Im finding my Spitzhauben and Spitzhauben Ameraucana crosses are very intelligent. Took the current 6 grow outs one day to figure out free ranging, coming in to the pen in the evening and roosting with the flock. I was rather amazed at it. They ten to come when called as well.
I can't agree with this enough! You taught us in the Marans thread about balance in the breeding pen and I will never forget that. It has proven true many, many times in the progeny I have hatched. I loved your view about not throwing out a line because of its faults, but instead to breed what you have and try to work with the best of the birds you have. I use that wisdom to this day when selecting birds for breeding, and mating a complimenting bird to another as balance to improve faults. When you would critique a bird, you would not only mention its faults, but you would also mention its good qualities, and I keep that mentality to this day. "What good does this bird have to offer?" versus "nope, it has this fault or that fault, throw it out!"
Well on the days it isn't raining there should be plenty of work.
Now I remember you. I hate when people change their name. It confuses me so.
That is awesome! I have no experience with Spitzhauben and limited experience with Ameraucanas but intelligence in a breed like that is very important in my opinion. Just as importance as any quality such as egg color or phenotype. Intelligent birds produce progeny that will adapt to free-ranging, which minimizes losses to predators because the birds don't act dumb and sleep in a pile in the middle of the yard like some of my heavier birds have done in the past when juveniles. Instead, they instinctively roost where they are safe, elevated, and off the ground.
We don't have the cash for a zero turn or riding mower right now, but one of these days we will get them one for their side hustle. My son uses a self-propelled push mower and he is young, so it's nothing for him. My husband does the weed-eating. The grass in the yards they mow is pretty high by the time they get a break in the rain. They have to mow our neighbors lawn today and its going to take them all evening. lol Luckily I am on a break from school so I have been doing the feeding and taking care of the animals.
Our LGDs keep the coons and other varmints away, thankfully. Even our neighbors LGDs basically live here so we have like 4-5 dogs on our property at any given time. Our two Anatolians and our old Pyrenees, and at least 1-2 of our neighbors Pyrenees. We butchered 5 roosters yesterday evening so all of the dogs got a meal of raw rooster leg quarters, keels, and shanks/feet. They love butcher days because they love raw poultry on the bone. They know what's happening and constantly beg the whole time. lol We keep the breast meat for ourselves and feed the rest to the dogs. They work hard so they deserve it. My husband and son cat fishes with the gizzards, hearts, livers, and other organs like kidneys and even rooster testes so not much of a bird goes to waste. lol
