BDutch's bantam flock & natural breeding projects #5 🪺 🪺 and #6

[ManueB]

I'm so glad you found her ! Ini mini is something like the queen Elizabeth of your flock.

Maybe it's time to give them again the habit of going a bit early in the run with some treats ?

 

[BDutch]

That's stressful, for the chickens and for you. I hope you all get a peaceful night.

Thanks. Yes, I keep them inside their setup for a couple of days.

My nights are still broken because my shoulder hurts and I cant sleep like in a normal position. But at least I knew my whole flock returned and is as safe as possible in their coop setup.

 

[BDutch]

I'm so glad you found her ! Ini mini is something like the queen Elizabeth of your flock.

yes sort of.

Maybe it's time to give them again the habit of going a bit early in the run with some treats ?

They have been wandering off to much lately, even though I usually set them free around 4pm and call them back in with treats again around 7:30pm. Only monday I forgot (Jeanice in the pear ) because we had visitors for diner.

I hope it works out to have them jailed for a couple of days and limit their free range time even more after that. Only under supervision until the municipality has mowed the greenery behind our garden.

 

[MaryJanet]

I offer my sympathy to those who have lost chickens, whether by predator or illness/injury. When I first owned chickens over 30 years ago I lost my rooster and two of three hens one night, probably was a raccoon. I can still see their bodies in my memory, it was that traumatic.

Me too. I only had 3 hens and they were all taken in a fox raid. My fault. Should've had a better chicken run.

 

[BDutch]

Me too. I only had 3 hens and they were all taken in a fox raid. My fault. Should've had a better chicken run.

I had a fox in the run too a few years ago.

We heard a lot of noise from the chickens just after sunrise. The moment the auto-door to the run opens. The fox killed one chicken. When we came near, the fox panicked. Suppose we were lucky he just killed one. The chickens were stil in the coop area. The 2 chicks who were running around in the run were unharmed.

The fox tried to get out but couldn’t. The net fel on its place and the opening he came through to get in, no longer existed. Tried to climb out in a corner.

Grabbed a stick , opened up the run door and the large opening on the side. And the fox fled with his tail between his legs. Never ever saw him or any other fox again.

PS
June 2021. Katrientje was one of the chicks.

 

[Sequel]

Thank you everyone! Yes I am a bit sad but relieved that my hens have good safe homes with people who will love them.
I have had good news from both new homes. The larger bunch went to live in a big house on the water with a dock! They aren’t ducks so they won’t care about the dock but they do have a lovely home and the woman is very indulgent.
The pair who went to my friend Kathy’s was accidentally let out of their introduction quarters. They stepped out and started doing chicken things and none of the rest bothered them at all. So I’m very happy for them.
I really miss them though! I started cleaning out the coop today, I didn’t see any evidence of mites but I did notice a lot of little spiders hiding in the cracks.

 

[BDutch]

Thank you everyone! Yes I am a bit sad but relieved that my hens have good safe homes with people who will love them.
I have had good news from both new homes. The larger bunch went to live in a big house on the water with a dock! They aren’t ducks so they won’t care about the dock but they do have a lovely home and the woman is very indulgent.
The pair who went to my friend Kathy’s was accidentally let out of their introduction quarters. They stepped out and started doing chicken things and none of the rest bothered them at all. So I’m very happy for them.
I really miss them though! I started cleaning out the coop today,

Great your chickens found a new home. Are you taking some/all of them back after everything is solved?

I didn’t see any evidence of mites but I did notice a lot of little spiders hiding in the cracks.

Young red mites are whitish little spiders.

If you finished cleaning and dont intend to do that again, (or use Permethrin) , do paint all the cracks, walls and joints with a paste made from DE. The dried out DE leaves a film on the walls and kills the nymphs that come out of the tiny eggs.
The eggs can survive till next spring or maybe even longer.

 

[Sequel]

Great your chickens found a new home. Are you taking some/all of them back after everything is solved?


Young red mites are whitish little spiders.

If you finished cleaning and dont intend to do that again, (or use Permethrin) , do paint all the cracks, walls and joints with a paste made from DE. The dried out DE leaves a film on the walls and kills the nymphs that come out of the tiny eggs.
The eggs can survive till next spring or maybe even longer.

These were regular spiders! It made me wonder if they are keeping the cracks free of mites. The one time I know I had red mites was under some temporary roosts. I sprinkled poultry dust on them and they never appeared there again.

No I don’t think I’ll have these hens back. Once they are established in their new homes I’m not going to upset them again without a good reason.

 

[BDutch]

Yesterday evening, coming home after dark the pop door of the chickenguard auto opener didn’t go down properly.

My run is pretty safe for most Dutch predators but not a fort Knox. And with the stone martens hanging around in the neighbourhood I do want the door to function and close for the night.

Today my husband opened up the extension to check what was wrong. It functioned normally with the up and down button. Maybe a chicken wobbled the door while it was sliding down?
I did order a new cheap automatic chicken door. Because I don’t trust this one very much anymore. See how the new pop door works out. It should be easy peasy to install it on the outside of the extension. Nevertheless I need help to do so.

The chicks roost in the small coop now, but its getting crampy for my 3 juveniles + Ini mini. I hope the chicks to move in to the playhouse for the night or I hope the other hens will allow the juveniles in the extension soon.
If they are going to roost in the playhouse do I need a pop door there too, and want to make both auto pop-doors in a way I can easily get to the function panels in the night.

But first Black and my arm both need to recover.

 

[BDutch]

Happy chickens today.
Free ranging after 2 days in prison.