California - Northern

[ronott1]

I have watched crows and ravens hunt squirrels and they will happily take a chick. They are not hunters, but they will grab what they can.

Yes, opportunistic. They do not bother mine because they are big girls and would woop a crows butt. I would worry about little ones but my "yunguns" are in completely covered grow out pens. I don't have Bantams: even though I somehow keep getting eggs for them....even a show girl and some slikies somehow made it into my incubator.....

Hawks are something I do worry about. I also worry about the Blue Marans that roosts on the roof at night. Has anyone had one of those big white Owls get a chicken? I see one fly over every once in a while.

 

[PetRock]

I have watched crows and ravens hunt squirrels and they will happily take a chick. They are not hunters, but they will grab what they can.

They can have all of my squirrels that they want! They are big, fat and healthy critters who manage to empty my fruit trees of fruit before it is ripe enough to pick. This year, they ate the cherry blossoms off of my huge cherry tree so we ended up having less than 1/4 of the cherries that we usually get.

 

[PetRock]

I tried traps--no joy...

. I tried a bate that is vitamin D based and causes a toxic overload and is not poisonous if the dead rats are eaten....They did not eat it.

. I bought a rat zapper and it works but too slowly....Only get one every couple of days. I finally picked up Tomcat liquid bait. It is a second generation Anti-coagulant and rats cannot resist drinking it! It is listed as a Medium dangerous poison and is slightly toxic if the rat is eaten. It can be treated with vitamin K so is not as bad as the worst one--that one has not treatment. I put out a little cup in a place that cats can't get to it and they were drinking a cup a day of it....

. I do have to make sure the rats do not die where the chickens can get them. I also take the feed in at night and have all the feed in covered trash cans. I should be able to keep them under control with the Rat Zapper now.

I better do something now before they get out of control. I'm afraid to clean up the wood pile just in case there is a nest under there or even worse, a skunk!

 

[ronott1]

They can have all of my squirrels that they want! They are big, fat and healthy critters who manage to empty my fruit trees of fruit before it is ripe enough to pick. This year, they ate the cherry blossoms off of my huge cherry tree so we ended up having less than 1/4 of the cherries that we usually get.

Here on Campus they trapped the squirrels and used an experimental sterilizing drug on the females. That was two years ago and there are a lot less squirrels here now. Still, they eat all the nuts off of an Almond tree that is next to the parking lot.....

 

[AlpineButterfly]

They can have all of my squirrels that they want! They are big, fat and healthy critters who manage to empty my fruit trees of fruit before it is ripe enough to pick. This year, they ate the cherry blossoms off of my huge cherry tree so we ended up having less than 1/4 of the cherries that we usually get.

Same here! The crows can have all our squirrels!

My 7 week old bantams are scared of the crows, but they are in an enclosed run, so have relatively little to worry about.

 

[PetRock]

Here on Campus they trapped the squirrels and used an experimental sterilizing drug on the females. That was two years ago and there are a lot less squirrels here now. Still, they eat all the nuts off of an Almond tree that is next to the parking lot.....

I have a small almond tree next to the fence and they empty it before the nuts are ripe. They are fun to watch and they exercise my dog so they do have some entertainment value. I just wish that they would share the nuts and fruit!

 

[chiqita]

I've had a rough week, but been thoroughly enjoying everyone's chicks, ducklings, coops, and stories, so thanks for the pleasant distractions!

My 7-year old Italian Greyhound was diagnosed with acute kidney failure last Tuesday and given about a month to live. Apparently her kidneys are congenitally abnormal, but up until very recently her bloodwork was looking just fine and no one had considered doing the expensive ultrasound that they discovered the abnormality with. I "rescued" her from a backyard breeder on Craigslist 4 years ago, and I'm a bit curious how much the woman knew and didn't tell me. Regardless, I've been doing all sorts of research and trying everything to extend this little dog's life. I just can't imagine coming home and not being greeted at the front door by a wagging tail! I know you're all chicken people, but if anyone has had a dog with kidney failure and knows any tricks, I'd love to hear them.

In chicken-related news, I've been awakened early the last two days by predators in the backyard pestering my chicks! (They're about...3 months old and fully grown, so not really "chicks"). Yesterday I heard some clucking and peeked out to see a cat in the yard, which my tiniest Sebright hen was walking TOWARDS with murder in her eyes. Kayle is the pluckiest little thing, honestly. I sprinted out to intervene in pajamas and underwear, clapping and yelling. Good thing none of the neighbors were up early to see! This morning I heard my chickens complaining before I even let them out of their coop for the day, and kind of rolled my eyes as I peeked out the window, thinking the chicks were being a bit dramatic for 7 am. There were two MASSIVE crows hopping circles and flying around the coop, totally terrifying my babies! Of course, I had to run back out and chase them off in my pajamas again. I swear, if there is a raccoon or a snake or something out there at 7 am tomorrow morning, I won't even be surprised. It's just been that kind of week.

I'm so sorry about your dog. Its is always tough to hear that news about someone you take care of.

Despite our best efforts, I'm sure they're pretty germy when they go into the incubator to start with. And they've had nearly three weeks to get a good culture going under optimal conditions. The fly would annoy me too though.

The flies have been terrible, I think I'm going to try the Fly Predators. We have just too many animals, the fly traps aren't doing it this year.

You REALLY should have about 4 Black solider Fly bins too. You chickens would be ever so grateful. And the quails could eat the chicken one. You take the liquid from the bottom of the bin and spread it around the coop to keep the flies down. I was intending on feeding my breese grow outs BSF since the bug pickings around the house are slim, but they are breeding slooowly this year. Last year by this time I was getting 3-4 cups a day, now its hand fulls.

I tried traps--no joy...

. I tried a bate that is vitamin D based and causes a toxic overload and is not poisonous if the dead rats are eaten....They did not eat it.

. I bought a rat zapper and it works but too slowly....Only get one every couple of days. I finally picked up Tomcat liquid bait. It is a second generation Anti-coagulant and rats cannot resist drinking it! It is listed as a Medium dangerous poison and is slightly toxic if the rat is eaten. It can be treated with vitamin K so is not as bad as the worst one--that one has not treatment. I put out a little cup in a place that cats can't get to it and they were drinking a cup a day of it....

. I do have to make sure the rats do not die where the chickens can get them. I also take the feed in at night and have all the feed in covered trash cans. I should be able to keep them under control with the Rat Zapper now.

We had to use poison too, we had them in our roof and it was insane. They were tearing up insulation and I was afraid they get wires. We got one that is safe for cats, and rogue did eat a few rats that she found that were poorly and was fine. I took away what I found, but from her satisfied looks it was not all of them.

Yes, opportunistic. They do not bother mine because they are big girls and would woop a crows butt. I would worry about little ones but my "yunguns" are in completely covered grow out pens. I don't have Bantams: even though I somehow keep getting eggs for them....even a show girl and some slikies somehow made it into my incubator.....

Hawks are something I do worry about. I also worry about the Blue Marans that roosts on the roof at night. Has anyone had one of those big white Owls get a chicken? I see one fly over every once in a while.

Owls are supposed to be chicken predators. We have huge ones here, but I have never lost a chicken to one. They are supposed to be able to get into coops if you leave a door open however, so I'm still mildly freaked out about them. I have been stupid and left windows to the main coop open before and not had owls swoop in, however so I think they are happier with rats and squirrels. And LORD knows we have them.

Mario's fixing of the smoker bator appeasers to be successful! I put all the eggs back in yesterday when I got home, hopefully some survived, I will check in a few days. Want to let them settle from the trauma first. The switch is not AS sensitive as the one we had before, so it has a bigger temp swing then previously. So we do have a switch coming in he will refix it with, and he is thinking about doing a bigger upgrade at that time and replacing the wafer so we have something not from sometime in the 1900's. And maybe add a humidity kit. I'm thinking the one for a Styrofoam incubator might not have enough oomph. But I have not found anything else. maybe we could use the system we have to get it in the general area, and use the smaller system to give me the exact % for more control... hrm hrm..

He also had an interesting thought. I replaced the egg trays that would not fit standard sized eggs that came with the incubator with cardbord egg trays. He is wondering if its blocking air flow too much?

Those of you with cabinets, are your trays solid or do they allow air through each tray? While the hatching is better then it was since I brought the humidity down to under 30% I have been doing a lot of reading on carbon dioxide and incubation, and am wondering if different trays would be helpful.

 

[debs_flock]

Quote:
Agreed, they will take anything they can get, alive or dead.

Quote:
I had some BSF volunteers show up last year. The neighbor shows rabbits and she puts them in her rabbit barn. It's kind of creepy to see the huge black flies clinging on the side of the coop, but I knew what they were from our years of showing rabbits. We used to seed under our cages with them too. I do need to get some kind of natural predator to fight the flies this year. They are horrid.

 

[chiqita]

Bsf are not that large. Maybe there is more then 1 type? I never see the adults they just lay and leave.

 

[GallusGirl]

Go look at Young living essential oils. They work GREAT on dogs. Look for kidney and renal support

Thanks so much! I've found the one (I think it's called K & B) for renal health, and bookmarked it for now. We're going to the vet tomorrow for more tests so if it seems that the dog will last until the shipment arrives, I'll order it! I've already been giving her probiotic yogurt, salmon oil, and making a tea of hawthorn, ginkgo, and alfalfa, all of which were recommended to me for canine kidney health by the internet. Then I called the vet and bullied them into looking each of the herbs up in their big database, and they spent 30 minutes on the phone with me as they read through various scientific articles. I'm a meanie like that (but I actually enjoy reading scientific articles, so I assume that they had FUN learning something new, maybe they even became better veterinary practitioners simultaneously)!

Thanks to lawatt, PetRock,HighNDryFarm, debs_flock, and chiqita for your condolences. The internet really is amazing, such love and support!

Also regarding owls (I come from a family of ornithologists), I thought that the white barn owls usually ate mice, and a quick Wikipedia search shows "Contrary to what is sometimes assumed, the Barn Owl does not eat domestic animals on any sort of regular basis; it might snatch a young chicken or guinea pig once or twice in its life, if at all." However, Great Horned owls are different! "Birds also compose a large portion of a Great Horned Owl's diet, ranging in size from kinglets to Great Blue Herons and young swans. Regular avian prey includes woodpeckers, grouse, crows, pigeons, herons, gulls, quail, turkey and various passerines.Waterbirds, especially coots and ducks, are hunted fairly often; even raptors, up to the size of Red-tailed Hawks and Snowy Owls, are sometimes taken. Other birds, being primarily diurnal, are often snatched from their nocturnal perches as they sleep." I think we have a lot more of the barn owls here in Davis, but I have seen Great Horned Owls while walking around Yolo Basin, so I would probably be worried about my chickens if they were uncooped at night!

I do think the crows that were pestering my chickens were actually going for the corn cobs in the coop and not going after the chickens themselves, they were just being really aggressive about trying to get through the mesh with the chickens standing right inside and freaking out. I also doubt that the neighbor's cat would really be able to kill even my tiny Sebrights, but I'd much rather play it safe than sorry, and discourage the darn kitty from hunting in my yard (which is full of bird feeders) anyway! Maybe running outside in pajamas was a bit dramatic, but my brain doesn't work that well until after 10 am and a cup of tea.