Caution: complacency

[PerlyBee]

Good Morning and welcome

 

[aart]

Even though I didn't especially want the chickens, they outlasted the GF.

I'm retired and so have nothing better to do than watch the chickens, pet the dog, and read the internet. Which I usually do while watching the chickens or petting the dog.

Same here, it's a nice life, eh?

All my coop and run doors have a screen door spring as a closer.

Oh, and...... Welcome 'out of the closet'.

 

[Xerocles]

Hello to U neighbor. I see from your profile you've been here a couple years. Are there a few more south Carolinians anywhere in this forum? It's always nice to talk to somebody local. A few standard questions for you, if you don't mind. How long, how many, what kind? If you don't want to play it out on this thread, message me. Nice to meet you.

 

[Eggscaping]

My first time to post here. I have been following BYC for about 5 months, and a member for about three months.
At the request (bribery) of my GF, we bought six Easter Egger chicks the first week of April. I live on a small rural estate in South Carolina. And I have no experience with chickens. But I enjoy research, and new things. So I spent countless hours perusing all the information on BYC. I built a 16 ft by 16 ft run (1/2" hardware cloth) (covered) with a 4 ft wide wire apron and a 4ft by 6ft coop with three laying boxes. I have no knowledge of predators in the area, but short of wolves, bears, or mountain lions, I anticipate a full range of predation. I am suitably paranoid. The chickens stay inside the Run 24/7. Although last week I built a 4 ft by 10 ft tractor, (daytime use only) which I am gradually introducing the chickens to, so they get some grass time. The gate of the run is secured with a hasp and a screw-type carabiner, as is the door for the coop. Open at 7 a.m. and closed after the chickens go to roost, between 8 and 8:30 p.m.
Now for the complacency part. I looked out my kitchen window this morning to discover my 6 chickens wandering around the yard. Also, somewhere in the yard, was my 50 + pound dog who has been introduced to the chickens, but certainly not trusted. Immediately the dog was invited inside the house. She is an inside / outside dog. Then upon inspection of the run, I discovered the entry gate was ajar. I had gotten into the habit of closing the hasp without inserting the carabiner during the daytime. I presume that somehow the hasp had come loose and the wind blew the gate open. No harm, no foul. The dog didn't eat the chickens, no hawks swooped out of the sky, and Ricky raccoon was not standing by mid-morning to attack. But I did mention I'm paranoid? What if? Anyhow, a handful of food and the chickens headed right back into the Run. And the hasp is secured with a carabiner. And henceforth always will be. Complacency. It can be a killer.
BTW. Many thanks to all the people here on BYC for all the knowledge that I have gained from this forum. Invaluable. Side note. Even though I didn't especially want the chickens, they outlasted the GF. So now the chickens are my full responsibility. I understand the Forum is for questions and I haven't asked any. But this is been a long introduction, and I do have one question that I have not seen introduced on the Forum. As soon as I post this, I will then post myquestion.

Welcome to BackYardChickens! So glad to have you here in our wonderful community of friendly, helpful, knowledgeable people! I assume that, though the chickens weren't your idea and the GF is gone, you actually do like, enjoy, or even love them now?

 

[aart]

Hello to U neighbor. I see from your profile you've been here a couple years. Are there a few more south Carolinians anywhere in this forum? It's always nice to talk to somebody local. A few standard questions for you, if you don't mind. How long, how many, what kind? If you don't want to play it out on this thread, message me. Nice to meet you.

Not sure who you are addressing,
use the quote/reply button to reply to someone specific.....but....

Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

and here's the South Carolina chat thread, but it doesn't look too active:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/south-carolina.127943/page-2151

 

[TwoShepherds]

To Two Shepherds and anyone else who is interested, the site did allow me to upload pictures. They should now be in coops and runs under my name Xerocles.
Also my first question is now posted under egg-laying. Thanks for everybody's interest.

Your coop and run are lovely! I wish we had tree-cover like that over our run. Well, technically, we have an acre of woods at the back of our property, but for many reasons it's nice to have the girls closer to the house.

 

[Chickassan]

Not too active? Its a morgue in there.

Not sure who you are addressing,
use the quote/reply button to reply to someone specific.....but....

Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!
View attachment 1885785


and here's the South Carolina chat thread, but it doesn't look too active:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/south-carolina.127943/page-2151

 

[Xerocles]

Your coop and run are lovely! I wish we had tree-cover like that over our run. Well, technically, we have an acre of woods at the back of our property, but for many reasons it's nice to have the girls closer to the house.

Yep. 100 ft from the back porch, where I can sit in the swing and watch them when I'm not actually in the run annoying them. And thank you for the compliment! Such nice ppl here on BYC.

 

[Xerocles]

Welcome to BackYardChickens! So glad to have you here in our wonderful community of friendly, helpful, knowledgeable people! I assume that, though the chickens weren't your idea and the GF is gone, you actually do like, enjoy, or even love them now?

Hmmmm...check back with me after I get that $1500 egg. Well, the dog listens to me, but she rarely gives any response. At least the chickens talk back when I converse with them. But so far, the only thing I get from their conversation is "are there any more mealworms?" But once I can get a handle on their accents, I think we may become best pal buddies

 

[Mimi13]

Good job on keeping the chickens; there are so many good girlfiends out there there is no point in keeping a bad one.............wait, I think I've got confused with a rooster thread again.