Colorado

[iPeanut1990]

Hi everyone. I'm new to BYC. I live in the Eaton area.

iPeanut1990 that's about 40 minutes from where you'll soon be. I do have Easter Eggers, Red Stars and Wyandotte and they winter fine here. Along with Buffs, RIR and several other breeds. If I can help in anyway, let me know.

Thank you! That's helpful! I'm mostly not looking forward to starting over but I gues it's kind of a silver lining since my current hens are starting to not lay as much. As far as I can tell only 1 maybe 2 of them are still laying eggs, so I guess it's a good time to be starting over.

 

[lomine]

Welcome to the CO thread you two. I've got an EE and a Wyandotte and they did fine this past winter.

Uzi they have grown so fast. The names certainly fit, they are looking like a trio of little dragons.

I candled the eggs and the quail eggs are actually developing. I'm pretty surprised but hopeful.

I got my goats yesterday. One is in milk and two young doe kids. I tried milking this morning but my carpel tunnel prevented me from getting it all. I order an electric milker so I won't be making my hand worse.

 

[sonshine15]

Sad news, something got in and ate all my quail last night. I finally got it so they can't get out and then something gets in. Figure a raccoon or weasel. I'm going to put a few eggs in the incubator but hopes aren't high since they are old. If they don't hatch I'm not sure I'll get any more quail.

We've had major issues with a skunk and woodrats/packrats. After trapping the skunk, two hatches and several baby chicks were eaten. I put a cam on in the evening and it's rats! They are so much harder to get rid of and are too smart for traps.....They also fit in smaller holes and eat through more wire etc than the skunk did. If you have numerous holes outside with fresh dirt from them digging.........and they only come out at dark

 

[lomine]

A friend's first thought was a skunk too. How did you trap the skunk? And what did you do with it once it was trapped?

 

[sonshine15]

We are listed as having one of the highest rabies issues in the entire western hemisphere. We had a year of sick skunks, with dens all over. This year we trapped one using marshallow, an egg and cat food in a live trap. You're not allowed to catch and release here.....

 

[MuffMom]

Hey everyone! I'm currently living in Oklahoma but I'll be moving to Colorado (North Fort Collins area) in early 2018 to be closer to family. I've already looked up the ordinances and talked to the HOA in the neighborhood I'll be living in so I think I'm good there. I currently have 3 three year old RIR hens that I'll be sadly rehoming before I move. I'm not sure how I'd get them there with 2 dogs and 3 chickens in the car. That would be an interesting 11 hours...

This will be my second time owning chickens. Does anyone have Easter Eggers, Red Stars, Welsummers, Wyandottes, or Leghorns? How do they do in the winter? I'm mostly concerned about the leghorns I guess. I've heard mixed things about how they do in the winter. I'm thinking about getting those breeds once I'm settled into our new location. Any info would be great.

I've had Wyandottes, EE's and leghorns at 7600'. All did fine, but the leghorns comb gets interesting in winter.

 

[lomine]

I don't like the idea of killing anything needlessly but I also don't like the idea of making a predator a problem for someone else. I think I'll call a professional. I don't want to be sprayed.

 

[sonshine15]

I can't afford a pro out here......it's app 200.00 a whack....and no, I don't like killing anything either but sure got my nerve up after walking out the door the year we have an influx of them and a wet, sick baby one was curled up less than a foot away from me by the flower pot on the front porch.......the guy working at the feed store had two of them on his property sent in for testing and both came back positive for rabies.

One interesting thing I asked at my vets: There was a rabies poster on the wall and it mentioned "flying." The tech asked the vet for me. Chickens can indeed carry rabies but due to them not salivating it's not a "concern?" It is for me............what if the chicken gets a case of sneezes etc.......too scary to think about.

 

[lomine]

Yeah I might not be hiring a pro either. They want $100 for the first visit and then $80 each time something is caught. I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't that much. I think I'll head to Big R and see what kind of traps they have. I know I saw a huge one for coyotes so I'm sure they have smaller ones. We'll see.

Anyone else getting lots of rain? It's nice that everything isn't done dry.

 

[sonshine15]

Good luck with them!