Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[fowlman01]

Hey Walt,

I was under the impression Mr Thompson turned the $1000 down. He declined it. Hmmm... I gotta get this story straight!!! LOL

That is correct. I need to proof my posts. He did turn it down, but he made $40K a year selling BR's in the 1920's. .

Walt

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

I don't know how big these ground squirrels are, but personally I would get a cat instead of a dog. I've had cats drag up rats almost as big as they are. In my experience, cats do better around chickens than dogs. An American bull dog killed one of my best pullets and many other dogs wouldn't hesitate to do the same. I've never had a cat even so much as glance at my chickens in the wrong way.

 

[fowlman01]

A population of any kind of rodents on a property that has poultry is always a big problem. They are going to reproduce faster than you can deal with them unless you do something soon.

Walt

 

[Leahs Mom]

My neighbor saw a hawk diving for my chickens yesterday evening about 1 hr. before sundown. Thankfully they had gone into the 20x20 part that has chicken wire on top of it. The hawk hit the chicken wire then flew away. I had been closing the gate on that 20x20 about 1.5 hours before dusk but have been shutting it later and later. I guess I should probably go back to shutting them in it earlier again. (They DO get locked into the hen house at night...I'm only referring to the outside pen and shutting them into it away from the pasture earlier in the evening.) Their larger pasture area doesn't have anything overhead and is open pasture so there are no trees to get under for shelter.

Question---- those of you who have hawk experience----- are they more likely to hunt just before dusk than other times of the day?

 

[stonykill]

My neighbor saw a hawk diving for my chickens yesterday evening about 1 hr. before sundown. Thankfully they had gone into the 20x20 part that has chicken wire on top of it. The hawk hit the chicken wire then flew away. I had been closing the gate on that 20x20 about 1.5 hours before dusk but have been shutting it later and later. I guess I should probably go back to shutting them in it earlier again. (They DO get locked into the hen house at night...I'm only referring to the outside pen and shutting them into it away from the pasture earlier in the evening.) Their larger pasture area doesn't have anything overhead and is open pasture so there are no trees to get under for shelter.

Question---- those of you who have hawk experience----- are they more likely to hunt just before dusk than other times of the day?

a hawk hunts whenever it is hungry. I have seen determaned hawks chase chickens down on the ground, running under tree's. Hawks are amazingly fast on their feet. I have had hawk attacks at 8 am and at 5pm and all times in between. Thankfully none yet this year.

 

[Leahs Mom]

a hawk hunts whenever it is hungry. I have seen determaned hawks chase chickens down on the ground, running under tree's. Hawks are amazingly fast on their feet. I have had hawk attacks at 8 am and at 5pm and all times in between. Thankfully none yet this year.

Bummer. I was hoping to hear they were more likely in the morning and evening just after dawn and just before dusk. This is such a hawk-filled area - especially since the pasture is totally open and there is woods on one side and several tall trees on the other. (Not to mention the electric tower standing there providing plenty of places to sit up high and stake out the area.)

So...I'm just at the mercy of hoping they get under the wire and that the hawks don't figure out how to get into the gate when it's open?

 

[Mskayladog]

We have 13 pullets and 3 bantams. They go through 8 cups of feed a day is that about right? They get to wionder the yard some but mostly in the run or coop.

 

[donrae]

MagicChicken--is there a reason shooting the critters isn't an option? My husband, son and friends would gladly spend an afternoon clearing out a property like that. I guess depending on where you are--neighbors, etc-- it might not be the best idea. Pellet guns?

 

[pigeonguy]

I think you are both right. It would be so much easier if I could just call them "farm fresh" eggs, but I can't say that about mine with a straight face. Maybe when hubby lets me get my mini horse or goats though...lol. I think I'm going to just put that they are backyard chickens, with an acre pasture that they have free range of. Now I just need the girls to start laying again, since I sold most of my older layers a little too soon before the new one's started up.

Live and learn, I know better next time.

Some people here call them cage free when they have full access to the outside but a limited area.
These are farmers but I don't think it matters though because its still limeted area.

 

[Erin~TheChickenLover]

MagicChicken--is there a reason shooting the critters isn't an option? My husband, son and friends would gladly spend an afternoon clearing out a property like that. I guess depending on where you are--neighbors, etc-- it might not be the best idea. Pellet guns?

Where I am, if you shoot a hawk you are in for a hefty fine. If you were to say that you shot the hawk because it was killing your livestock and you had proof of this, you might could get away with it. Might. It really depends on the person who finds you out.