I need my like button...
Congrats to all that have newer chickies!
Too many chicken issues here this past few weeks with the move...New run built halfway, dumb chickies don't know how to stay within the bottom 1/2 of the pen prptecting them (DH home next few days so will finish). I cannot let dogs out before checking for chickens loose, then hope no one spazzes (the chickens) and flys out in front of the dogs). No deaths yet, but getting close...
Yesterday early am, one chicken brain flew out and proceeded to squeeze into the front yard (escape hatch fixed now) as 4 dogs got in a maybe 1 foot space between fences for about 50 yards or more with holes they missed, gate open...I watched the chicken flee down out and down the road, concentrated on getting dogs in so I didn't have to chase down the road (at that point would have let them go and if were meant to be mine would come back). Got them secured but no pullet...looked down the road, in the empty yard next door with bushes, no pullet. Would go out every so often and call her...no pullet. About an hour later after bumming from the chicken running down the road, composing myself and ready to kill dogs and chickens, went to feed and water them. She is in the run...go figure.
Last night went out to deal with them...2 large RIR roos are trying to pillage and rape the smaller Phoenix and pullets and kill my Phoenix roo... I sprayed them with the hose, they went back to eating, I started to the house, screaming again, I went back after the dummy and wacked him with the shovel...went back to eating, then I noticed 2 eggs in the small coop (Dominique I assume and a new girl laying finally
) got the eggs and turned and here comes the bugger after me and one of the hens in the coop, shushed her out and locked him in there. I went back to house and hear screaming, flapping. The other guy decides to act up. I spray him into the big coop, took the garbage can and trapped, then shushed to the little coop and locked with the other guy. Finally some peace, the others merrily went on eating with no one to torment them.
This morning before 5 am, I had to go capture 3 girls and toss back in before letting dogs out. Three dogs came in, one out...hear screaming...she has one out way back. Put shoes on to try to save but could not see movement and still kind of dark...Little roo okay, but dog not..I have roo in one hand and dog by collar in the other...she twists and my arm is bloody by the time I get her back in the house from her twisting to get loose from my hold, after tossing roo on back of the ATV in the dumpbox so I could carry her. Went out to check roo...he is up and running, had to catch and toss in pen. The 2 bigger roos are in the small coop trying to do the roo thing to each other, fight ensues, sprayed with the hose, and there is blood from the dummy's comb inside. They settle down and 2 roos going to freezer camp I believe. I go inside, then hear screaming and the 2 little ones I put from the brooder tub in an enclosure have a barred rock and EE pullets trying to steal food and bully, but the pullets could not get back out through the bird netting and fence even though they got in. Moved them back where they belong. The rest of the day has been pretty quiet and uneventful. I now need to go feed and water, but stopped here first and I would love to make cheese, so thinking about goats or sheep...Somebody stop me please. Sorry for the rant, but some days I wonder....
