Good idea - I have one we use outside and I could try that. I was also looking at those 'bug zappers' that fry the little devils when they come in contact. I imagine a bunch of fried bugs on the floor of the Palace could be breakfast for the Princesses. It is just I don't really like keeping something electric on in the Palace (or really anywhere outdoors) if I am not there to suprevise.
DittoI am with you. Part of my heart may need to be for Clover now that Claudine is all grown up!
Oh poor Bob, poor Ned. I am really sorry you both had to go through that. He really is the picture of health now though so good job to both of you!
This post is exactly what every new prospective chickener should read before going into it!!!! You have perfectly summed up the whole experience of much more work than people ever think it is, but because we enjoy it we push on. With full time jobs and living far from everything, finding time is never easy, but when you can go into the run with a cigar and totally veg out and watch chickens do chicken things, it makes the work worth it. Some days though are much easier than others.Wildlife often gets the blame. It's rarely the case. I have lots of wildlife here and while I get injuries and predation, mostly the chickens stay healthy.
Cocciiosis is almost always a ground management problem.
Scaly leg mite is just one of those things one learns to live with and try to keep on top of.
Pasty butt is another thing that most who have chicks have to deal with at some point. If you catch it quickly, it's not a long term problem.
There is constantly promoted falsehood that chickens are easy to keep. They may be if you stuff a few in a coop and run, collect their eggs and kill them at the slightest sign of sickness or reduction in egg laying. For the rest of us; I'll speak for myself here, I've found keeping chickens harder work, more stressful and more upsetting than any of the other creatures we have and have had here. The list is long.
Tonight I have one hen missing, probably killed while sitting on egg on an outside nest. I have one rooster that needs an injury cleaned and bandaged every day. I have three hens and one rooster with ongoing SLM issues. I have one hen with physiological issues who needs keeping an eye on and another having a summer moult which means she is reluctant to stay close to her tribe in case one of the roosters jump on her. I have one hen who thinks she should move in with me and needs 'secorting' to her tribes coop at night and another senior hen who thinks that given her age (10y) she is entitled to be carried from the coop to the nearest feed station in the morning.
Did I mention the fights?
On top of all this there is all the day to day stuff, feeding, watering, coop cleaning etc.
Are they worth all the trouble? OH YES!
Chicken TV has gotten me through COVID. If it wasn't for them I would have gone stir crazy.
You kinda hit the nail on the head perfectly with tragedy only being a day away. I really appreciate this post, makes me feel halfway decent that some do indeed get these strings of trial and hardship. I was actually dreading opening and cleaning my coops today, afraid of finding yet another one down, but stoked the remaining 32 birds are good to go for another day. Its just hard that the roo I lost yesterday and the hen that was euthanized were going to be part of my future planned breeding endeavors. And the hen I lost last week was one of my chattiest girls, you really feel the hole they leave in their flocks when they are gone.
Chicken TV, best channel going!
