Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

homestead - Re: [Homestead] Chickens

homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Homestead mailing list

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: <eureka AT hctc.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Chickens
  • Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 12:55:39 -0500

We have a mixed flock of Dark Brahmas, Buttercups, Fayoumis, Lakenvelder, Polish, Faverolle, Americanas. They free-range during the day on three acres, but stick mostly in the shaded creek where they can scratch for bugs and eat the mulberries that fall on the ground. We supplement with feed year round but they don't eat too much of it when they are ranging. We are fortunate that the place came with welded wire 6' and 8' pole fencing. The girls put themselves up in the coop at dark and we faithfully are there to lock them in since we know predators do make it under the fence at night. We have not lost any to predators in the two years we've had chickens. There are hawks around, but I think our dogs keep them away.

The Brahmas are about the best natured chickens I've met, and the Fayoumis the most annoying. The latter fly very well, have an "attitude" that probably explains how they've fended themselves for centuries on the Nile.

Our friends who ran a CSA (now out of business) would lose hundreds of chickens to birds of prey but they were in open grassland with electric fencing. I think having brush and tree cover is important.

--Sage
Way Out in Texas


On Tue, 20 May 2008 05:24:51 -0500
Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com> wrote:

On May 19, 2008, at 10:43 PM, Marie McHarry wrote:

It's only necessary to feed chickens in winter in my
experience. The rest of the year, they'll get fat on bugs, grubs,
weeds, and whatever else they can get their beaks around.

Happy to hear that. I am currently experimenting. Now withholding grain and trying to train them to come into the Taj Mahen at night when I call and rattle a small container with egg pellets in it. Like all teens, they want to stay out after dark and I want them secured so I can stop thinking about them.

With only three hens, this fenced yard might be enough to feed them. And I am scheming an overhead wire design to thwart the hawks, like the cheeky one that flew right up to and perched in the walnut tree directly above where the hens were lounging under their raised porch. And which flew away so fast when I went out that I was sent to the bird ID book and determined that it was a peregrine falcon, the first I have ever seen. Too small, certainly, to carry a hen away but big enough to kill. Beautiful bird.

I bought these three RIReds about a month ago. They had apparently been raised in a building and for days would not even come outside. I finally forced the issue with the water pan. Now they are scratching and pecking away almost as if they know what they're doing. Ain't instinct wonderful.

_______________________________________________
Homestead list and subscription:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/homestead
Change your homestead list member options:
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/options/homestead/eureka%40hctc.net
View the archives at:
https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/homestead







Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page