California - Northern

[mendocinosunris]

So here's a question: What's this from?? It's a tuft of fur I found in my garden. Could this be bobcat fur?
I know it's not fox, & there are no dogs this color in the area...

 

[Chickengirl1304]

So here's a question: What's this from?? It's a tuft of fur I found in my garden. Could this be bobcat fur? I know it's not fox, & there are no dogs this color in the area...

Is it soft? Or wirey? Looks like a turkey beard haha

 

[lizanne]

Bear? I don't know, That's long fur!

 

[MossyoakLane]

So here's a question: What's this from?? It's a tuft of fur I found in my garden. Could this be bobcat fur?
I know it's not fox, & there are no dogs this color in the area...

That is not a bobcat. It almost looks like pig hair.
Badger?

 

[ChickNmamma]

So I found my first bad egg in the incubator today. One of the new OE eggs I put in on Saturday night. Can eggs really go bad that fast? I didn't see any cracks in it when I put them in. Last night I noticed it was looking funny when I candled it. I looked at it again when I got home from work and decided to take it out. When I went to break it open and have a look it make a loud popping noise. And it smelled - even from inside a sealed bag.

That last picture says it all.. EWWWWWWWWW

Wow - that egg looks nasty. I'm at day 21 of my first broody hen experience. 3 out of 5 have hatched so far, and are so cute! The other two show no signs of peeps, pips or zips. Should I leave them in the nest for at least another day? I don't want to have an exploding egg too.

And, I have a bigger problem. I only have two hens total (no roo) and with such a small "flock," chose not to separate out my broody. I wanted to keep at least one or two of the chicks and figured that was the best way to integrate them. However, my other hen is being super aggressive to the new little ones and tried to kill one of them (threw it across the pen!). It ended up ok, but what a scare! Of the two, mom was the more submissive one, but I was hoping she would be more protective against the other one(she sure is agaisnt me!).

I made a small emergency make-shift broody pen, but it won't be adequate for the long term, since both are free ranging and spend the bulk of the day in the yard together. Should I move her before all have hatched? Or maybe use the broody pen for the aggressive one short term?

Any advise?

My advise?

Leave the eggs in until day 24 under the broody, if you can. If she won't stay on the nest any more because of the babies - you may have to take them in and check them and put them under a lightbulb in a box to see if you can hand hatch the remainders (if they are good).

I have used a big dog crate for the first week for momma and babies. Leave them in there - they don't need to free range just yet. Just so long as the babies can't get out through the bars. Put the food/water etc in there. Once they are over a week old hopefully they can get away from mean hen - and momma might go after meanie at that point.

You could stick meanie in the broody pen - but be prepared to ignore her complaints.. because that's what she will do - complain and complain and complain...

 

[lawatt]

Bear? I don't know, That's long fur!

i wouldn't expect any local bears to have an undercoat that's light-colored like that? but a bobcat's fur wouldn't be that long and wiry, i don't think -- and the ends (on the left) look odd, like it was pulled out of something, rather than just drifted off? my best guess is a large raccoon.

speaking of bobcats, one of my cats, sophie, was off to the vet yesterday with a very deep puncture wound in her neck -- no way of knowing what happened, but best guess might be a swipe from a bobcat paw, they apparently can leave very deep marks. poor girl now has a smashingly stylish green bandage/scarf for a few days:

 

[lawatt]

That is not a bobcat. It almost looks like pig hair.

feral pig -- yes, that makes more sense than a raccoon. i bet that's it.

 

[mendocinosunris]

Bear? I don't know, That's long fur!

Quote:
yeesh. I hope it's not bear.
It is sorta coarse, but not as coarse as pig hair, and it's a pretty thick, dense tuft. I don't think pig hair is that thick. And all the wild pigs I've seen in the area have been solid black.
The coloring puzzles the heck out of me - what is white & black like that?

Oh, and I should mention - this was inside my back yard, inside an 8-ft deer fence.
I have had foxes and racoons get in the yard, and possibly a bobcat. I don't think a pig could get in... maybe a small bear could climb the gate without breaking it.
Whatever it is, I'm reallyreallyreally glad the birds are locked up behind an electric fence at night.

 

[mendocinosunris]

Quote:
Aww... poor kitten! She's lucky to be here today!

ETA: Yes, the fur does look like it was pulled out. There were bits of skin at the base. I've trapped a lot of raccoons but never really paid much attention to how the fur was striped. It could be from a raccoon tail.

 

[ronott1]

Bahahaha!!!

um... sorry..

been there, done that. Time fades all purples.




Wo -thanks, Ron! I really wanted a good excuse to start up some sourdough starter again.

I really like to make sourdough. I need to make something this weekend.