Crows eating my (supposed to be) free-range chickens.
CindyLouWho
18 years ago
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TriElysian
18 years agoRoberta_z5
18 years agoRelated Discussions
Wild Turkeys VS Free Range Chickens
Comments (12)You're right, your birds don't have to be with the turkeys to pick something up, but it sure increases the chances. Sun light, drying and time all kill certain pathogens, although not all, and so reduce the chances that your birds will pick something up after the turkeys have passed through. Airborne transmission is another factor, and is more likely to infect your birds when they're right next to a sneezing turkey as opposed to passing through the same airspace a day or week later. You need to worry about any number of poultry diseases that can be passed between chickens abd turkeys, salmonella, AI, not H5N1, the big bad media scare AI, but there are strains in this country, and have been for years, which still occur and have been shown to be passed from wild birds. They'll cause intrastate movement of birds to be stopped, and complete depopulation of your entire flock if it's found to be infected. Roundworms, whipworms, mites and lice are easily transmitted, and are very common....See MoreFree Range Chickens Need Guard Dog
Comments (11)I'm wondering what became of the dog? I took Blue (the chicken killer) to the HS and paid a fee for being out of their county. They told me they would not put him down and they shipped animals all over trying to get them seen and adopted. He would make someone a nice dog, very affectionate and loyal. They did make a notation about not placing him with small animals and actually his actions disqualified him from a local program where they retrain labs and goldens for the disabled. They called it "small animal aggression." Blue was fine with the cats until they ran from him (which was always since he never walked anywhere, always a dead run). He wouldn't just attack them but it was coming, I could see. I never knew how traumatized the cats were, staying in the garage all the time. Our oldest cat, Tigger, was very frail and ill looking and I figured it was his 15 yrs of age catching up with him. This spring since Blue is gone, Tigger is again beautiful and healthy and enjoying the outside. I have 7 little hens that escape the pen and free range each day, they are just small enough to squeeze under the corner of the pen. I so enjoy seeing them around the house and sneaking into the garage! I say sneak because they know they aren't supposed to be in there but I usually leave the back door open for airing the place out and they go in and eat the cat food, LOL! I have 5 guineas in a pen in the barn and plan to let them out in a few weeks. I could never have enjoyed all my critters with Blue around. Heck, I probably wouldn't have been able to even garden since he was just so distructive. I have been wondering how you dealt with your problem dog. Judyag, were your Great Pyrenees already grown? I have just heard such good things about these creatures! I would like to look into getting one or similar guard type dog for our place. Lori...See MoreQuestion: Free-range chickens, horses & guardian dogs together?
Comments (7)We have three horses and they never bother our free-range hens or rooster. The chickens are bold enough to try to eat the spilled horse feed from around the horses' buckets in the winter, and the horses simply nose them away. The horses can't really sneak up on the chickens due to their heavy stomps, and chickens are quick. The only problem is the horses constantly trying to access the chicken feeder in the portable and the permanent pens. So make sure the horses never eat of it in the first place and you will avoid our headache of them trying to eat of it a second time. (This is really only a problem in the winter when they are grazing in the area of the pen). We have three dogs and therefore initially confined the new hens to a portable house/run for two weeks. We would hang out near the pen and talk sweetly to the chickens often (hoping the dogs would get the idea that we really liked these birds and would appreciate them not getting eaten). After two weeks we let the chickens run free each late afternoon and tied up each dog and kept a watch on them. We scolded the manchester terrier for any agression toward the hens. The other dog would simply lie and barely show any notice to the hens as they walked right in front of him. After a week or so we saw no more chasing by the terrier and just let the chickens out with the dogs free. These two dogs take off after any rabbit or squirrel they see so we're happy they treat the chickens like fellow pets. The terrier only mock-charges at the hens if they get too close to his food. It's been three years now....See MoreWill my free range chickens use nesting boxes?
Comments (2)you may wish to look up a farm in north east Georgia for tips on free range birds and nesting. The short answer is yes, depending on how/if they roost the same place or not--- & it will take them a few days to adjust but they will. NATURE'S HARMONY FARM in elberton Georgia, is a sustainable farm which i have lent a hand on on occasion. They have a wounder blog about their farm and how they do things. They have generally about 300- 400 laying hens and around 200- to 300 broilers--- all free range, truly free range. they also raise sheep, pigs, cattle and heritage ducks & turkeys. the turkeys are the coolest to me as they actually roost way up in the trees :P the way they move the cows everyday & then the chickens to the paddock the cows were in just dose wounders for their fields which looked quite bad just 3 years ago when they started :) hope this helps a lil...See Moresam_md
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