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[CCUK]

I read that broilers are slaughtered at 9 weeks old, I can't imagine what they give them and do to them to make them grow so big and so fast, my youngest (a Buff Orpington) is just under 12 weeks old and although looks big compared to my RIR hybrids, shes majority feathers. I also read that chicken sudden death syndrome is most common amongst broilers.
May I ask if you have meat birds and if so do you cull them yourself? Just pure curiosity

No I don't keep meatbirds. When I was younger we used to keep turkeys for Christmas and I'd help with the whole job of processing. It never used to bother me at all, but since I've gotten older I couldn't do it. I've gone soft in my old age! I'm borderline can't even eat chicken. I think we all know how they are kept and reared and I for one don't like it. It does make me hypocritical I suppose but I do look for where the chicken I eat comes from and will not buy ANYTHING that has been in a cage or a barn, not that free range chicken is much better. I only buy RSPCA or red tractor assured meat.

 

[CCUK]

Hi @Sneebsey. Remember those araucanas you helped me sex? Well you were bang on the money! Two were roos and two were hens! Fortunately I managed to rehome one but I still have neville! He's 5 months now and is great with the girls.

He does enjoy a good crow!

 

[Sneebsey]

Handsome boy; love the dominant white. I could see some red Pyle coming out down the line if you choose to breed for it. Was the other parent a Leghorn, do you think? He has a very light build for an Araucana and the Dom White is unusual. Glad he's a good boy.

I prefer to keep mixed cockerels with my flock; encourages the genetics to get weird. I've kept three back this year, one Silver Colombian mix from my own flock; not as big as his father, but with a nice little crest from his mother, a Red Barred from 'mixed breed' eggs from a local farm, and a Cream Legbar (I hatched three, all boys). Need to get some pictures really, but I always want to do it on a nice sunny day, and those are few and far between.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I have lost birds to foxes in the past as I free range during the day; winter is coming now, and that's when I tend to lose a few. Although it's heartbreaking, I make my peace with the snatch and grabs as it is something trying to feed itself. We do have dogs around which helps protect the flock.

My biggest fear is polecats. They just kill for the fun of it and we have had them here a few winters now.

Although secured at night, free range is the best choice for my set up, regardless of inevitable losses. We lost 3 last winter to snatch and grabs, including, of course, my favourite. Hoping that this year will be lighter on them; more dogs around and building work going on locally which might keep them from crossing the valley from the woodland.

I have lost birds to foxes in the past as I free range during the day; winter is coming now, and that's when I tend to lose a few. Although it's heartbreaking, I make my peace with the snatch and grabs as it is something trying to feed itself. We do have dogs around which helps protect the flock.

My biggest fear is polecats. They just kill for the fun of it and we have had them here a few winters now.

Although secured at night, free range is the best choice for my set up, regardless of inevitable losses. We lost 3 last winter to snatch and grabs, including, of course, my favourite. Hoping that this year will be lighter on them; more dogs around and building work going on locally which might keep them from crossing the valley from the woodland.

I have been advised to be extra vigilant concerning foxes over the winter, a couple of weeks ago a farmer told me just because I've never had a fox in my garden doesn't mean I won't in the future. My breeder friend also told me the same and said its worse in winter when there are no corn crops around. My hope is that they have plenty enough food in the woods they live in so won't need to venture out from their spots, nor detour from their usual paths. we are surrounded by woodland but our home is situated kinda in the middle and is just buildings and roads - I'm about 10/15 min walk from the woods, which ever direction I go. I have been told they don't venture from their usual haunts unless they are starving, is this correct? We have a green close to us which woods surround, its were village fates are held, there are litter bins all around it, there is a take away, and a pub which serves food, none of the bins are ever disturbed by any animal, not even rats nor the many squirrels we have here and I'm hoping its a good sign of there being enough food they don't need to scavenge. I often hear the foxes at night but always at a distance. We have an abundance of crows, magpies and seagulls, I worry because I know people who have had young birds killed by these species, and my youngest being only 11 weeks old, she is vulnerable so I spend a lot of hours outside with them and when its raining I either sit in their run or in the shed - often they end up sitting with me in there too lol, when I'm indoors like now, I either sit close to a window so I can see, or keep looking out. Ours is a bungalow which for me makes things a whole lot easier. I can hear them the whole time and they are really good at giving warning calls, we all go rushing out as soon as hear them, so far has been majority seagulls, crows, magpies they've been spooked by but these never land in our garden, while we are about. When I'm busy indoors I leave the back door open for them to come in if they want, I have laminate flooring, so really easy to just chuck down some disinfectant to clean up any poop mess they make - this morning was constant rain and so much mud, I had loads of muddy duck and chicken foot prints all over the floor, they looked quite cute actually. I don't know much about any type of wild ferrets, my brother had a pet ferret when we were younger, she was so tame, real cuddly and affectionate, we also had an Alsatian, two cats, and two budgies at the time and they all got along and no one ate anyone (nor tried to) - which just goes to show animals can co-exist but like you've said, most are just hungry. Tis always a worry though.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Hi @Sneebsey. Remember those araucanas you helped me sex? Well you were bang on the money! Two were roos and two were hens! Fortunately I managed to rehome one but I still have neville! He's 5 months now and is great with the girls.
View attachment 1577634
He does enjoy a good crow!

Awwww he's lovely

 

[Anna Ranieri]

No I don't keep meatbirds. When I was younger we used to keep turkeys for Christmas and I'd help with the whole job of processing. It never used to bother me at all, but since I've gotten older I couldn't do it. I've gone soft in my old age! I'm borderline can't even eat chicken. I think we all know how they are kept and reared and I for one don't like it. It does make me hypocritical I suppose but I do look for where the chicken I eat comes from and will not buy ANYTHING that has been in a cage or a barn, not that free range chicken is much better. I only buy RSPCA or red tractor assured meat.

Good on you! I admire you for that, the more people support RSPCA etc assured meats the more pressure it will put on other farmers to farm better. It is a long and slow process but making changes always is.

 

[Sneebsey]

Out here in the sticks, I do get a bit panicky in the winter; everyone in by dusk, no exceptions; I walk around with a piece of cut off pipe shooing everyone in.

The benefit of being so far out is that most everyone has chickens (though maybe not quite so many), and few are quite so anal about ensuring security; I'm always seeing chickens out on the road, sometimes quite late in the evening. Although I hate to take satisfaction in someone else's loss, if there is a lack of wise husbandry there, then it is going to keep my flock safer. We also have a lot of rabbits and pheasants at the moment, so fingers crossed that will last any predators for a while.

I try to be realistic about it; predation is always a risk, but if I can secure them at night, that is most important. They need their freedom in the day, I think.

 

[CCUK]

Handsome boy; love the dominant white. I could see some red Pyle coming out down the line if you choose to breed for it. Was the other parent a Leghorn, do you think? He has a very light build for an Araucana and the Dom White is unusual. Glad he's a good boy.

I prefer to keep mixed cockerels with my flock; encourages the genetics to get weird. I've kept three back this year, one Silver Colombian mix from my own flock; not as big as his father, but with a nice little crest from his mother, a Red Barred from 'mixed breed' eggs from a local farm, and a Cream Legbar (I hatched three, all boys). Need to get some pictures really, but I always want to do it on a nice sunny day, and those are few and far between.

I have pure white araucana hen. I don't think that they have leghorn in them as the lady I got the eggs from only has araucanas. But I'm not 100% sure. But I have a couple if leghorns that I want some eggs from next year and a couple of Brahmas! This should be fun next year!

I have been advised to be extra vigilant concerning foxes over the winter, a couple of weeks ago a farmer told me just because I've never had a fox in my garden doesn't mean I won't in the future. My breeder friend also told me the same and said its worse in winter when there are no corn crops around. My hope is that they have plenty enough food in the woods they live in so won't need to venture out from their spots, nor detour from their usual paths. we are surrounded by woodland but our home is situated kinda in the middle and is just buildings and roads - I'm about 10/15 min walk from the woods, which ever direction I go. I have been told they don't venture from their usual haunts unless they are starving, is this correct? We have a green close to us which woods surround, its were village fates are held, there are litter bins all around it, there is a take away, and a pub which serves food, none of the bins are ever disturbed by any animal, not even rats nor the many squirrels we have here and I'm hoping its a good sign of there being enough food they don't need to scavenge. I often hear the foxes at night but always at a distance. We have an abundance of crows, magpies and seagulls, I worry because I know people who have had young birds killed by these species, and my youngest being only 11 weeks old, she is vulnerable so I spend a lot of hours outside with them and when its raining I either sit in their run or in the shed - often they end up sitting with me in there too lol, when I'm indoors like now, I either sit close to a window so I can see, or keep looking out. Ours is a bungalow which for me makes things a whole lot easier. I can hear them the whole time and they are really good at giving warning calls, we all go rushing out as soon as hear them, so far has been majority seagulls, crows, magpies they've been spooked by but these never land in our garden, while we are about. When I'm busy indoors I leave the back door open for them to come in if they want, I have laminate flooring, so really easy to just chuck down some disinfectant to clean up any poop mess they make - this morning was constant rain and so much mud, I had loads of muddy duck and chicken foot prints all over the floor, they looked quite cute actually. I don't know much about any type of wild ferrets, my brother had a pet ferret when we were younger, she was so tame, real cuddly and affectionate, we also had an Alsatian, two cats, and two budgies at the time and they all got along and no one ate anyone (nor tried to) - which just goes to show animals can co-exist but like you've said, most are just hungry. Tis always a worry though.

I'm fairly lucky where I am as far as predators go. I'm surrounded by houses and the fence is a six foot panel with a concrete base. I don't really get any cats now either. That said I have had magpies after my quail and I've seen a kestrel sat on the fence at the end of the garden. They're too small to get a full grown hen but a small chick would be easy pickings and my pigeons need to be vigilant! We do have alot of crows around here so I'm not too worried but still I still need to be aware. It happens when you least expect it.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

Out here in the sticks, I do get a bit panicky in the winter; everyone in by dusk, no exceptions; I walk around with a piece of cut off pipe shooing everyone in.

The benefit of being so far out is that most everyone has chickens (though maybe not quite so many), and few are quite so anal about ensuring security; I'm always seeing chickens out on the road, sometimes quite late in the evening. Although I hate to take satisfaction in someone else's loss, if there is a lack of wise husbandry there, then it is going to keep my flock safer. We also have a lot of rabbits and pheasants at the moment, so fingers crossed that will last any predators for a while.

I try to be realistic about it; predation is always a risk, but if I can secure them at night, that is most important. They need their freedom in the day, I think.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I have pure white araucana hen. I don't think that they have leghorn in them as the lady I got the eggs from only has araucanas. But I'm not 100% sure. But I have a couple if leghorns that I want some eggs from next year and a couple of Brahmas! This should be fun next year!

I'm fairly lucky where I am as far as predators go. I'm surrounded by houses and the fence is a six foot panel with a concrete base. I don't really get any cats now either. That said I have had magpies after my quail and I've seen a kestrel sat on the fence at the end of the garden. They're too small to get a full grown hen but a small chick would be easy pickings and my pigeons need to be vigilant! We do have alot of crows around here so I'm not too worried but still I still need to be aware. It happens when you least expect it.

Oh wow a kestrel, would have loved to have seen that, - just not in my garden though I have to admit I think most birds of prey are beautiful and kestrels are one of my favourites. We have loads of wild pigeons here, before we got our birds, they'd come in our garden for dust baths and used my grandson's climbing frame and his trampoline to perch on, sometimes we'd get up to about 10/15 in our garden and more if you count the ones on the fence but now our girls won't let them in. Pedro our first ever chick we got, started chasing them off when she was about 8 weeks old, she's ok with them sitting on the fence but if they dare to even try to land she'll have em! How do your flock get on with you having pigeons?