Recent content by CaretakerCarol

  1. CaretakerCarol

    My chicken disappeared

    It can be a challenge finding hidden roosting spots, but your best bet is to hang out mid morning and watch where your girls hangout and make a lot of noise. It is usually the line to the new favorite spot. I had a rough year of moving hidden nests this Summer. My hens have always used the...
  2. CaretakerCarol

    Preventing birds from perching and pooping on top of 5 gallon feeder/waterer

    I have used these with success to prevent roosting https://www.amazon.com/BORHOOD-Deterrent-Squirrel-Raccoon-Defender/dp/B0C2PB6FVV/ref=sr_1_10?crid=2G1I2N5WWL4GH&keywords=bird+deterrents+for+outside&qid=1686113561&sprefix=,aps,169&sr=8-10
  3. CaretakerCarol

    When to let my hen & chicks out with the flock

    How old are they? If under a week, your best option would be to let everyone out. Momma will integrate them. If you don't want to do that, you will need to provide a place that gives momma a healthy living space to wander and with a low roost. I would do this at any age, but after a week, the...
  4. CaretakerCarol

    Do you name your chickens?

    Lol, 1 - 15 all have names and we can easily tell them apart. When we went from 15 to 21, we did give them names but stopped being able to truly distinguish between hens of the same breed. The three white rocks are all named "one of the white ones." When we went from 21 to 34, a couple of...
  5. CaretakerCarol

    becoming chicken crazy!

    I really don't think breed has too much to do with friendliness among highly domesticated breeds, but our EE and Leghorns are very flighty and every Barred Rock we have/had follow us around like puppy dogs. My favorite hen, though, is our golden wyandotte -- independent and beautiful
  6. CaretakerCarol

    Chickens for brush clearing

    I imagine you would just end up with all this thorny brush and lots of hidden dirt potholes to trip you up. They may grab berries but the canes are not going anywhere.
  7. CaretakerCarol

    chicks being raised by hen in nesting box

    I just had a hen hatch 8 chicks under my barn where I couldn't get to her. On the day they were hatched she brought them out and directly back to the coop. We didn't discover this until we were closing up the coop for the night. They are now 8 days old and doing great just roaming the grounds...
  8. CaretakerCarol

    Hawks actively hunting my chicks

    If you continue to assert your presence whenever you see it eyeing your hens, he may move on. I know a lot of folks advocate a covered run, but it just isn't doable for me. I have lots of hawk activity but so far (five + years) have had no hawk kills. This time of year is the toughest as...
  9. CaretakerCarol

    Bobcat finally crossed the line

    Bobcat still roaming my property, but he hasn't targeted my flocks or other animals since the initial attacks. I still have the cage trap up but have neglected it the last couple weeks. Then, a couple of days ago, a bunny went in and tripped the trap. As it spent the night terrified but safe...
  10. CaretakerCarol

    How do you prevent slugs if you keep your chicken feeder outside?

    Have you tried letting your chickens take care of the problem? I live in Pac NW where we have those gigantic (absolutely disgusting) slugs. My girls thought they were included in the feeding party. Snakes and slugs are nearly extinct in the chicken yard. The field mice will never learn.
  11. CaretakerCarol

    Dead 12 week old pullet .... who killed?

    I haven't seen chickens peck another to death - though I am sure it happens. However, I had an 8-week pullet drop dead close to the enclosure fence and the adult chickens came around and pecked at her dead body. This was caught on a ring camera, and when I went out the poor chick had no head...
  12. CaretakerCarol

    Bobcat finally crossed the line

    Silver Leghorn
  13. CaretakerCarol

    Bobcat finally crossed the line

    Dogs are a big scare where my goats are concerned as they are further away from the house. We are lucky as we only occasionally see a dog we don't know. There is one neighbor who has a border collie that comes for a visit once in a while, but she has never shown any aggression/interest in my...
  14. CaretakerCarol

    Bobcat finally crossed the line

    I saw your thread as well. Like me, I am sure you have plenty of wild critters around your area to keep the bobcats fed. Too bad chickens are so easy to catch at night. The last hen caught simply panicked and was basically caught as soon as she hit the ground. My flock is about 35 -...
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