Recent content by Life is Good!

Even with this crazy cold - I got 10 eggs thus far today! (7 were frozen, 3 frozen UNDER a hen!) Even though the sunshine is bright, I elected to lock my flock indoors today. Gave them two bags of spinach (which partially froze on the way to the coop) sprinkled about the litter to give them...

:frow So sorry to have been away for a while - busy with indoor work (weaving). Our flock of Black Java's and Swedish Flower Hens are doing well. The SFH cockerels have developed nicely - have 2 to choose from for this spring's hatch. The Black Java cockerel is the boss though, and for some...

In this house, we call that a "pocket omlette"! Just remember to let the pocket dry out - BEFORE putting your gloves back in there. BTDT...I had pocket omlette glove, ewwww!

BReeder, Buns....We began a trio project in a very large outdoor enclosure (colony style). Constructed a basic Quonset hut out of a discarded trampoline metal base. 1/4" Hardware cloth along entire bottom, up sides to 4' high, then 2" wire along top - used plastic roofing for sides and...

:hugs So sorry for your losses. We too are being hit hard this season with predators. Have had chickens now for 10yrs on the same property, in the same coops (ok, we added another coop - chicken math!)...so it's not like this is a new scenario. We're in N. IL about 2 blocks from a river, in a...

Molpet - Re: turkey troubles! As for when to process your turkeys for Thanksgiving - Check over on the meat bird section of the forums...I know I've seen this over there before (usually about this time). If memory is accurate, turkeys take a bit longer to rest than a chicken...maybe another...

Pretty sure it was possum...earlier this fall we felled a very very small possum who was in this same coop. We have four coops, so I think it's partly design flaw on this one coop. The pop door is protected from view by the back of the barn - so I suspect I need to install better lighting in...

Agreed! I do hope something like this doesn't show up in our flocks again!

Stepping up to rant a bit...:rant...Please understand, it's been a rough night here... How do the predator's know EXACTLY which cockeral you're looking to keep? :he Possum attack tonight - lost the Swedish flower hen cockeral who looked most promising. Also lost three pullets, 1 Swedish, 2...

Yes, I have seen this kind of thing before... Just last spring, we processed a very large, active alpha-rooster (who decided it would be ok to fight me over his hens?! Not so much....). And his were like this - off-color and kinda strange. We've processed many chickens (about 25-50/yr for...

I've begun to gauge the upcoming seasonal changes by the predator pressure on our flock. We are semi-suburban (meaning housing creep has set in) and with it the predators are changing. All summer we have had red tail Hawks using our fields to hunt in, and to teach their chick to hunt also...

Is it me, or are the predators getting larger and bolder? Dozen years ago, it was rare to see coyotes - now there are wolf/coyote mixes in the region that we can hear in the dead of winter. And I have trailcam photos of huge coyotes in our garden... Thinking an electric fence might be a good...

I sympathize with your aggravation and pain. This is our 9th fall with chickens - and the predators seem a bit more determined this year than in past. Thus far, it's all young critters, newly out on their own. I call that 'natural selection' - they select to be in my coop/run/yard, I select...

I don't think he looks grumpy, he's just having a really bad crest day! Can't do a thing to it....not mousse, not gel, not round brush.....

One of two missing chicks was found! The other is still missing. With yesterday's heat, I do not hold out any hope for it. :hit But we still have way too many new chicks, so in a way, it's okay. Just kicking myself this morning. Chicks are going to be secured in their coop for at least...