Homestead forum diaspora

I'm sorry, I stopped reading at one point because I couldn't stop laughing. 

You want to know how to stop roosters from being a nuisance to the neighbors, but you want GUINEAS? Did I read that right???

*roflmao*

Oh, man. Seriously. Hahahahahaha. Okay, sorry... I'll go back and keep reading. But man, that made me giggle like a banshee.

Okay, read through what peeps had to say...

Guineas are about the size of a standard chicken, only more egg-shaped, hideous, and hysterical. They are the boys who cry wolf ALL DAY LONG. They scream at EVERYTHING. The wind rustles in a way that they don't like, and holy shit, the world is ending. Their ear-piercing shrieks should change your hubby's mind about killing things at home though, if you want to help convince him.

Bantams are fun, but you'll need a lot of them to have enough eggs for omlettes. The cool thing about small birds is that you can fit more of them in one space, if you like variety. The crappy thing is that a lot of Bantam breeds tend to be jerks. Think Lab vs. Chihuahua. They are more feisty, bitey, and flighty, on the whole. That is not to say that all of them are that way. I have had some lovely banties who loved to be held... But the roos (almost every banty roo I've ever known) have small man syndrome. I wouldn't trust Greyson in the coop with one, he could get a eye spurred out faster than you could kick the roo like a football.

I personally like variety. I don't like all my chickens to look the same. I like to name them and watch them do their thing, and it's harder when they're all the same color. Have you considered a variety pack? You can order variety packs through most of the major hatcheries, like McMurray.

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention. Most banties are not sexed at birth. They're too small to feel the differences on. So if you buy banty chicks, you will pretty much only find them straight run. If you want a higher chance than 50/50, you'll have to go with standards.

Glad you got a good laugh. I realized after the posting started there might be a disconnect on the noise thing! I like the bantams because they are small but I think going with regular sized and just a smaller flock will be our route. I, also, like the idea of a variety of birds for visual enjoyment, different kinds of eggs, etc.

Good information about bantam roos and my kiddo. I would hate to have that happen. No matter what, when we get a rooster, I will always have my knife on me in the coop and Greyson close by my side.

Who said guinie fowl are loud?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_B2lMEyBsk

Lots of roosters are very sweet and gentle. Attitude is hereditary in chickens. If you've got a mean roo, his chicks will probably be mean. So if you end up with a mean one, turn him into soup and get a different one. I've had some wonderful, gentle, kind-hearted boys. You wouldn't be able to pull a knife on an attacking roo, they're too fast.  When you see it running at you, your reflexes will be good enough to kick it fast and send it flying. If you are wanting to incubate chicks, you'll need a roo, but if not, the roo is kind of pointless. Most of them will want to breed the hens until they are bare. And adding hens doesn't matter, because the roos pick their favorites. Some roos are gentle lovers though, and you won't see him tormenting the ladies. Those are the ones to keep.  If you do want to have chicks, one roo can keep up to a dozen hens fertile.

You could order something like this, and then sell the extra hens that you don't want as started pullets (once they're a few months old and feathered out, so you can pick out your faves). McMurray does a thing where they send along a free chick with your order, in case one dies - it's almost always a boy (and usually some kind of fun rare breed), so you'd have the rooster there.

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/rainbow_layers.html

Also... If you get the McMurray catalog, there is a picture in there of each breed as a chick. So if you order a "special" (different breeds), the booklet is SUPER awesome, because you can figure out what kind of chickens you have on the very first day, by comparing them to the pictures in the book (some are a bit complicated, and you'll need to be a super sleuth to figure it out, by matching leg color or spot patterns, but it is a blast!)

Man, I am getting SO chicken hungry now! Um... In a vegetarian kind of way? *lol*

OMG. I clicked on the BLRW video, with all the babies chirping. NOOOOOOO!!!!!

*runs screaming*

McMurray. Check. I will check into that.

I can't open the video right now, we are low on band-with at the house.

My fav roo ever was a Buff Brahma named Papa. He was enormous, and sweet and gentle. He never bulied any of the hens, and even let chicks climb all over him at nigh to stay warm. He was too big and heavy to roost on the perches, he slept in nest boxes on the floor. He often had chicks in the nest with him.

His traits are still showing up in some of the chicks, through he's been gone for a few years.

Geese and guineas......if you are worried about noise complaints from your neighbours then you want to stay away from them. We kept bantams for years and used them as incubators, they will sit on anything! I substituted fertile Astrolorp eggs whenever they got broody and they would hatch them out beautifully. I have Orpingtons now, down to two old ladies and a Astro rooster...... 

I always used to tease my mother for calling them that, Al. I picture them riding on rockets, from space station to space station.

I guess I should mention that Australorps have always been my mother's favorite too. So shimmery blue and green and purple in the sun, like oil on the ground.

I just like a variety pack. I like to name all of mine, and it's easier if you don't have to read the number on a leg band to do it. I had a max of 5 of each color/breed. I could tell up to 5 of them apart. Past that, it's just about impossible. You have to memorize comb shapes, or something like that. All my girls wore leg bands, so if I was ever unsure, I could double-check the number. The only ones I ever had to stop and think about were the Barred Rocks. Maya, Kona, Trinity, and Quinn. Oh, and a few mutts my wheaten hen hatched out. Natasha, Jacinda, and Minerva. I kept taking that crazy chicken's eggs, and one day she disappeared. Thought a coyote got her or something. 3 weeks later, she appears, prancing through my field with TWELVE babies! Those 3 sisters were just about identical though. And just as wild as their crazy mama!  

I could talk chickens for days. I'll stop now though.

All mine are named "you stupid Chicken".  "Get the *#@$ out of my way, you stupid chicken",  I probably say a half dozen times a day.

My oldest step-daughter wants one names Larry.

The male guineas in that clip weren't even all that loud. They weren't alarm-calling or anything, they were just visiting with each other. That was just the normal, social sounds they make. Now, take those noises, amp them up X's 10, and add a bunch of guinea hens with the 2-syllable squeaky gate noise, plus the male machine-gun alarm call....you get an idea of what you (and the neighbors) would be subjected to several tinmes a day, living with guineas.

By contrast, one roo and a few hens, no problem. Peace on the farm.

Yep, passing on the guineas for sure!

"Kill the Roo, Kill the Roo".  I hate a floggin Roosters. I beheaded the last one with my poop shovel.  I'm last person  you want to try and spur.