Recent content by Ravenseye

Don't worry about the medicated feed. The adults will be fine with it.

I've read a vitamin deficiency. I've learned over time that some breeds...and some chicks...need more of one thing than another. So, even though you're doing a good job with food, water and supplements as needed, some need more. A bigger mistake is just over doing it. But in this case there's no...

I tried that but with my game cameras I found that it was going off even as all kinds of things walked by. Cats, possums, etc., so they all got used to it pretty quick. That said, I've heard some people have good luck with them. In my opinion, it shouldn't be the only trick up your sleeve. That...

Check that automatic door. On some, the door slides down and meets a small bottom rail. A raccoon has "hands" and they often find that if they put their "fingers" right at the bottom, they can lift lift the door easily. Most tend to drop by the weight of the door so there's no resistance to...

I've had some bounce right back. Others near a month. They'll come around though......

I still suggest using a trap with bait but not setting it to shut. Let the critter take the bait a few times to build confidence and then try.

Fox are notoriously difficult to trap. If you use a box trap, it helps to hide it under brush or stuff it between bushes...something to make it stand out less. Bait is important. You can NOT set it to trap but put food inside for a bit to see if you can entice the fox to trust it as a food...

The small grooves in each spot make me think a small critter. I have some red squirrels that chew through the aluminum flashing that I replace on an annual basis (thinking that they won't do it again like they did last year). I'm always amazed at how powerful little teeth can be.

I haven't had this (Crook or Wry Neck) but I know of people that have treated with vitamins (E) and Selenium and I think an infant supplement. Worth a google search....

I've never heard a report of a dog getting Marek's disease. Certainly other diseases like salmonella, etc., but not Marek's.

I've never seen mutations caused by a vaccination nor have I ever heard of anyone else's chickens getting mutations. I've seen plenty of chickens suffering from the disease. If you get vaccinated chickens, they won't affect your current flock. The disease is primarily airborne and originates...

I always have a hen or two in the nesting boxes. I don't mind but I have to remember to clean them out more often and I'm not always home. There's plenty of roosting space but sometimes they just prefer the nesting box. I've tried putting a milk jug in there or other objects but then, around...

I'm highly suspect of vaccine success in older birds. That said, I don't see any reason why, if you were to vaccinate, you would have to go through a withdrawal period. If you can find the smaller doses of vaccine (I recall there's only one approved for home use), you could try. Marek's is a...

I second this. My Buff O's get broody from time to time. I can't leave them out at night so when one gets broody, she goes in a largish dog cage in the run. That usually works pretty quick. Sometimes I just let them stay broody until they've had enough and I put up with her pecking at me and...

I'll throw in my two cents. I've lost birds over the years to lots of predators. Hawks are tough without a rooster, racoons, owls and fox. Last winter a pair of racoons terrorized the run and managed to pull heavy wire fencing from the corner of the coop. I failed to find that until a fox got in...