"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[stefansmomma]

Build one, we had some in the woods. We chased out squirrels from a sheds eves and they moved in. Neat things and don't bother us.

I am so gonna have to try this! Do you have to lure them in at first??

 

[Angelicisi]

We didn't, but already had seen a bat or two swooping around at dusk. They figured it out after awhile a few must have roosted quickly or investigated it then brought friends back lol. BUT, like one said earlier, keep it a distance away from other structures, if they find a cozier spot they'll move in! Bat guano is GREAT fertilizer, amazing stuff BUT you don't want stinky or inside either. I look up if there's an attractant available...I'd think so. We've had them for years now and they have only been beneficial. Huge bayou behind us and woods/unkempt wild land too just screams BUGS! If you are in a subdivision I would not recommend it. If you have some room & a bug issue...DO IT! The hardest part for me was keeping these teeny tiny brown speckled birds from nesting in the crevices lol

I am so gonna have to try this! Do you have to lure them in at first??

 

[Angelicisi]

I have these nesting nearby every year. Ug. We live on a 2nd story with wrap around porch, flags help a lot, they used to dive, now they just circle lol really do gotta have cover for the chickens- trees-runs-shrubs, I catch them coming closer regularly and shake a towel out and they retreat. We can't always be there tho so its inevitable they snatch one teaching their young to hunt :/

I call them chicken hawks, but they are actually either Coopers or Sharp-shinned I believe. They are grey to silver and mostly white under bellied, which is a pretty bird. They are relentless in their surveying and swooping. Im going to see about buying a fake raven from Cabellas this week to help.

 

[stefansmomma]

We didn't, but already had seen a bat or two swooping around at dusk. They figured it out after awhile a few must have roosted quickly or investigated it then brought friends back lol. BUT, like one said earlier, keep it a distance away from other structures, if they find a cozier spot they'll move in! Bat guano is GREAT fertilizer, amazing stuff BUT you don't want stinky or inside either. I look up if there's an attractant available...I'd think so. We've had them for years now and they have only been beneficial. Huge bayou behind us and woods/unkempt wild land too just screams BUGS! If you are in a subdivision I would not recommend it. If you have some room & a bug issue...DO IT! The hardest part for me was keeping these teeny tiny brown speckled birds from nesting in the crevices lol

Well I don't know if my hubby will agree, but ANYTHING to keep the bugs down! I just planted marigolds so I'm hoping that will help also.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Build one, we had some in the woods. We chased out squirrels from a sheds eves and they moved in. Neat things and don't bother us.

NICE! I like that. Seems easy to build.

 

[PSJ]

...

Been crazy here everyone! I am happy to hear about new babies, greating work fermenting, and new chicken friends. Julie - soo sorry for the losses at your place. Seriously, though, you've got to stop posting cute baby lamb pics. I could just melt from the cuteness and hubby refuses any sheep until the pea pen is finished.

I'm going to have to find a day to come hang out at your place following little lambs everywhere. I only got one pea to hatch and it was a horrible ordeal for me. I am sickened. Pipped early and didn't go any farther. I waited a bit and then broke off some shell to check the membrane, which was still filled with blood. I left it to absorb. Well on the third day after the pip I could see the baby moving, but not attempting to come out so I finally caved and intervened. Beautiful little pea --with wonky legs. Nothing I did would correct the right leg. And it would never eat. It would drink like it should but we were having to force feed it mash. Poor baby finally gave up. I should have intervened earlier like I would have with a chicken, but it was A PEA and I was afraid I'd make it worse. On a better note --Got 6 new pens finished and birds moved into them. Three brooders of babies moved into a grow out pen. My basque cockerel made a break for it during the move--it took me, hubby, and my pregnant daughter almost 20 minutes of running through 10 acres of field and bamboo to catch the little monster! We only got him because HE finally got tired enough to stop for a drink. Ha! He was panting so hard from his run I wondered if he wasn't going to survive. Needless to say, it took my daughter all evening to recover from the exercise and I have scratches and bruises from wading through 30 foot tall cane after a runaway!

I have lavender orpington, heritage rir, and a few d'Uccles (and wyandottes for PSJ) hatching this weekend if anyone near me is interested. This new Hatchcraft Incubator works like a dream! This will be my first hatch out of it --I'm praying for good results. More of the same hatching next weekend. I will be setting more eggs on Monday - lav orps, rirs, d'Uccles, buff orps, black wyandottes, and bbs marans--and a green egger or two. Ahhhh!!! I hate when one gets out and you have to chase it. Marans and green egger huh? Hmmmmmm......

 

[Angelicisi]

I use a few marigolds in every planted bed especially veggie gardens. Great pest crop, just let the bugs have at then instead of the stuff we want. They're hardy so stay pretty longer after an attack if pest bugs, ill pluck a chunk of the plant I see covered with bugs or even better eggs (interrupt life cycle for short life span bugs) and dump it in the pond for the fish lol or chickens if they want it. I also use radishes in the same way. As far as mosquitos- we kill a couple thousand in traps of Co2 (barely a dent) and have lots of OFF on hand only chemical I apply liberally to myself because I swell up incredibly bad after one lil sting let alone the 10 ill get gardening :/
We had the air sprayers the city sends out to spray for mosquitos overhead,stopped near us so they wouldn't kill the pond life but have zero issues of breeding in pond itself due to fish...double edged sword having them not spray. Devil creature.

Well I don't know if my hubby will agree, but ANYTHING to keep the bugs down! I just planted marigolds so I'm hoping that will help also.

 

[stefansmomma]

The mosquitoes tear my dogs up. I think my Bullmastiff is allergic to them.. Every time we let him out he gets bit and ends up with hot spots from it so he's steadily taking benadryl and antibiotic ointment from our vet. Poor baby. AND it ony happens during the summer when the bugs are really bad (okay so in Louisiana there always bad, lol).

 

[kuntrygirl]

The mosquitoes tear my dogs up. I think my Bullmastiff is allergic to them.. Every time we let him out he gets bit and ends up with hot spots from it so he's steadily taking benadryl and antibiotic ointment from our vet. Poor baby. AND it ony happens during the summer when the bugs are really bad (okay so in Louisiana there always bad, lol).

Poor baby. Trying making the natural remedy with garlic juice and get a spray bottle and spray him down. See if that helps. If you don't mind him smelling like a nice garlic dinner.

I will try it and spray all of the chickens.

 

[stefansmomma]

Poor baby. Trying making the natural remedy with garlic juice and get a spray bottle and spray him down. See if that helps. If you don't mind him smelling like a nice garlic dinner.

I will try it and spray all of the chickens.

I sure need to try something. That baby's got claws like a bear!