39 Comments

Interesting! I had a small flock + cockerel on my fruit farm in Spain. Eagles were my only predators because my farm was high in the foothills of a mountain and the eagles were constantly keeping an eye on movements on my farm. I had two well trained dogs and a cat protecting the chickens against smaller predators. One bold eagle did swoop down and grab a chick. Monty, the cockerel grabbed the neck of the big bird as it struggled to take flight. His claws were tearing at the eagles chest but when it got about 15 feet up he had to let go. He was very upset.

My chickens were entirely free to roam and roosted in the very mature cherry trees. In the winters I would put my chainsaw into the wheel barrow and this would signal to them that it was time to follow me into the woods, which they loved.

I also used the same trick to take all my animals away from the farm and down the riverbank to safety when bush fires threatened to burn us out. The village kids called me Pocohontas because I was frequently seen wheeling my barrow deep into the forest, followed by two dogs, a cat, 6 chickens, one cockerel and a retired goat-herder horse called Soldato, who provided grass chomping duties and led us all on longer explorations up the mountains for Sunday outings.

My land benefitted enormously from chicken droppings, Soldato's nutrient-rich deposits and pats taken from the fields of young bulls who were my only neighbours.

Off grid living was never easy but it was healthy and happy, that is a fact!

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Thoroughly enjoyed your chicken story. Have not had chickens for years but when I did, I raised them very similar to you. Also Barred Rock were my favorite but didn't care for how scrappy the roosters are. Got attacked several times. My favorite setting hens are plain little bantams. Good setters and great mothers. Good luck with your chickens.

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Very informative post. I have been raising chickens for almost seven years, a mix of breeds, but primarily Buff Orpingtons (which do go broody, they are a great breed but are more adapted to northern climate and are heavily feathered). I've experimented with others. I love my barred rock, but she is loud as heck. I'm really liking the sapphire splash hens I have. They are quiet and good layers. I want to get a rooster, but he's going to have to be orp or splash, both of which are supposedly not as loud as other roosters. I wouldn't mind some banties for setting either, I just converted a truck camper into a chicken house and will be able to expand. My hens are lucky, I have access to a few acres for them to range. I am going to try out the mash suggestions, that might be very good for them.

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I love your chicken posts! My chicken operation is small potatoes compared to yours. My backyard is pretty much all pool and patio but I have a coop by the pool pump and let them forage in the front yard on the grass sometimes. The neighborhood kids come over and chase them around. I’ve never had a Black Copper Maran but I would love some. My favorites are buff orp and barred rocks. My Easter Egger has not laid since Sept 🍗

I am going to start farming Black Sodier Fly Larvae soon to supplement. I usually just buy them dried but thought I’d try growing my own fresh

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My mom's parents had banties on their truck farm near Vista in northern San Diego county, southern California. Because the family was vegetarian, they didn't slaughter, and after the hens stopped laying, they were kept just to continue what chickens always like to do, some of them surviving until about 15 years. I've read that banties are especially good at fly catching, being agile and even capable of short flights with unclipped wings. Of course, they need a predator-proof house for sleeping, and protection from day predation, too, such as coyotes and hawks. Kyle Young's system is the best solution I've yet read, and on that note, I'm happy to promote the secular heretic. I'm now a permanent subscriber.

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Working with Mother Nature instead of against her is so much more productive, in every sense of the word. But you had better be careful, as Bill Gates does not like the concept of nature and natural. It can't be patented, and how else will he make more billions? Bill does not understand nature and tries to show his dominance over her. There is a problem, however. Fool Mother Nature and you pay Father Time.

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Fascinating information! I loved reading this thank you! 😊

My family (husband and young adult children) are keen to help start our own farmlet here in Australia. We've had some disturbing news that in one state, so far (Victoria), government has passed a bill allowing officials to come onto your property and remove all your animals without needing any due processes, if they deem an infection within a herd or flock. Also pigs recently in NSW diagnosed using PCR tests for Japanese encephalitis and now lumpy skin disease in cattle.

Do you see any of this affecting your ability to keep your animals? I've seen there's swine flu and bird flu affecting flocks in the US...but using the damn PCR tests as evidence? 🤦‍♀️

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I am so glad you take the time and effort to put your thoughts and experiences on paper for us to read and digest. It won't be long before raising chickens, like gathering rain water, will become illegal. For me, I follow the advice of Dr. Alan Mandell who is a DO out of FL with his own YT channel. People need to get off their double-wides and fight back. This is NOT the America that Paul Revere and George Washington fought for. No, I did not take the Jab. I won't either. IMO, its one of the signs of the Mark of the Beast. Thanks, Kyle!

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Love this post! So full of valuable information. Our chicks are only 3 weeks old but moving them outdoors in another 4-5 weeks. We have a smallish yard so the "backyard" section was particularly helpful! Thanks for writing and posting.

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Thank you Kyle! We are contemplating a move into having a chicken flock...albeit a small flock since we are in a suburban type setting. I believe our challenge will be to keep them in our 'yard' when we let them out to forage?!? And, we may not get a rooster because we are looking at only 4 hens to start. We don't eat that many eggs...which may just change if we dive off the deep end into chicken world...L.O.L. We are thinking it will be Barred Rock for calmness and quietness and heat tolerance (I think?!?) Also, a friend of ours has a flock of Barred Rock from which we would receive chicks. We will know more! And, I liked the mix of writing topics so 'Thumbs up' to you mixing and matching when the spirit moves you :-)

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thanks Kyle. Enjoyed reading about your flock. I once had a party of two chickens that laid an egg every day. Then I moved and miss them terribly. Of course I had to name the girls as they were so socialible. Lucy and Bettywhite were their names and they came when called. So I agree with you. Old is becoming new again and I am so proud. I am praying for those youngsters growing up to at least look back and see what worked before and think twice before heading out to fast food places. love ya Kyle and love your articles. viv

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Such valuable chicken info--thanks for sharing your wisdom. We're looking at growing mealworms and trying our hand at planting some foraging crops--good to know they can be accessed by the chickens in the ground. We've been putting our chickens to work in the garden during the winter--starting to see some positive results in the soil!

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Thanks for the info on 🐔 🐓. Im just about to get my first dozen, and have no idea what to expect, but this article certainly covered many aspects. I’ll no doubt have a ton of questions before too long. Hopefully, you’ll keep reading our comments and responding to them.

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So refreshing to hear about real world farm life, Kyle. Keep the practical wisdom flowing! My little flock of 4 Spotted Sussex are settling in as autumn shades into winter here downunder. So much fun to clean up the neglected garden on my new farm with their enthusiastic help. Almost had a riot when one girl dug up a big fat witchety grub and the other 3 chased her around trying to catch her. So funny. And to address your question from last post - a chook lives in a ‘chook house’. Would love to hear how you deal with predators in more detail. I’ve got foxes and eagles and just not comfortable yet leaving the chooks on their own in the fenced garden on their own all day. Maybe I’m being overprotective! 🤣

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Backyard chickens is a fantasy of mine, one I doubt I will ever manifest due to age, health, and location. I enjoy your stories. I remember hearing a rooster every morning, this was about 30 years ago. Now I think of a rooster as the neighborhood alarm clock!

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