Recent content by manicfarmer

  1. manicfarmer

    Hawk decimating my flock, need to come up with a better coop solution

    I just wanted to give everyone an update. So far I haven't had a hawk attack in almost 3 weeks. The last incident was when I posted on here. I have tried a little bit of all the suggestions. Littered the pasture with different obstacles that they use to dust bathe under. My wife built a...
  2. manicfarmer

    Hawk decimating my flock, need to come up with a better coop solution

    That is a good thread. I do think this hawk is going to have to come to the ground now to get my chickens as they have better cover. He hasn't been back in a couple of days. His usual pattern has been about every 2-3 days he will come back for another bird. I am hoping the last incident...
  3. manicfarmer

    Hawk decimating my flock, need to come up with a better coop solution

    I have tried an owl but that didn't work well for me. The owl was perched over the area he ate one of the birds from. I leave the owl out there and rotate it from time to time but it hasn't proven to be very effective for my situation.
  4. manicfarmer

    Hawk decimating my flock, need to come up with a better coop solution

    That is what I started doing last weekend, building stuff in their pasture for them to hide under, I live that idea a lot if it will end up working for me. I like the idea of bushes but like you said, you have to keep them away from them for a year for establishment. I am curious about LGD for...
  5. manicfarmer

    Hawk decimating my flock, need to come up with a better coop solution

    I am playing the coop security by ear at the moment. Until recently they have never slept with the door shut except when I was first raising them as babies in mobile coops. If I start sustaining losses to night predators I will definitely beef up the security for the coop and build an...
  6. manicfarmer

    Hawk decimating my flock, need to come up with a better coop solution

    The coop itself is fairly well covered. I had an 8x10 shed that I built years ago and never added soffits because it was just for dry storage. I extended a 10x10 section off of that for my coop. It has 3 sides and with one side covered with chicken wire (I didn't bother with hardware cloth...
  7. manicfarmer

    Hawk decimating my flock, need to come up with a better coop solution

    I have heard and read many stories where cocks are great defense against hawks. I don't know the type of hawk as he caught me off guard and I didn't get a great look at him. How he is eating my birds is a tale tale sign of what he is. He removes the breast feathers and eats the breast and...
  8. manicfarmer

    Hawk decimating my flock, need to come up with a better coop solution

    I have recently moved my flock (couple months ago) out of mobile coops into a permanent coop I built that is 10x10. I had them in a half acre pasture which I built for them which was way too much space for such a small flock. Started with 50 but have culled males for food and had many losses...
  9. manicfarmer

    7th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2016 Hatch-A-Long

    I "think" Elvis is a White Rock. Not a Plymouth Barred Rock, although there will be one in the picture I am showing...dohhhh. But it is the white bird who is the father, Brutus is the Barred Rock, he is pretty useless. None of the girls like him, it is as if they have labeled him "creepy"...
  10. manicfarmer

    7th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2016 Hatch-A-Long

    Here are some pics from my hatch. I got the breed number wrong before. 7 Dark Cornish/Rock X's, 4 Red Ranger/Rock X's and 6 Heritage RIRs. I had 21 in the brooder and 17 hatched. Not bad for a first time. You will also see a little bit bigger bird in there. He isn't counted in the hatch...
  11. manicfarmer

    7th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2016 Hatch-A-Long

    Sorry but it got too daunting to keep up with all the reading so I dropped out. I was one of the earlier setters. This was my first time hatching. I ordered 6 Heritage RIR and they sent 9. I put 12 of my own eggs in the bator along with those 9 making for a total of 21 eggs. After week two...
  12. manicfarmer

    7th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2016 Hatch-A-Long

    From a timing perspective, things weren't working out for me to set on the 11th. I had to go with some shipped eggs and if I waited that long they would be 9 days old so I decided to set them last night. I was also being impatient. :) I ended up setting 9 RIR I ordered from ebay and 13 of my...
  13. manicfarmer

    7th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2016 Hatch-A-Long

    My last brooder was a little under sized leaving the birds stressed when they were close to being transferred to coop, so I think I will build a larger one that is collapsible this go around. I wonder if I should get started on this, or would that be considered, "counting my chickens before...
  14. manicfarmer

    7th Annual BYC New Year's Day 2016 Hatch-A-Long

    Since production is down to about 3 eggs a day I went ahead and ordered some eggs online. One dozen BCM and 6 Heritage RIR eggs. I should be able to contribute another 6 so I can incubate 24. I also have an injured bird I had to quarantine for a couple of weeks so a wound can heal so I...
  15. manicfarmer

    Comment by 'manicfarmer' in article 'Cottage Playhouse Plastic Chicken Coop.'

    Great job, that is a phenomenal coop. I am in the process of building a new coop for my flock as well, it won't be that pretty though. :) Have you considered deep litter instead of drop boards? I relish the poop for compost. If I get a slight hint of ammonia it is time for more litter. The...
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