Terry Coombs wrote:
....
Hmm , not sure my neighbors would hold still for pigs , and no way we can
let 'em roam the woods . Already got a big problem in this area with feral
swine , and I won't take a chance here .

i didn't mean let loose without fencing and
tags, perhaps even making sure they are sterile
so even if they did get loose they couldn't
procreate.

feral pigs are on the upswing around here too.
haven't seen any yet on this property. it is
open-season on them any time.


The chickens are another thing
entirely , several neighbors let theirs roam during the day - though Tom
down the road lost a couple last week , he thinks a fox got 'em . And during
the day ! Great benefit here to let chickens roam , they take care of the
ticks ...

they can strip a green area bare and scratch
the soil searching for bugs. some people use
them to clear gardens before or after harvest.


only potential problem is the dog . She's never been around birds
, might decide they look tasty . And she's big enough to easily take one
down .

i think if you raise them from eggs or chicks
the dog might cope better. if you can find a
broody hen to take care of them even better
(so they would be raised as normal birds and
have some protection by an adult bird)...


songbird