₦airaland Forum

Lukuluku69:
I am sorry for your Loss. Very painful when you lose Chicks moreso 4 weeks old Chicks. I have been in that shoe dozens of times.

The Rats (those big ones) do feed on Chicks too. They usually attack and eat them when they are about One Week to about Five Weeks old.

When I moved newly to hear, their are many of them around and sometimes, I do lose the whole brood to them and even eggs.

They are usually hungrier when they are pregnant or have mouths to feed (Usually there is a nest nearby with 2/3 baby Rats that needs feeding)

Try and get a Trap from the Local Market. Bait it with Roasted Corn or Fried Coconuts that's what a man that borrowed me the Trap used and in return he took the Rats while I had the marauding Rats killed.

Whatever the Issues are, we keep trying...

I think the bolded is the scenario that played out. Because, the same rats had been moving around the chickens and chicks with no issues, til they went all out and killed 9 chicks in one week. I saw how desperate the rat was after I stoned it, it dropped the dead chick that it was holding in its mouth, but tried to come back for it even when I was still standing there. I guess it desperately needed to feed its babies too.

Lukuluku69:
I used to have one Hen like that, my kids call it Crazy Lucy, I can't count the numbers of time it actually went after Falcons, Hawks that tried to make a steal in my Compound!

Even Cats and Dogs too.

LOL! That's how this particular hen is too. It's always funny when you get a hen that is just so different from the rest.

kay29000:
I think the bolded is the scenario that payed out. Because, the same rats had been moving around the chickens and chicks with no issues, til they went all out and killed 9 chicks in one week. I saw how desperate the rat was after I stoned it, it dropped the dead chick that it was holding in its mouth, but tried to come back for it even when I was still standing there. I guess it desperately needed to feed its babies too.

Then get a Trap to get rid of it from your Compound or vicinity. The Type constructed with Iron Rods otherwise it will continue to strike.

Lukuluku69:
Then get a Trap to get rid of it from your Compound or vicinity. The Type constructed with Iron Rods otherwise it will continue to strike.

Okay.

OP how are your noiler have they started laying?

opeyemi3737:
OP how are your boiler have they started laying?

I don't have broilers. I raise strictly local chickens.

But if you're referring to the Noilers I had previously, they have all been sold. I keep only Ocala chickens now.

Sorry I meant noiler

opeyemi3737:
Sorry I meant noiler

Okay. I sold them off.

kay29000:
I don't have broilers. I raise strictly local chickens.

But if you're referring to the Noilers I had previously, they have all been sold. I keep only Ocala chickens now.

I have been following this thread from the begining and I am just seeing you have changed to Ocala Chicken from the Noilers you started with from the begining of the thread. When did you make this move? Please kindly introduce us to this types, it benefits and the reason you made the change. Thanks.

Iamsane:
I have been following this thread from the begining and I am just seeing you have changed to Ocala Chicken from the Noilers you started with from the begining of the thread. When did you make this move? Please kindly introduce us to this types, it benefits and the reason you made the change. Thanks.

Ocala? I'm sure you're referring to local...as in local chickens.

By the way, I didn't change anything. I NEVER MADE A CHANGE. The title of the thread is "my one year journey raising locally chickens"...and that's all the thread is focused on...LOCAL CHICKENS. I only posted about my Noilers (Agric chickens) every now and then, but they were never the major focus.

My chickens...local chickens. I sold 2 a few weeks ago, and someone is coming to buy 5 next week...2 male and 3 female. 5k each.

The major benefit of local chickens over Agric chicken is that they are stronger...they don't die easily. In fact, I should say they don't die unless a predator (rat, cat, hawk, falcon, snake) kills them. Also, they can fend for themselves. Yeah, I give them feed and leftovers to make them grow faster and fresher, but they can actually survive without me.

The disadvantage is that they don't make much meat on their body compared to Agric chickens (broiler, Noiler, cockerel). But there is still market for them. Some people just like their taste.

Chickens eating the okababa (guinea corn) I just threw down for them.

kay29000:
Chickens eating the okababa (guinea corn) I just threw down for them.

The Hawks are back after about 4 months absence. Heard some cackling and calls from my hens this afternoon and lo and behold two Hawks were sighted hovering above.

Signs that the Rains will soon subside and the dry Seasons is almost upon us.

Lukuluku69:
The Hawks are back after about 4 months absence. Heard some cackling and calls from my hens this afternoon and lo and behold two Hawks were sighted hovering above.

Signs that the Rains will soon subside and the dry Seasons is almost upon us.

Interesting. I'll look out for them tomorrow.

kay29000:
Interesting. I'll look out for them tomorrow.

Can local chickens be raised in cage

Kehfie:
Can local chickens be raised in cage

Yes, but it defeats the purpose of what they are raised for. They are raised mainly for their free range nature, and for being hardy.

Lukuluku69:
The Hawks are back after about 4 months absence. Heard some cackling and calls from my hens this afternoon and lo and behold two Hawks were sighted hovering above.

Signs that the Rains will soon subside and the dry Seasons is almost upon us.

You're right. I saw one this morning.

kay29000:
You're right. I saw one this morning.

Dry Season onset.

They are back from their Migratory journey to the North of Africa.

It is now time for the Roosters to do their sentinel job and the hens to look out for the threat from above.

kay29000:
Yes, but it defeats the purpose of what they are raised for. They are raised mainly for their free range nature, and for being hardy.

Thank you

So something funny happened recently...

Two hens started brooding at the same time, and hatched their eggs the same day. One had 5 chicks the other had 8 chicks. The last chick to hatch from the 8 was very weak, and the mother kind of abandoned it. The mother with 5 chicks started taking care of it for a few days, till it got strong, and then it kind of went back to its original mother. So now, the chick moves between two families...sometimes, it would be with it's original mother, and then at other times, it would be with the mother that made sure it didn't die.

The hen in the pic has no chicks currently...In this pic, it chased away the mother with 8 chicks.when I was feeding her and her chicks.

In this pic, you can see the hen with 8 chicks (white hen), and a little of the hen with 5 chicks (brown).

kay29000:
So something funny happened recently...

Two hens started brooding at the same time, and hatched their eggs the same day. One had 5 chicks the other had 8 chicks. The last chick to hatch from the 8 was very weak, and the mother kind of abandoned it. The mother with 5 chicks started taking care of it for a few days, till it got strong, and then it kind of went back to its original mother. So now, the chick moves between two families...sometimes, it would be with it's original mother, and then at other times, it would be with the mother that made sure it didn't die.

Kehfie:

These animals can be very entertaining. Watching sometimes is a whole drama episode. Especially ducks.

Kehfie:
These animals can be very entertaining. Watching sometimes is a whole drama episode. Especially ducks.

Lol...so true.

kay29000:
Lol...so true.

do you have idea about incubator? Especially incubating the eggs of local hen

Dreamhans1:
do you have idea about incubator? Especially incubating the eggs of local hen

I don't.

We sold 8 chickens the last 2 months, plus the ones we lost to rats. But the 5 hens and one Rooster we currently have are already working hard to repopulate our small poultry fast.

I noticed something this morning. The chicks were making the normal noises they usually make continuously...and then when a hawk flew past, the Rooster made a warning sound, and all the chicks went silent immediately. I mean immediately.

kay29000:
We sold 8 chickens the last 2 months, plus the ones we lost to rats. But the 5 hens and one Rooster we currently have are already working hard to repopulate our small poultry fast.

One(1) Rooster to five(5) Hens. This is the way nature has made it. ☺️😄

Iamsane:
One(1) Rooster to five(5) Hens. This is the way nature has made it. ☺️😄

Lol