Challenges of living in the woods with chickens

[Carontheroad]

Right. Because evolution happens on a larger time scale than a human lifetime. So we can visualize adaptation and even effect it but determining what is “good” or “bad” might only be possible with hindsight in some cases. When a glacier advances and retreats it effectively bulldozes the ground underneath. This is good for the Devil’s club and other pioneer/opportunist species that grow in its wake. Bad for us trying to hike through it Good for the soil so it can later support trees, bushes, etc which are good for wildlife that might want to eat us. There are a lot of perspectives. In my situation, I want the “native” plants because I don’t want to have to do anything to manage the wild area that is already established. So even though I like butterfly bush and it does indeed attract butterflies, it also spreads easily here and takes over a niche that is better occupied by something that is considered a weed but that supports more “native” butterfly species. If I have to choose between letting a weed grow and planting a non-native bush and get better results with the weed, you better believe my lazy butt is going with the weed

I just bought a native weed at a farmers market for $10 (fireweed). It’s pretty and the lady said I could just water it on planting and then forget it. Which is all I could do because I planted it in a hard to reach area from water supply. You have to give alot of thought as to where you will plant it because it will spread.

We are in our second year of beekeeping and the honeybees feed on that when the other flowers are gone. People transport their honeybees 30 miles or so up the road to have access to the Fireweed. A botanist at the market approached me with my new plants (also bought a chickory root) and I think she thought I was nuts buying the Fireweed because she said you can just go to where they grow and grab a handful of seed fluff and bring it back. That’s definitely another way to do it but this was easier, the plant is established and I am supporting a local entrepeneur. More than one way to skin a cat. Where did that horrible saying come from?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

More than one way to skin a cat. Where did that horrible saying come from?

I have wondered this myself because an engineer I worked with used to say it all the time. I would google it but I’m afraid of what I’ll find haha

 

[CabritaChicks]

I have wondered this myself because an engineer I worked with used to say it all the time. I would google it but I’m afraid of what I’ll find haha

The phrase “There’s more than one way to skin a cat” means there are multiple ways to solve a problem. It dates back to the mid-1800s, though earlier European variations existed. Despite the graphic wording, it’s 'not meant literally' (but I call bull- as I took anthropology getting my pHd... hogwash)—"cats" were just common in old sayings, and the phrase reflects practicality, not cruelty.

I used to say, "Be careful what you wish for."
Now I say, "Be careful what you Google—because it never forgets."

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Despite the graphic wording, it’s 'not meant literally' (but I call bull- as I took anthropology getting my pHd... hogwash)

I know what it means colloquially but I am willing to bet a pinky toe you’re right about the hogwash. We have purged a lot of things from our collective memory that were probably common knowledge before Google. Because we used to actually have to know things and lots of tradition is oral. Lots if history is oral. And I am fairly certain someone somewhere was skinning cats…

 

[No Coop No Problem]

It's an open grassy flat area near the dry riverbed. Which is like... a large underground river underneath that pumps like millions of gallons of water a second down the mountain, but on top it's just a dry riverbed (unless we get enough rain but the banks are high). It does slightly trickle on the top in certain spaces, which is why we see so many differnet animals, it's a watering spot for many.

It's probably about an acre or two of grassland in front of the house, then behind the house is just straight up a mountain cliff (so woods). Then off to the side of the house (it's a 43 acre property) it's mostly just woods, but a few little flatter grassy areas that peak out around the riverbed as natural flood areas (though the banks are tlal enough its never actually flood much).

It's got a decent little aspen grove on it, and some really tall pine trees... a few sparse bushes... but it's more just a really large open field for awhile. Then our woods don't really have many bushes or things to hide in. A few wild rasberry bushes, but htye are like 6 pathetic twigs. A few juniper bushes, but those grow too low too the ground to get in. It's mostly just really tall pine trees blocking out the sun to the forest floor.

The chickens were red and brown ones (idk what breed), some peacocks (about 8 both male/female), and some black with white spots ginea fowl. So tbh they were decently easy to spot (maybe not the chickens as much, but they were the last to go). They picked them off slowly though. Like 1 or 2 every other week during certian seasons (like mating season or when they had young).

Open areas are a death sentence for chickens, especially fields. I think not knowing this is one of the reasons why many people have problems free-ranging. They place jungle creatures into a big empty area and expect them to survive somehow

Tree canopies block the vision of hawks and will prevent many attacks. Then thick ground vegetation provides shelter for when hawks actually do attack