Questions about feral chickens.

[beam me up scottie]

Long story: We are moving onto a large farm in two weeks (we're only renting 5 acres and a house for now) and I'm looking forward to adopting some chicks this coming spring.

There is an overgrown pasture behind our place which was unfortunately used as a dumping ground for several old tractor trailers.

The woman who purchased the farm last year rescued 4 handicapped piglets who were about to be culled and they now reside in wallows under the trailers. The pigs are pets, sweet as can be even though they are now roughly the size of Mini Coopers.

While I was out saying hello to them this past Sunday, I heard the unmistakable sound of an irritated hen. I finally located the source and sure enough, a flock of chickens have taken up residence in at least one of the trailers. They chose their home wisely, no sane coyote, fox, weasel or snake is going to risk climbing over those hogs to get to the chickens/eggs and the pig chow provides them with reliable food source. Since no one has owned chickens on the farm for years, it appears they've managed to survive on their own for many generations.

Ignoring my advice, bf is determined to capture the chickens (oh, yeah, borrowing a camcorder for that adventure) and tame them.

If he doesn't succeed, I'm betting that once we have our own birds, the feral chix will start to fraternize/help themselves to their food.

So here are my questions:

Can feral chickens be domesticated?

What diseases/parasites do they carry that can infect/infest my(future) birds?

If I successfully treat my birds, will I have to continue to do so if the feral chix stay feral?

Will my birds try to fly the coop to join their freedom loving cousins?

[WhiteTara]

1. I think those chickens will become

domesticated in a heartbeat with some corn and other goodies. Set up a coop close to the house and enjoy the eggs.

[beam me up scottie]

4. Thanks! I'm considering letting my hens forage outside of the coop during the day.

I just hope that if they do become one happy family they will all return to my coop and not the trailer (where I'd never find the eggs).

I don't know if their current ranks include a rooster, perhaps a domestic one could round the girls up each night.

[WhiteTara]

10. call them and reward them with lots of nice corn

they love that! Keep their food in the pen and they will keep coming back. Free range do lay their eggs outside the nest, so you might want to train them to lay inside before they mix with the wild ones.

[beam me up scottie]

12. Good idea, and if I can keep my coop warmer than the trailer during cold weather,

the wild chicken gang might decide they like my digs better.

[DURHAM D]

2. I think if you feed them they will forget they are not regular chickens.

As for catching them - good luck with that.


Has your bf had a tetanus shot in the last 10 years?

[beam me up scottie]

6. LOL! As long as they don't corrupt my girls...

No on the tetanus shot, but his mom is a nurse and all it will take is one phone call. I need to get a booster, too.

Thanks for the timely reminder!

[DURHAM D]

11. Its funny you posted this question about chickens.

Just today I was talking with a co-worker about his chickens. I then commented that if I lived on a farm I would want ginnys (guinea fowl) because they are so entertaining. When a stranger or a strange animal comes in the barn yard they raise a big ruckus.

My grandmother always kept ginnys but I don't recall ever eating (gathering) any eggs. My co-worker said they nest in strange places and their eggs can be hard to find but if you can get them they are really good for baking as they are almost entirely yoke, no white.

So, I have had two conversations about chickens today and prior to today its been at least 20 years since I have had a single conversation about the habits of farm fowl.

[beam me up scottie]

13. Bf's friend in Colorado has ginnys and peacocks! They're always harassing the other farm animals.

When I was a kid our geese were our early warning system, much louder than dogs and meaner, too. They used to chase cars!

[EFerrari]

15. That's what happened here.

There was no transition. They just adopted us immediately! :)

I wouldn't try to capture them. It will just stress them out. Try feeding them instead.

[beam me up scottie]

16. Told bf to leave them alone, if he terrorizes those poor birds we'll never see them again.

It will take time to win them over, just like any other feral.

[Ian David]

3. I don't think you have to CATCH them. Just provide them food inside where you want them to live. n/t

[beam me up scottie]

7. I'd like to let mine free range during the day and I'm not sure they'd all return to my coop.

When I kept chickens before I used to do a head count each night.

Maybe if my coop is luxurious enough they'll take advantage of the amenities. :D

[FedUpWithIt All]

5. There is a roo? Be careful around him until you get to know one another.

Just throwing down some scratch should get the birds coming to you. Chickens are fickle and really only care about the one with the food in my limited experience.

I am not certain but i think your chicks, raised together, will probably hang out together. You have to keep them separate from the feral birds until the chicks are nearly full grown (this is needed with tame chickens as well) for their protection. By this time they sort of form a little clique. If you train them to a specific coop and keep food available for them there i think it is unlikely they will seek greener pastures. More likely, as you mentioned, the feral birds will come to the ready food.

[beam me up scottie]

8. Thanks for the advice about separating them, it makes sense.

I've had a few run-ins with aggressive roosters -yikes- and those were supposed to be tame.

Perhaps raising mine sans rooster would be better.

When it comes to humans, smart women don't need a man to protect/control them.

[izquierdista]

9. They are probably healthier than farmed chickens

Since they have turned this trailer into their home, you've got it made. All you need to do is to chicken wire over the exits at night (when they are all asleep) and they are now your domestic flock. They will be a little miffed that they can't come and go as they please at first light, but they should adapt to you opening the door for them to go out and graze. But you will be able to count on them returning to the coop when the sun goes down. If they are skittish around people, that should soon disappear when they learn the sound of some millet seed in a pie tin.

If you need to know any more, go check out: http://www.backyardchickens.com/

[beam me up scottie]

14. I was thinking the same thing since they've survived this long on their own.

I suppose I could get bf to build a set of stairs to make it easier for me to get into the trailer, with chicken wire over the holes in the bottom they are certainly safe in there. Geez, I hope they only live in one of them, the wallows make going treacherous.

Thanks for the link, I had forgotten how smart and entertaining chickens can be.



And it's good to know we'll have fresh eggs a year earlier than expected!

[beam me up scottie]

17. The chickens already get their fill of corn every day (pig chow) so I can't use that to attract them

What other kind of food can I use to lure them into my yard?