Anyone raise chickens?

Anyone have a flock? I have egg layers and meat birds. Rhode Island Reds, Buff Orpingtons, ISA Browns, Welsummers, and Cornish X. I'm looking to add in some Easter Eggers, some Polish breeds for the wife, and some turkeys, I wouldn't mind a couple bantams for lawn decor. Been having a problem with predators since my dogs are gone.

Here are my brooders. This March hasn't been nice to us in terms of weather.
Left bin are Cornish X @ ~4 weeks old. Right bin are Buff Orpingtons and RIRs @ ~4 weeks old. Top left rubber bin are a couple birds I picked up tonight; Cornish X and Welsummers.


Because of predators, I'm missing about half my flock now. I'm about to take 1-2 roosters to the crock pot pretty soon. The one right in the middle is a black silkie my cousin gave me. It last a whole day before I found its carcass behind the coop.


And this is the set up I had in the house of the chicks before I moved them out to the coop.

 

I raise Gamefowl, I haven't lost one bird to a four legged predator since I put all my dogs in a perimeter surrounding my property, nothing can get in without a being seen. I can hear packs of Coyote's on the outskirts on my land but they wont come in. Hawks and birds of prey are my only issue but they usually only go for the little ones.

 

My friend's family in the Philippines raise Sweater/Lemons. I'd like to get some game fowl at some point.

 

My dogs eat a lot of chickens. Guts, feathers and all, also eat a lot of eggs.

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Never had game fowl, but imagine it's "edible". Nothing like a Cornish x, but probably best as a stew.

 

I've got some friends with game fowl, doesn't take a lot of space. Now with you living where you do im sure you're short on space, but I know guys that have 20-30 birds in a space you prob couldn't put two dogs comfortably.

Sincerely Yours, Cajun

 

Even hens of gamefowl can be housed together. The roosters are what have to be kept separate. Most guys who have gamefowl that keep hens separate do it to be able to tell which hens produce the best gamecocks. Even the "domestic" roosters have to be kept separate as far as a I know. My great grandma always had chickens and she had a coup for every rooster with about 8-10 hens each

Sincerely Yours, Cajun

 

i may be mistaken...but i believe you have to process cornish birds by a certain age or they become immobile?? not sure on the facts but ive had more than one person tell me that.....

as far as my collection goes, we have egg layers...... 2 roosters (GL Wyondotte, & a hybrid bantam), 2 RI Reds, 2 Buff Orpingtons,1 bantam d'uccle, 1 bantam americauna/copper maran cross, 2 gold sexlinks, 2 naked neck turkens, and a bunch of others i have no clue the breed... oh yeah and four ducks....

 

Those are some nice looking gamefowl bushwick. I love my game birds to when I get a chance I'm going to get me some more.

 

Laced, do you keep your roosters separate?

Sincerely Yours, Cajun

 

Yeah. Normally between 6-8 weeks. Due to their eating, they can and will eat themselves to death. Heart attacks, high blood pressure, strokes, broken legs, etc.

 

Get some guineafowl, they're ugly and noisy but they will keep predators away.

 

Lmao my neibhors had some of those loud ugly fuxkers

Sincerely Yours, Cajun

 

I think my 12g is quieter!

 

Nope they get along ok.... ones a bantam and the other is close to 10 lbs so im sure domination is established.... the big boy is a straight ASSHOLE! He attacks me any chance he gets yet hell leave my girl alone.... thinkin bout puttin the 22 to his head and havin a chicken pickin!