Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[pspatbyc]

Does anyone have problems with mosquitoes in their coop? I am sure our Ozzie friends must have man-eating mosquitoes to contend with!
I just came in from locking up the Princesses and it is a nasty, hot, humid, sticky night and there are mosquitoes everywhere.
They seem to be bothering the ladies. Not badly, but it looks a bit uncomfortable.
I wondered if any of you have solved this problem.
Thanks for any wisdom!

Long sleeves and Pants LOL. Also get rid of anything that holds water as they will breed there. unused flower pots etc. Fill any places that might hold water .. Basically get rid of anyplace that supports their breeding.

 

[BY Bob]

My Frizzle often drops an egg from the roost. Most get cracked along the way. She is a big clumsy girl & sometimes I think she finds the whole getting up & into a nesting box first thing [she's an early layer usually] all too much effort & just goes for it wherever she is.

That Lavender.

 

[BY Bob]

LOL Mice or Cat ?

You got me. Well played. With this cat, probably both!

 

[Ribh]

That Lavender.

Eyeroll. She's certainly an interesting hen!

 

[featherhead007]

She's very pretty.

(And extremely intelligent)

 

[featherhead007]

My sister sent me a tee shirt for my birthday. It says
THE CHICKEN DAD
The Myth The Man The Legend
printed on the front! I love my sister!

 

[pspatbyc]

Shake off the big bits and wash with bleach and hot water in the washer.

you could even layout in the yard and "prewash" with a blast from the Garden hose

 

[pspatbyc]

I have a plastic one too. I'll use that. Thanks for the heads up. I had no idea. I'm glad I mentioned it.

So I should remove the Galvanized trash can I store their food in from the Chicken fortress . I do leave the feed in the plastic bag so I think that should be okay??

 

[BY Bob]

BY Bob it's your domain , but have you consider some sort of net to place over the pool when not in use? My only worry with my suggestion is whether their feet might get caught in the netting and make it worse. So glad Ned is okay. BTW I'm working my way backwards to catch up. one week on your thread makes for a LOT of pages

I know it is pretty popping around here.

I've thought of many things regarding the pool, including just making them live in the coop complex. That would greatly reduce the risks to their lives. Such as:

• Death by hawk
• Death by drowning
• Death by car on the street (I once found Phyllis in the street)
• Death by daytime ground predator (dogs, etc.)

And make my life easier:

• No poop to wash off the deck
• No poop to wash off the patio
• No one stealing my tomatoes from the deck planter
• No poop on my seat cushions
• No one sneaking in my house (I see you Phyllis)
• No one crushing the flowers in my deck pots
• No one banging on the back door demanding snacks
• No chickens mooching dinner when I eat outside

But I would also miss out on:

• No coffee clatch in the morning
• No one sneaking in my house (I see you Phyllis)
• No chickens mooching dinner when I eat outside
• No one banging on the back door demanding snacks
• No watching them as they move across the grass mowing it for me
• No dust pits under the magnolia tree.
• No chickens being chickens

I just feel they should have the opportunity to roam and I always feel bad when they are locked in the complex all day.

I could limit their free range to when I can guard them like a shepherd but that would limit their free range to an hour or so in the evening when I can stand guard. To me that is like recess at a prison. A nice prison but a prison none the less.

I choose to let them free range when I am home despite the risk. I feel it is a better quality of life for them and I try to manage the risk by checking on them and listening for alarm calls. This instance with Ned is the first time no one has called for help when some one has fallen in the pool. I am usually there within minutes if not seconds of someone falling in. The call for help is very distinctive.

This is not the right solution for everyone. It is how I have chosen to let my ladies live. It has cost me several hens, Dolly to a hawk, Elphie and Dusty to the pool, and sweet Maleficent to a predator. But Maleficent would not have been the special hen she was cooped up in the complex day after day.

 

[BY Bob]

Eyeroll. She's certainly an interesting hen!

I like her. She is special.