Chickens

[psalm 7]

As Iv mentioned before We have several types of Chickens . One type is my Wifes Bantams these are about the size of your hand and come white , what I call pyle , blue or dunn and standard red but are not fragile they are as robust as my games . We have noticed one of the little white hens have been missing so this morning I go out to let them out and she comes saliing out of no where clucking and scratching the ground . She has made her a nest in the wild and is sitting . I will have to find it because out there at night she is varmit bait . It was a pretty site there is a light snow on the ground and her being snow white .

 

[psalm 7]

This little hen is smart . Her nest is hid well and I even took some feed out this afternoon to see if she would hear the comotion and come out but she never moved she is sitting tight . If she makes it till they hatch and comes off with chicks I can catch her then . I hope they are not 1/2 Dominecker .

 

[psalm 7]

She came off with 4 little batam chicks about thumb size . 2 white 2 brown .

 

[Dani]

Sorry Psalms . . . you just cant choose the 1/2 Dominecker. But hey, she hatched her babes, and they will grow up into whatever chicken. Chicken is chicken no matter how it looks

 

[Brent S]

This weekend I plan to cut my flock by half, as the freezer is getting low. I'm culling all but the largest domineckers. And yes, when on your plate it dosent matter what the breed.

 

[Maverick]

I like the dominique's a fairly good dual purpose fowl, they replaced our barred's a few years back and stuck with them, the dominique seems to be a friendlier chicken over the barred maybe it's just me?

 

[psalm 7]

Our Dominecker Roosters are thuggs . 2 Brothers they spend the day mistreating the hens , picking at the dogs (through the fence) , treeing cats . The hens are good layers .

 

[Maverick]

that was the similar problem with the barred, though it was with the hens, our dominique's seem to be more subtle, the only rooster we have left is the hamburg

 

[hlrive]

I have never had the dominique's however I have had Buff orpingtons, games, Naked necks and the Legacy. We had GLW's once and the roosters were to mean to have around my kids. I was attacked about 10 times before I got rid of them. I don't tolerate man fighters around.

But as for them going broody we have a brood area, so when I find one that is sitting in a bad area I move them to the brood area eggs and all. It is fenced off, and even has a wire top on it so nothing gets to mom sitting on her eggs.

 

[Brent S]

I like the dominique's a fairly good dual purpose fowl, they replaced our barred's a few years back and stuck with them, the dominique seems to be a friendlier chicken over the barred maybe it's just me?

If I have food there my best friends!

 

[hlrive]

Any chicken is your friend as long as you have food. Hubby found that out one day when he had a slice of pizza.

 

[Gazrok]

Ours have known us since they were chicks, so they are pretty friendly, food or no food. Of course, they're always happier to see food.

 

[hlrive]

I woke up yesterday to my Speed being dead. So I am now going to have to replace him. So very sad when I lose one like that we thought of him like a part of the family. But at least he is in a better place I guess now. Oh well there is always plenty of time to get some girls and breed little man to them and hatch the eggs out. This is what I think will be best.

 

[Gazrok]

So sorry to hear that.

 

[hlrive]

So sorry to hear that.

Thank you, It's like losing one of the family with speed gone. Like when we lost Smarty. She was something I will never get over, where Speed, I knew was just for breeding but Smarty, she was like losing a kid.

 

[Gazrok]

We are down to 4 chickens now, and they don't lay much anymore. Trying to get the wife to agree to culling them and getting new ones.... She just needs to separate livestock from pets in her head....

 

[Dani]

At that point they make good boilers for the pot. . .

 

[Psalm7]

My Daughter just sent Me a message that if a recipe calls for 3 large eggs it only takes 2 of Her Golden Commit eggs or Your cake taste like eggs .

 

[Dani]

My Daughter just sent Me a message that if a recipe calls for 3 large eggs it only takes 2 of Her Golden Commit eggs or Your cake taste like eggs .

Interesting. I thought because of their smaller size they would produce a smaller egg.

 

[Psalm7]

No they lay extra large brown eggs . Very gentle and calm .

 

[Psalm7]

She was secretly making cup cakes for My Son and His Girlfriends Baby Gender reveal event . Its a Girl .

 

[Mountain trapper]

We lost one of our Rhode Island Reds yesterday to a coyote. I set a trap for it by the coop. This morning I went out with a flashlight and could see fresh tracks in the new snow. I followed the tracks around the cabin. He even came up on the front porch of the cabin. Then they went over to the coop and he stepped right on the trap. But with the new snow the trap didn't fire. I'll reset the trap later today in another location under a tree where the snow won't interfer with the trap.
This was the first chicken that we lost here to predators.

 

[Brent S]

I’ve been thinking of getting a few turkeys again. Talk about large eggs. They are more interesting than chickens too. A lot more intelligent. My problem is with the two large outside dogs if I bring anything home the boys are always looking for a way to kill it. It takes a lot of effort to stop a couple of determined dogs.

 

[Dani]

I’ve been thinking of getting a few turkeys again. Talk about large eggs. They are more interesting than chickens too. A lot more intelligent. My problem is with the two large outside dogs if I bring anything home the boys are always looking for a way to kill it. It takes a lot of effort to stop a couple of determined dogs.

Invisible fence line around the coop will help if you don't mind putting shock collars on your dogs.

 

[Brent S]

Invisible fence line around the coop will help if you don't mind putting shock collars on your dogs.

One of them has a shock collar now to keep him on the property. I hate doing it but it’s better than him getting in fights or run over. My 2.5 acres are fenced but this guy was an escape artist. I may do an enclosure for birds again but if they ever escape they have a life expectancy of seconds at best.

 

[Psalm7]

My Daughter has a fence and the collars for Her dogs . Her Great Pyrenees take care of Her chickens and they are very protective but Her Goldendoodel will kill every chicken or duck She gets hold of . The doddel is a high $$ trouble maker.

 

[KateMTx]

My family never had good luck with chickens. I remember them getting eaten by cats and such but rarely by humans.

 

[Brent S]

My family never had good luck with chickens. I remember them getting eaten by cats and such but rarely by humans.

Predators and diseases are a constant threat. Both can be dealt with but it’s a lot of work. I raised chickens, ducks, rabbits and even a turkey. Most was to learn to deal with the issues that arise with taking care of them. At least I worked most of the bugs out of how to keep them alive anyways. As far as being practical though, for now it’s cheaper to buy eggs and meat at the grocery. And if I want to go away for a long weekend it’s alot easier without all the ‘pets’. If we have any kind of economic collapse though the experience would help ensure you are able to eat.

 

[DrHenley]

My grandmother must have had some really resilient chickens. Free roaming out in the country. How did they manage to survive?

 

[Brent S]

My grandmother must have had some really resilient chickens. Free roaming out in the country. How did they manage to survive?

Lol. I guess you just breed lots of them to replace the losses from hawks, foxes, and disease. I imagine free range birds are more resistant to disease too. Keeping lots of birds in close quarters just ensures that when one gets sick they all would. I’m also sure that most farmers would quickly shoot any dog that killed their birds, eliminating that problem at least.