Arizona Chickens

[Junochick]

I just bought a trap to relocate a squirrel, it's only been in my yard a couple days. Amazon is wonderful I should have it Thursday. Lots of feral cats around here I haven't seen mice for over a year.

 

[FeatherPugs]

I love having my 4 feral cats. They keep mice, rats, snakes and whatever they deem necessary away from "our" yard. They don't bother the hens. They could care less about our dog. I don't allow them near the little chicks - that's asking too much of their instincts. They are spayed and neutered. They generally stay on my porch but can get under our manufactured home if needed. I feed them and they know I am the food person and come to eat at their spot. They sometimes let me touch them - not often. I am allergic to indoor cats so this works well. Many of the Animal Controls are keeping what they are calling "barn cats" for people to adopt. Here in Pinal County they ask that you adopt them two at a time and the cost is relatively cheap. They are considered outdoor cats and the county has a process that keeps them near your barn, home, whatever. Here, unfortunately, we live in an area where I often call cats coyote bait. Mine hardly leave our area so have been relatively safe so far plus they are pretty Skookum cats instinct wise. Try them - you'll like them!!

 

[cactusrota]

We have the kangaroo rats here, and they've been all over the chicken pen and decimating my melon plants in the garden. I've been able to trap a few and bring the numbers down. My dogs used to keep them at bay but are getting older and can't see as well at night to keep after them anymore. I've been debating "barn cats" but we live in the same kind of area where cats are considered coyote fodder. So it's an ongoing battle....

 

[nicollee]

I like the fact that DE becomes ineffective when it gets wet... .

So if it becomes ineffective when wet>>>>> how does it work as a internal parasite prevention/removal?

 

[nicollee]

I love having my 4 feral cats. They keep mice, rats, snakes and whatever they deem necessary away from "our" yard. ...!

We have lots of neighbor cats and a cat Lady with 25 ferals a block away, but they don't seem to do anything about the roof rats.... My neighbor (lives next to the cat lady) just had to rip out his aquaponic pond, because the rats had chewed through his liner and plastic pipes... And if the rats only come out at night, how do the chickens get them?????

 

[DesertChic]

So if it becomes ineffective when wet>>>>> how does it work as a internal parasite prevention/removal?

This has been my question too. I've been told that the DE will continue to dry out the parasites, but that only makes sense to me when applied externally to soft-bodied worms or if the parasites ingest the product. I do know that naturalists praise things like DE and bentonite for acting like a sponge in the digestive system, sucking up toxins from the intestinal lining so they can be expelled rather than retained to cause inflammation. I know first-hand that bentonite is very effective when consumed by humans and suspect that DE would work much the same way, but much of it is speculation. I know of no studies proving conclusively that it helps in an internal cleanse.

 

[DesertChic]

We have lots of neighbor cats and a cat Lady with 25 ferals a block away, but they don't seem to do anything about the roof rats.... My neighbor (lives next to the cat lady) just had to rip out his aquaponic pond, because the rats had chewed through his liner and plastic pipes... And if the rats only come out at night, how do the chickens get them?????

The nocturnal rodents are DEFINITELY a problem and if given a chance will find their way into the chicken feed. The mice....well just today some of my dust bathing chickens managed to inadvertently dig up a mouse hole, waking up the terrified little rodent, which then became an unexpected protein treat. I've noticed more and more of my hens scoping out the little holes that have been appearing around my yard as they've begun to realize that tasty treats are hiding out inside. A couple of my girls dug out an area you could fit a bowling ball in in a quest for a mouse snack. I have one Black Australorp in particular who's become quite the little hunter.

 

[nicollee]

I know someone asked about a month ago about how sweet potato vines grow... This is a combo of Yam/sweet potato vines, along with climbing milkweed for the butterflys. The arbor in the middle they are covering is about 6'
The vine has been growing in my yard for about ten years.

 

[SonoranChick]

I know someone asked about a month ago about how sweet potato vines grow... This is a combo of Yam/sweet potato vines, along with climbing milkweed for the butterflys. The arbor in the middle they are covering is about 6'
The vine has been growing in my yard for about ten years.
View attachment 1167731

This is beautiful! A big green living wall.

 

[FeatherPugs]

@nicollee that is a beautiful pic with the vines and wall! I love it when things continue to grow and grow. I have never dealt with roof rats or such so I don't know about how "barn cats" would work with that but I do live across and next to cotton fields, etc with all sorts of other yuck and I don't have that yuck in my yard. About the only thing I have to deal with are the ground squirrels when they come out of hibernation. The cats work at picking them off but they breed faster than they can capture them!!