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

[Bulldogma]

All WAS good until last week I had my first loss via HAWK! I was so mad, and shaking I missed him FOUR times with the shot gun AND HE STILL CAME BACK!! He was AND STILL IS determined. MrHawk has GOT to go. Having my chickens be anything other than free range breaks my heart. They deserve the free life. That was 8 days ago.

Sorry about your loss. Do you have a LGD? A dog moving about can really do a lot to deter a hawk.

 

[familycomp3]

I have toyed with the idea of a dog, but hubby just WONT have it. I am lucky he finally let me get the chickens. I don't even know that I want the maintenance of a dog. I was going to try a scarecrow with foil balloons RIGHT where my chickens like to hang out and where the attack happened.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have toyed with the idea of a dog, but hubby just WONT have it. I am lucky he finally let me get the chickens. I don't even know that I want the maintenance of a dog. I was going to try a scarecrow with foil balloons RIGHT where my chickens like to hang out and where the attack happened.

I'm sorry for your loss too, we have been plagued lately by hawks , and my flock is not use to being kept inside their fenced in area, by their own choice though, They have always just gone over the fence and free ranged, but this hawks is relentless some days i go out with them and they seem to like that i am with them. I have 4 dogs and none are LDGs but when they are outside I'm sure they do keep preds at bay. I keep thinking when spring comes and the leaves are back and there is cover things will be better until then we have to be vigilant. Great news about your flock... getting back to good health.

 

[Sally8]

Hi, how do you all keep records? Maybe there is a thread somewhere where you all have already talked about this and you could point me there. I googled it a while ago but it seemed messy. Do you have something on each chicken or lump the current ones on 1 paper. Since birds are culled more frequent, how is it done? (Computer, maybe?). Am I over looking the obvious? Thanks. Sue

Ok, so after reading what you've written, I've learned to continue doing what I'm doing because it's working for me. I thought maybe there was a "Keeping Track of Your Chickens" chart someplace that everyone uses. Thanks. Sue

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok, so after reading what you've written, I've learned to continue doing what I'm doing because it's working for me. I thought maybe there was a "Keeping Track of Your Chickens" chart someplace that everyone uses. Thanks. Sue

My chicken tracking chart is the calendar it's the only thing i can keep up with because it hangs on the wall. But i only have 17 chickens at the moment so not alot to chart.

 

[thedragonlady]

I have toyed with the idea of a dog, but hubby just WONT have it. I am lucky he finally let me get the chickens. I don't even know that I want the maintenance of a dog. I was going to try a scarecrow with foil balloons RIGHT where my chickens like to hang out and where the attack happened.

Please see my page about the monofilament line I installed due to hawks and eagles. No losses.

 

[maryhysong]

They are only put into the bags during the time their in the hatching tray (day 18 to hatch).

I hate the term lockdown........... i don't lockdown, the term was invented on the BYC and is used for the styrobator folks, In real incubators there is no such thing as lockdown.

Al, I would love to hear you expound on "real incubators". I've only done three hatches and those in a borrowed still air styrobator. But next year I would love to have something better and easier. At the same time I'm not sure I have a need for one of those 400 egg capacity 'bators. Also, why "there is no such thing as lockdown"

 

[Bulldogma]

Al, I would love to hear you expound on "real incubators". I've only done three hatches and those in a borrowed still air styrobator. But next year I would love to have something better and easier. At the same time I'm not sure I have a need for one of those 400 egg capacity 'bators. Also, why "there is no such thing as lockdown"

Xs 2! We're going to be trying our first hatches this spring and I'd love to learn as much as possible beforehand so I don't muck it up too terribly.

 

[Cynthia12]

Ok, how many of you would say that your rooster is smart enough to do this..or has he?

Or something similar..this is too darn cute/smart

 

[al6517]

Quote:


Bear with and try not to get all bent out of shape LOL, when I say real incubators I mean anything other than the cheap styrofoam jobs from china. Sure I know many of you have them and think there great I am just not a fan that's for sure, And I really don't want to stir up a bunch of dust as to why. The LG for example is such a poor bator that they even have a thread designed with tricks to even get it to work. So when I say real incubator I mean a real incubator and it doesn't mean the big Nice GQF's and Dickey's, just ones that are a little easier to work and actual hatch more than they don't. This is all tongue in cheek but it really hurts to see good eggs go to waste in these, that's all I mean, so if you have a styrobator and I am sure many do, just relax LOL. Lockdown is a term invented by the folks who own these styrofoam things, it's like almost creating a crime to open it once you go into the hatching phase, real better type bators don't have this issue nor use the term, I can open mine till the sun comes up and never have problems.