Texas

[jtn42248]

I do plan to make the trip some day. Sorry, I just can't right now.

Thank you. We actually have a stock tank not far from it but the ducks wouldn't stay, so my DH dug one right near the pen. The tank is about 150' from the fence. Now, all of a sudden they are going out to the stock tank

Now I wish they wouldn't because it's much safer here closer to the house. Here's a picture from their pen door to their pond.

The door is wide open only because I was inside. It has a small doggie door for ducks. The wire is all reinforced with hardware cloth. From the duck pen to our house to the chicken coop it's about 2.5 acres. The dogs are usually with the chickens. All of the snakes have been near the ducks. Thank you for the tips. I'm definitely looking into them.

Those are some seriously cute ducklings you have there.

 

[Ren2014]

The cotton tails are a real problem this year. I have even forgone the garden they are so bad. We have hundreds around us and that pulls in hawks and owls which become a problem because besides the birds they are after (as well as the rabbits) we have a couple of small older dogs that the owls seems interested in. So, gun is always by the door, Frito and Bela don't get to go out unless we can be out as well. I know I can't legally shoot the hawks or owls but if I ever have to I won't say anything about it. I will protect my animals! As for the rabbits, I may take an afternoon and have a target practice session even though I won't really make much of a dent in their numbers.

O wow, I would be a total wreck if I had to be watching for snakes on the ground and birds of prey in the sky. Seriously, now everything I see looks like a snake. See in this picture below, I thought that was a snake sticking it's head out, lmao. My husband won't let me walk around with a gun for fear of shooting everything and blowing stuff up, lol Luckily, our Great Pyr keeps the skies clear around here. We have a huge purple martin colony and before the dog, we protected it illegally

Now doesn't that look like it could be a snake? LOL

Poor Frito and Bela. That's got to be scary!

Those are some seriously cute ducklings you have there.

Thank you. Because of them it's muscovies only from here on for me. They are soooo smart. These guys and gals have such personality. Yesterday they ventured out and went running towards an adult Muscovy hen thinking she was their mom or something. I'm running behind them trying to call them back not knowing what was going to happen. They figured out it wasn't mom and came running back to me for safety. It was hilarious!

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

That is when it becomes a two person job. With one person being the shooter when it comes to snakes. But, snakes are always attracted to something. The trick is finding that something and removing it. Most of the time it is rodents.

 

[MultipleAnimals]

I'm in Canyon Lake Texas. I have Chickens, a rabbit, a Dog, and 2 Cats. I'm 16, and I don't tell anyone my real name. I am currently looking for more Hens, I have no money and I only have 1 Hen. I have 3 Roosters. I spent the last of my money on Baby Chicken Food, cause my Hen has 7 20 something day old chicks

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

I'm in Canyon Lake Texas. I have Chickens, a rabbit, a Dog, and 2 Cats. I'm 16, and I don't tell anyone my real name. I am currently looking for more Hens, I have no money and I only have 1 Hen. I have 3 Roosters. I spent the last of my money on Baby Chicken Food, cause my Hen has 7 20 something day old chicks

I would suggest before you add more mouths to feed to concentrate on what you have. Those chicks are going to eat a lot of chick feed just to grow. The average, depending on the breed is 6 months until your first egg. That is the hard part of chicken math. They eat a lot and are not cheap to feed. What I would suggest is swapping out birds with someone in your local area unless you have an NPIP license, then you have to make sure you are trading with a fellow NPIP holder not to jeopardize your license.

I remember a long time ago, on my grandfather's ranch we would go to either the feed store, or a fellow rancher's hen house to get chickens. I think the 6 months I spent there while my father was on a year tour of duty with the military I spent more time with chickens and ducks than the cattle Though, I would help him out in the barn for a scrappy first grader. I even tamed his barn cat.

Long story short from an old man, is trade for what you need/want/can care for. It is easy to get overwhelmed taking on too much at once.

 

[MamaDucken]

What's a good fly repellant to use around the run and coops

 

[bnjrob]

What's a good fly repellant to use around the run and coops

I use Star Bar Fly Sticks. Repelling flies doesn't do anything, population control is the real issue - hence fly sticks to trap and kill flies to keep them from reproducing.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

One of my Blue Americana eggs I threw in this batch is hatching and cheaping up a storm.

 

[Ren2014]

What's a good fly repellant to use around the run and coops

I use Star Bar Fly Sticks. Repelling flies doesn't do anything, population control is the real issue - hence fly sticks to trap and kill flies to keep them from reproducing.

X2 I recently bought some Rescue disposable fly traps that work well. They have an attractant inside that really draws the flies. I also use those sticky strips that you hang by a thumbtack.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

Quote:
I have both. The fly sticks are working fine. The Fly traps attracted some sort of nocturnal creature - I have/had four and they got pulled and dragged all over the yard/contents dumped. I haven't gotten them set up to be fixed yet, but it made me nervous that they were attracting those sorts of animals, even if my coops are pretty predator proof...

- Ant Farm