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Post by daylilydude on Jan 15, 2012 9:22:16 GMT -5
Thought I might update our chickens this year. After comparing a number of them, like every other year. We are impressed with the Red Star egg layers. In all Australorps, Wyandottes, Marans and Red Stars are our favorites. Docil, good free range (find their own food) when let out every few days. We have about 12 left from this springs batch and last month after installing a 60watt bulb in the coup we get an average of 9 eggs per day up from 3-4 eggs per day without light. It has a sensor and comes on when the light level gets down enough. For egg production I believe the Red Stars would be best, smaller birds than the others and less feed needed, but not large enough to eat like the others. I would be shot if I even thought about eating one. My 8 year old granddaughter has named each one and carries them around and I have learned to not even mention chicken and dumplings.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2012 9:55:21 GMT -5
I have buffs and some tough old banties that not only take on the barn cats but also the family dogs. We average about a 6 to 8 eggs daily maybe slows down to around 5 at the least during the winter months. My flock has a large shed to live in which sits in my mini horse paddock. I love having fresh eggs and my own chicken meat,what I don't like is having to pick off the coyote's which we seem to have a lot of , also have a lot of feral dogs in this area,I shoot over their heads and that usually sorts them for a time,really dislike having to shoot the coyote's,cant get around it other than not having chickens ,wouldn't be so bad if they were not quite so stubborn in visiting .My land sits on "coyote highway 101", well that's what it seems like. Between coyote's and weasels its quite a job keeping a flock alive. I have kind of ,sort of ,sorted the weasel population.They were climbing up the side of the chicken shed and getting through the gap between the roof and top of the wall,ran a hot wire around the base of the shed,that sorted them,all this for a few five dollar chickens but like every one who raises chickens you never really think about all the consequences you just do it.
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Post by daylilydude on Feb 9, 2012 6:50:14 GMT -5
At the new house I asked a few neighbors about their chickens running loose, and they told me that they don't have many problems with that, so would it be better to fence them in or let them "free range"?
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Post by coppice on Feb 9, 2012 23:05:49 GMT -5
Chickens are thorough. That measure of foraging is their blessing and curse. If there is a way for them to go AWOL through an insignifcant hole in the roof, they'll find it. If there just *might* be a bug under that peice of gravel, they'll find that too. And they'll flip the same peice of gravel 57,000 times to make sure.
I used to make sure I had a tight hen house, that I could close afirmatively at night to reduce predation by other critters. And let them run as was their want in the day time.
Keeping an intact top hen tight arbor over a run, isn't as easy as it sounds. the girls will find (or make) any hole they can.
I see from time to time a rig called a chicken tractor, that aught to make good use of the girls ability to strip an area utterly plant-free. I'm not so sure they'll stay in one...
This is another critter that a stout pair of work gloves is in order. When Henny-Penny is feeling broody, your naughty egg stealing hands are just another source of fresh meat...
An' she will vote with her beak.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Feb 12, 2012 11:12:15 GMT -5
Pros of chickens Free Ranging: Healthier birds Egg yolks a deep orange colour from the fresh diet Cons: laying eggs anywhere they want , sometimes not found until they are spoiled easy target for predators digging up flowerbeds and veggie garden, eating the flowers and the produce I let the layers out usually mid morning so that the majority of them had already laid for the day. Most would return to the nest boxes to lay given the opportunity, so I left the henhouse door open. The birds I showed were let out on grass occasionally, but always in a portable pen and with me being closeby. BTW, for those who think they might want to show birds, do not put white birds out as their plummage turns yellowish in the sun. I had a few chicken tractors and only one bird could regularly escape. Unfortunately, predators found their way in on more than one occasion. I lost 11 birds in one attack, but that wasn't a very heavy construction. So we built a 2x4 and plywood house atop a steel trailer for a few birds. All went well for two years until one night a raccoon ripped the plywood right off the roof and killed a gorgeous exhibition rooster. I had him separated getting him ready for show. The only way I think he would have been totally safe would have been to bring him in our house.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2012 13:14:00 GMT -5
I had Chicken Fever last year...I read up on the different breeds. I was looking for good layer plus meat bird...meaning dual purpose. Also, since Rhode island reds is what I had when we were growing up I was looking for more docile birds. I got some barred rocks, new hamshire reds which do have RIR in their background,silver lace and cochins. I now have 10 hens left since they were free range while waiting on D.H. to build the chicken coop. They are all docile...except for the one RIR I adopted from our neighbor...told him how cruel it was to have her in a small pen with a bunch of guineas! He quickly handed her over to me for free. She is the only one that pecks me. I love my Hens! Johnny wants me to get a rooster but I am just fine with Hens Only.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2012 13:19:43 GMT -5
Be careful when you let them out....I lost 6 pullets from either getting stepped on by a horse and owl attacks. I lost some cucumber transplants because they love to dig in the loose soil. I am replanting those today. The 2 owls have moved on thank goodness! I am sure they enjoyed their chicken dinner!
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