Picklethequail
Songster
I'm on my computer so the camera quality is really bad. So sorry
Cluck N Crow Farm
- Thread starter PioneerChicks
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #42
PioneerChicks
Naturalist
Things are wet here, and the coop is muddy. The rain is on and off but it is fairly sunny today and hopefully it will stay that way for a while. The silkies have wet crests, which if you haven't seen before, isn't very pretty.
Anyways, I made a poll here for anybody who cares to vote: Chickens and Dairy Products
Anyways, I made a poll here for anybody who cares to vote: Chickens and Dairy Products
We got almost an inch of rain (again) yesterday. It's clear today and tomorrow, then supposed to rain every day next week... I'm getting really tired of rain - especially when it then freezes. Our birds are tired of the rain and were very happy today to be out in the sun.
The new Barred Hollands are the most upset. I picked them up Thursday. At their home, they were in a small coop at night, had a run they could be closed into and were allowed to free range a sizeable pasture (6' high wire fences that O said they didn't "hop" or fly over).
Right now they are in chicken tractors that are moved daily. When it's finished, they may go into a much larger coop/pen that will be able to open to a garden area (was planning on using for other birds, but...). I can do 6' wire fences around the garden (was planning on 5' but won't hurt to go extra foot). They did look good both times I went out to them today. I will try to get some pics tomorrow...
Pioneer chicks, I went out and voted on the new poll, plus did a small write up (especially for me!!).
The new Barred Hollands are the most upset. I picked them up Thursday. At their home, they were in a small coop at night, had a run they could be closed into and were allowed to free range a sizeable pasture (6' high wire fences that O said they didn't "hop" or fly over).
Right now they are in chicken tractors that are moved daily. When it's finished, they may go into a much larger coop/pen that will be able to open to a garden area (was planning on using for other birds, but...). I can do 6' wire fences around the garden (was planning on 5' but won't hurt to go extra foot). They did look good both times I went out to them today. I will try to get some pics tomorrow...
Pioneer chicks, I went out and voted on the new poll, plus did a small write up (especially for me!!).
- Thread starter
- #44
PioneerChicks
Naturalist
Your weather sounds worse than mine! Reminds me of a poem I once mesmerized: "Wether the weather be fine, or whether the weather be not. Whether the weather be cold, or whether the weather be hot. We'll weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether we like it or not!"
Ah, going from a large area to a smaller one is an adjustment. They are lucky to be in a movable coop though! Fresh grass every day! I would love pictures!
Thanks for the vote!
- Thread starter
- #45
PioneerChicks
Naturalist
It's been an eventful evening, to say the least!
Just after dark I ran out over the grass to lock the chicken in their coop. Rosie, my puppy, ran up behind me and bowled into my leg. I slid on one foot over the wet grass before landing on one knee in the grass. Rosie cocked her head and stood back as if to say, "whoopsies, didn't mean to do that!"
As I peeped into the coop, I realized most of the silkies were soaked from the rain! I wasn't looking forward to blow-drying them one by one, so I set about pulling out a heat lamp. I don't support using heat lamps every night for several reasons (which you can find here: How To Overwinter Chickens Naturally) but they do come in useful every once in a while.
I used a super bright flashlight to get the lamp out of the chicken shed. Looking down, I saw that no mice were in my traps, and the bait was gone, and to top it off there were fresh mouse droppings on the floor.
As I untwisted some wire, I saw movement below and directed the flashlight down. A little brown mouse looked up and stared directly into my eyes. No cats were around, and I didn't have anything to throw. I watched helplessly as it unhurriedly picked up a bit of my bait from the corner, walked easily over my duct-tape trap, and slid down a knothole.
Honestly though, I gained a bit of respect for Team Mice in that moment our eyes met. They are smart and are holding their own well. I still plan to win, but I think it's good to have a bit of respect for the opposite side. This just encourages my wish not to use poison.
However, when Tiger appeared two minutes after Mr. Mouse disappeared, I scolded him for being late.
And so, over the next fifteen minutes as I set up the heat lamp, I rambled angrily to him and my other cats about the importance of catching these mice and announced that one of them should be with me at all times when I was in the coop, because it is always in their absence that the mice come out. After all that, I apologized for being rude, and assured them that I knew they were doing their best. Oh, and through this all I heard my neighbor shifting things around in his shed across the fence. Sometimes I wonder how much they hear
Well, that was long! I'll try to keep it shorter from now on. But mark my words: I am setting new traps tomorrow and by the end of this week I will catch a mouse!!!
(
)
Just after dark I ran out over the grass to lock the chicken in their coop. Rosie, my puppy, ran up behind me and bowled into my leg. I slid on one foot over the wet grass before landing on one knee in the grass. Rosie cocked her head and stood back as if to say, "whoopsies, didn't mean to do that!"
As I peeped into the coop, I realized most of the silkies were soaked from the rain! I wasn't looking forward to blow-drying them one by one, so I set about pulling out a heat lamp. I don't support using heat lamps every night for several reasons (which you can find here: How To Overwinter Chickens Naturally) but they do come in useful every once in a while.
I used a super bright flashlight to get the lamp out of the chicken shed. Looking down, I saw that no mice were in my traps, and the bait was gone, and to top it off there were fresh mouse droppings on the floor.
As I untwisted some wire, I saw movement below and directed the flashlight down. A little brown mouse looked up and stared directly into my eyes. No cats were around, and I didn't have anything to throw. I watched helplessly as it unhurriedly picked up a bit of my bait from the corner, walked easily over my duct-tape trap, and slid down a knothole.
Honestly though, I gained a bit of respect for Team Mice in that moment our eyes met. They are smart and are holding their own well. I still plan to win, but I think it's good to have a bit of respect for the opposite side. This just encourages my wish not to use poison.
However, when Tiger appeared two minutes after Mr. Mouse disappeared, I scolded him for being late.
And so, over the next fifteen minutes as I set up the heat lamp, I rambled angrily to him and my other cats about the importance of catching these mice and announced that one of them should be with me at all times when I was in the coop, because it is always in their absence that the mice come out. After all that, I apologized for being rude, and assured them that I knew they were doing their best. Oh, and through this all I heard my neighbor shifting things around in his shed across the fence. Sometimes I wonder how much they hear
Well, that was long! I'll try to keep it shorter from now on. But mark my words: I am setting new traps tomorrow and by the end of this week I will catch a mouse!!!
(
)- Thread starter
- #46
PioneerChicks
Naturalist
A couple pictures from recently:
And a few pictures of the mouse invasion:
^ the trap that did not work!
And to brighten things up, here are some pictures from around my yard.
^ the bird is a Dark-eyed Junco
And a few pictures of the mouse invasion:
^ the trap that did not work!
And to brighten things up, here are some pictures from around my yard.
^ the bird is a Dark-eyed Junco
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #47
PioneerChicks
Naturalist
Today I stapled down some loose wire in the run. No predators getting in there! Also did chicken story time. We're almost half-way done with The Goose Girl!
I just barely set some snap traps up in the shed. Three in a row (with a bit of space between) against the wall. Hopefully we'll have a mouse (or two!) by morning!
I just barely set some snap traps up in the shed. Three in a row (with a bit of space between) against the wall. Hopefully we'll have a mouse (or two!) by morning!
- Thread starter
- #48
PioneerChicks
Naturalist
Three mice!!! 
It's almost as wonderful as watching a broody raise chicks!
Well, maybe not that wonderful. But it is great! When I saw them I ran around screaming for joy and gave a big hug to the first person I saw!
Well, now I have to reset the traps and dispose of the mice. Um, not sure how I'll do that yet but it'll work out! I still need to make a bucket trap too.
Three down, we're winning!
It's almost as wonderful as watching a broody raise chicks!Well, maybe not that wonderful. But it is great! When I saw them I ran around screaming for joy and gave a big hug to the first person I saw!
Well, now I have to reset the traps and dispose of the mice. Um, not sure how I'll do that yet but it'll work out! I still need to make a bucket trap too.
Three down, we're winning!
Picklethequail
Songster
Hello can you post a picture of the trap please.Three mice!!!
Well, maybe not that wonderful. But it is great! When I saw them I ran around screaming for joy and gave a big hug to the first person I saw!
Well, now I have to reset the traps and dispose of the mice. Um, not sure how I'll do that yet but it'll work out! I still need to make a bucket trap too.
Three down, we're winning!
- Thread starter
- #50
PioneerChicks
Naturalist
Maybe not today, but yes!
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