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

[4theKids]

Can I use other types of wood shavings?such as oak or other hardwoods.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Are we still talking about nesting material or has this switched to bedding in the coop? Seems like the subject switched.

 

[stonykill]

Are we still talking about nesting material or has this switched to bedding in the coop? Seems like the subject switched.

I was referring to nests but pine shavings are what I use for both

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

What I use for nests and brooders eventually winds up on the floor anyway, so - both! That's my cleaning, rake it off the shelves and kick it under the roosts....done.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Oh yeah, it runs the gamut from poplar, oak, pine, maple,cherry, locust, whatever they are cutting, sometimes walnut, but not much of that at all....smells really good.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Did someone mention on here something about using an egg and a fishhook for snake problems? I think that was on this thread but I'm not sure. Anyway, has someone done that successfully? Details of how to set it up?

Thanks.

 

[therapydoglady]

Did someone mention on here something about using an egg and a fishhook for snake problems? I think that was on this thread but I'm not sure. Anyway, has someone done that successfully? Details of how to set it up?
Thanks.

Yes, my grandfather did it. We had a big problem where they lived (NW Arkansas along the White River) with those big black snakes getting into the hen house and swallowing eggs(and chicks if they were available). It wasn't so much the loss of the eggs...he was just terrified of snakes! Anyway, he'd saw a slot in the end of an egg with a hacksaw blade, and insert the hook with a line attached. He usually taped the end with scotch tape...a snake can tell if there's nothing worthwhile inside an egg. Then he'd nail the line (usually a piece of twine) to the wooden nest box. When the snake crushed the egg and began to regurgitate the shell, the hook would "set" in it's gut. The he could kill the snake and "the world is a much better place" without the snake. He usually used a single hook, but, if the egg broke, he'd use a treble with much better results.

What always baffled me, and still does, is why does a hen just sit on a snake? She's gotta know it's there! I have learned to pull a hen off the nest so I can see what I'm grabbing. Most of the time it was just an old black snake, or, out here, a bull snake. But on rare occasion in Arkansas, there was a water moccasin.

I, myself, thought it was a horrible practice and if I found a snake (not caught on a hook) would relocate them a couple of miles away. Still do, unless it is a rattler. I don't even like to kill those, but if they are in my pens, they're gone (as in dead!).

 

[galanie]

I don't care for the idea of killing non-poisonous snakes either, even though they are the only animal on this planet that completely gives me the willies! But if they're eating eggs, well, that's a different story.

 

[therapydoglady]

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for this delightful thread. I have enjoyed it immensely, and have learned a LOT!

I learned week before last that my cancer is back (brain tumor, oddly enough described as a "hen egg"), so I have spent the last 10 days rehoming everything, and am checking into Hospice care this afternoon. I have had "Operation Rescue Me" in place for a long time, just in case, so everything had places to go before hand. It was pretty easy. My layer flock (and the neighbor's flock of 24 as well) went to a family with 8 children to feed, so I feel real good about that. My Doms went to Texarcana, so they will be cared for and cherished there as well...the end of a looooong era.

Have resigned my posts at the library and all the volunteer places, and my teaching positions at "Empowered!" and said my goodbye's there. But I wanted to say again, that this thread, and participating herein, has brought me so much joy and amusement. Thank you so much!

I am going to try to get a laptop to keep up with you guys as long as I can, but just in case I can't, wanted to post this. Thank you all again.

 

[galanie]

Hope it works out and you are with us on your laptop forever!