus we have a dog that patrols the property.

Black doesn't have to be boring. Get some Whitefaced Spanish for some smart looking black chickens. Or Sumatra for the iridescent greens and blues of their flowing tails. The Whitefaced were very popular chicken here in the South before the Civil War.

 

[pickledchicken]

I have some Marans cockerels if anyone is interested. They have feathered shanks and are out of my Birchen Cuckoo cross pretty cool looking at this point I just have more than I need.

 

[Tncowgirl1903]

I have some Marans cockerels if anyone is interested. They have feathered shanks and are out of my Birchen Cuckoo cross pretty cool looking at this point I just have more than I need.

and roo's? If so how old?

 

[banjomoon]

I am thinking about getting a rooster but I am looking for someone close to me and I need a rooster about the same age as all of my hens or close if possible.
I am in tennessee and my hens are almost 3 months old. I got my hens from the 4h chick chain and I am wanting a rooster that is friendly and free if possible.

I am raising some Black Copper Maran chicks. I have 5 chicks, so the odds are that I have 2 or 3 roos. They are only 1 week and a half old, but if you are still looking in about 2 months or so, you can have one. We were going to give the roos back to the farm we got them from anyways.