Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[armorfirelady]

They had enough cover areas for protection. I am guessing one time when I wasnt home the hawk got a little to close for comfort. Now they have the compost pile to hide in, some trees and some brush.  Plus the hawk hideouts I keep out for them. I really need to move them more often  

I made a long covered area out of spare wood then put roofing on it.

Before the snow flies I am putting heavy duty plastic on the bottom half to keep snow out. I also took a large plastic dog crate and took it apart and each half sits on the ground. They are not spaced with any precision just put out so they have one near if a hawk comes

What are you using as a hawk hideout?  How much clear area do you have between the hawk hideouts?  I have a bunch of Silkies and Polish I want to move to an area that has a lot more open space and I'm worried they'll be picked off one by one.  How at risk are Silkies and Polish?  (I tape one Polish's topknot up and cut the other three but I think they are still handicapped.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Wait a minute...this lady lost 20 chickens in one year to a fox?

I'd fire the peacocks, parrots and dogs at that point because something is simply NOT working. I've lost one bird to a predator in the past 10 years..and that was with just a couple of dogs. No peacocks or parrots as assistants. How in the world does one lose 20 birds to a single fox and not stop it somewhere in the process of this fox carting off 20 birds?

She shouldn't be free ranging at all.... that is just massive bird loss. We haven't lost more than 5-6 birds in the past 37 years to wild preds, I can't imagine losing 20 chickens per year and not thinking something needed changed.

I have the dogs and parrots. My neighbor just has the peacocks and no dogs. She desperately needs a dog or two. She told me the fox would trot down her driveway in the middle of the day he was so bold. I'll double check with her on the time frame. She's had chickens free ranging for years, but this year was unprededented. This fox--two I think--would make his stop at her house at noon on a regular basis. I haven't lost anything except to my (expletive) Dachshund. I think my dogs, four Dachshunds and a pit bull mutt, discourage Mr. and Mrs. Fox. My Dachshunds aren't let out unsupervised unless the chickens are all put away, but they do go out regularly and make noise. The pit mutt is out a lot, so between the five of them, I think my house isn't first on the list, especially with no dogs next door.

This afternoon I was out among my chickens. We are on 2 to 3 acre lots, so are close to each other. The peacocks next door started screaming and my parrots went nuts flying back and forth screaming their heads off. Even the deer were running across the meadow between our houses. I was really happy that my chickens all ducked under cover.

Have you never lost anything to a hawk?

 

[Beekissed]

Nope, not once. And we have a truck load plenty of them. The last place I lived had more raptor life than I had ever seen in my life...every specie of hawk one can imagine, bald eagles and even a pair of osprey living next door. No losses. Just that one bird to a Great Horned Owl and she was out of reach of the dog's defense, so she was risking her life by refusing to roost in the coop.

Good cover, good dogs, good roosters, flighty breeds/chickens who have been on free range from the earliest age...it's all a good combination. I wouldn't free range any other way.

My sister used to breed mini doxies and her pack was downright death on anything that moved! They killed her chickens, her ducks, her geese, even pulled a mini goat's head through the fence and killed it. They not only killed her cats but ate them as well. Nicest little dogs you can imagine when they were by themselves, but as a pack I'd hesitate to put a baby out in the yard on a blanket and turn my back on them.

 

[perchie.girl]

Nope, not once. And we have a truck load plenty of them. The last place I lived had more raptor life than I had ever seen in my life...every specie of hawk one can imagine, bald eagles and even a pair of osprey living next door. No losses. Just that one bird to a Great Horned Owl and she was out of reach of the dog's defense, so she was risking her life by refusing to roost in the coop.

Good cover, good dogs, good roosters, flighty breeds/chickens who have been on free range from the earliest age...it's all a good combination. I wouldn't free range any other way.

My sister used to breed mini doxies and her pack was downright death on anything that moved! They killed her chickens, her ducks, her geese, even pulled a mini goat's head through the fence and killed it. They not only killed her cats but ate them as well. Nicest little dogs you can imagine when they were by themselves, but as a pack I'd hesitate to put a baby out in the yard on a blanket and turn my back on them.

Dachshunds were bred to hunt Badgers.... tenacious to say the least.

deb

 

[BCMaraniac]

Thank you Bee. I agree with Loveigee, cute pictures. Your rooster is perdy.

I've got to add some shavings and rearrange the furniture a little bit, the chick had got out of the nest and couldn't climb back in. The only problem I have seen with them is one of the Columbian Rocks trying to help one chick in its pipping when mom got out to eat. I stood guard until mom went back to the nest. lol Mom and new chicks have got some of the other pullets acting strange. They are sitting in the nest on eggs that were layed today. One of them is sitting on the eggs and picking up shavings in front of her and throwing on her back like she is trying to cover up. What's up with that???

Just yesterday, I stalked on of my birds to see where she was laying, and I found her spot. I was watching her and she was doing the same thing, only she was picking up little pieces of brush(she was laying in patch of dying honeysuckle), and throwing it on her back as well. I didn't know what that was all about. Good thing I found her spot. My Australian Shepherd was circling like a buzzard, waiting for her to finish so she could steal the egg. I think that is where some of my eggs have been going......

 

[Beekissed]

Maybe they are adding camo as they are nesting, to disguise themselves from preds as they are laying. My dog is an egg suckin' dog too, so training them to the nest is a must or we won't see a single egg. Dog will look like a fat, shiny slug but we won't see any eggs....

 

[RoseMarie1]

Maybe they are adding camo as they are nesting, to disguise themselves from preds as they are laying. My dog is an egg suckin' dog too, so training them to the nest is a must or we won't see a single egg. Dog will look like a fat, shiny slug but we won't see any eggs....

and speaking of eggs

I got TWO yesterday and TWO today! SO she's....well both of them are laying everyday now. The second one just started laying but she's laying everyday or another one started or something. All I know is I am getting TWOOO a day now. SOON I will be able to have some fried eggs.

 

[RoseMarie1]

Rosemarie I have 8 hens 7 of which are laying. All usually in same box out of 3 to choose from. When they get impatient this is what happens here

Are there TWO in that nest?

 

[RoseMarie1]

Thanks they are hatchery partridge rocks. My first hens I got last year. They were kicked out of the coop for the day as I treated for mites. They didn't like the temporary nest box I put outside so they all waited till I opened the pop door. Hence the reason these 2 were in the same box. Apparently mrs green was taking to long to lay and black wanted in

hee hee I just realized there was two in there and asked you about it and now I see this message. hee hee

 

[Beekissed]

and speaking of eggs

I got TWO yesterday and TWO today! SO she's....well both of them are laying everyday now. The second one just started laying but she's laying everyday or another one started or something. All I know is I am getting TWOOO a day now. SOON I will be able to have some fried eggs.

Soon you are going to have a huge basket of eggs on your counter and will be wondering who you can sell eggs to....