Naked Neck/Turken Thread

[Pensmaster]

I wish my chickens stayed out in summer when it is hot. but they always sleep in their coop. when they are sleepy they just go to their roosts even if I am not around. they are good kiddies, lol.

Well when I let mine out I would usually walk/run them down to the orchard. It has a deer fence but those that can fly get out and head back to coop usually to lay then they head back to rest of flock. To get them back at night I just bang on bucket of feed like I do in morning and on the run they come
That was last year and I've stopped letting them out due to losses unless I'm right there. Coyotes have been visiting again so little concerned. Didn't let Legbars out today due to Cooper hawk flying though.

 

[chickengr]

Well when I let mine out I would usually walk/run them down to the orchard. It has a deer fence but those that can fly get out and head back to coop usually to lay then they head back to rest of flock. To get them back at night I just bang on bucket of feed like I do in morning and on the run they come
That was last year and I've stopped letting them out due to losses unless I'm right there. Coyotes have been visiting again so little concerned. Didn't let Legbars out today due to Cooper hawk flying though.

sorry to hear about predators in your area. I have rats only.

 

[Pensmaster]

sorry to hear about predators in your area. I have rats only.

I have rats too but I've been working on them.

It does make having chickens a challenge for sure.

 

[nchvac]

I have rats too but I've been working on them.

It does make having chickens a challenge for sure.

I keep mine in a hutch and have never had a rat problem that I know of. Out of site out of mind is ok with me on rats though.

These Cream Legbars, are they a cross breed like a Rhodebar?

 

[nchvac]

Good morning Nchvac,

I've noticed the MM breed of DC being strange. Some short legs some tall some regular comb some pea. Thought it was quite a mix. They do say in their description that they use multiple colors in their breeding just not multiple breeds.

The feed store only had roosters available at the time I saw them. I didn't pick any up partly because of that and they were wet due to the nipple water they were using. I was afraid they'd get chilled on the way home. If I do pick some up in June I'll bring a heated water bottle to put on with them for the trip home. I'm very leery of getting chicks outside my coop as I've been stung before.

We are still considered country here so roosters crowing haven't been a problem. No more so than a barking dog however new neighbors are moving in closer and closer. They don't strike me as the kind that like chickens. I could be wrong on that.

Thank you for letting me know about the DC from MM. I had already begun suspecting something was up, that confirmed it.

What you can do is chose the stock that you like and breed for what you want. A big thing I found with the Cornish is that with time they are challenged to breed due to the short legs and how their body is shaped. Research concluded that the hatcheries bred in longer legs and different builds. Also, heritage Cornish are not good at egg laying which is why real Cornish are not readily available. That doesn't work good for production of a hatchery so they had to bring in some different genes for production.
Main thing, don't stop with what I tell you- do your own research and know that you aren't the only one that has the X idea. I think everybody that has raised Cornish X has had the idea to bread their own and most wind up disappointed with the result, as it takes something like 4 different crosses to come up with a true Cornish X, and that recipe is highly guarded.

 

[chickengr]

I have rats too but I've been working on them.

It does make having chickens a challenge for sure.

there are too many rats on the island where I live. I tried everything but they keep coming not for food because they find it in the fields but they are looking for the place to make nests. my very last solution is that I put my terrier mix dog in the chicken's run and no one can sleep at night because of barking, lol. at least there are no more rats around chickens. I need to find a solution how to protect my vegetable garden from bloody rats. I found some fresh droppings and I cannot leave my dogs there.

 

[Pensmaster]

I keep mine in a hutch and have never had a rat problem that I know of.  Out of site out of mind is ok with me on rats though.

These Cream Legbars, are they a cross breed like a Rhodebar?

Yes they are a mix that breeds true. Lay light blue eggs and my two lay plenty. One lays a rough egg though. Plenty of oysters shells in coop with them.

 

[Pensmaster]

What you can do is chose the stock that you like and breed for what you want.  A big thing I found with the Cornish is that with time they are challenged to breed due to the short legs and how their body is shaped.  Research concluded that the hatcheries bred in longer legs and different builds.  Also, heritage Cornish are not good at egg laying which is why real Cornish are not readily available.  That doesn't work good for production of a hatchery so they had to bring in some different genes for production. 
Main thing, don't stop with what I tell you- do your own research and know that you aren't the only one that has the X idea.  I think everybody that has raised Cornish X has had the idea to bread their own and most wind up disappointed with the result, as it takes something like 4 different crosses to come up with a true Cornish X, and that recipe is highly guarded. 

I've had the Cornish X before, for meat did not like them. Was hoping for a decent bird with the Dark Cornish. May not mix them at all if they do well. The bone structure on two of the Roos looks promising and one of the hens. I'll use those for breeding. May buy more as one hen isn't enough. I've seen some good Dark Cornish on eBay but the prices were too high to chance the shipping.

 

[Pensmaster]

there are too many rats on the island where I live. I tried everything but they keep coming not for food because they find it in the fields but they are looking for the place to make nests. my very last solution is that I put my terrier mix dog in the chicken's run and no one can sleep at night because of barking, lol. at least there are no more rats around chickens. I need to find a solution how to protect my vegetable garden from bloody rats. I found some fresh droppings and I cannot leave my dogs there.

Sounds like a good dog to have!!!

My dad told me of a Rat Terrier that they used to keep in the bakery in the Army. It was quite a show when he was on one.

The rats I have here are a mix of someone's pet that got away and regular field rats. Several were killed in one week here. That's when I was free feeding. Don't do that anymore so numbers are way down. I keep traps set all the time now.

 

[chickengr]

Sounds like a good dog to have!!!

My dad told me of a Rat Terrier that they used to keep in the bakery in the Army. It was quite a show when he was on one.

The rats I have here are a mix of someone's pet that got away and regular field rats. Several were killed in one week here. That's when I was free feeding. Don't do that anymore so numbers are way down. I keep traps set all the time now.

I don't leave feed overnight but rats, field mice and mice make nests under the concrete strips that I have on the ground. I poured water hoping to flood them but water kept disappearing. I cannot imagine how many tunnels there are. and this is between 2 chicken runs and at the corner of my vegetable garden. I cannot use traps as I don't want to kill my chickens or cats that come to my property. I hope that my dogs will help me with rats.