Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[chickenn00b11]

That will be a nice sized flock. I would recommend an even number as they like to pair up.

Ok. So maybe I'll do 6 or 8...

 

[Kris5902]

We have owls. I hear them at night, but haven't laid eyes on any yet.

We also have coyote and fox. I can hear them calling at night. We are not far from Little Buffalo State Park and they live back there.

We currently have a family of deer living just on the other side of the creek. Of course they don't bother the chickens. I did spread some cracked corn and rye out for the deer and Ned was down eating it this morning.

We are actively working on reducing the deer population here... so far we have been lucky on our island but two neighboring ones have been hit with a nasty deer virus. I think we are being spared because we do try to actively limit the deer population here. Almost everyone on our island is pro hunting (I can think of two exceptions, and one of those came from Mayne island, the hardest hit by the virus, where there is no hunting allowed at all) because we have no large predators here to control the population it’s a necessity.

My chickens do see the deer as a threat though. The silly things alarm when they show up, almost every morning.

 

[RoyalChick]

We are actively working on reducing the deer population here... so far we have been lucky on our island but two neighboring ones have been hit with a nasty deer virus. I think we are being spared because we do try to actively limit the deer population here. Almost everyone on our island is pro hunting (I can think of two exceptions, and one of those came from Mayne island, the hardest hit by the virus, where there is no hunting allowed at all) because we have no large predators here to control the population it’s a necessity.

My chickens do see the deer as a threat though. The silly things alarm when they show up, almost every morning.

 

[RoyalChick]

They encourage hunting around me in order to control the population. I don’t hunt myself (don’t think I could do that) but I am a hypocrite and have a freezer full of venison.

 

[Kris5902]

I find this incredibly worrisome. I would not be able to rest without an electric fence

It would probably take a fairly strong jolt to keep a bear out, especially if they are hungry! We had problems with black bears in North Vancouver. My roommates put the garbage can outside in the car port, I heard som odd noises and went to investigate. I slammed the door closed pretty darn quickly As there was a big black bear with its head in the “bear resistant” garbage can. I came back with a pot and spoon and scared it off fairly easily, but it took my garbage can with it! I finally found it in the wooded area behind the house about a week later, he had stepped on the middle of it trapping some trash in the bottom of the can, so he tore through the bottom of the heavy plastic can to get to it.

My uncle sometimes has issues with grizzlies up North (Dawson creek) and they have left muddy paw prints on the doors. It’s been better since he got a pair of dogs that live in the yard, but that scares me.

 

[Kris5902]

They encourage hunting around me in order to control the population. I don’t hunt myself (don’t think I could do that) but I am a hypocrite and have a freezer full of venison.

Me too, and prawns brought by the generous hunters that hunt on our land. I am an awful shot, it has to do with a quirk in my vision, that also limits the type of glasses I can wear. I can’t see out of the ones that don’t distort your face when people look through them at you. I would hate to take a poor shot and have an animal suffer for it.

 

[ValerieJ]

I would hate to shoot a cougar. I think in general if you look big and don’t get in their way most wild animals stay away. But I would probably lock the coop before it was fully dark!

I would hate to shoot anything! I've never actually shot my gun. But, if it's me or the cougar, and the gun is not safely locked up, I'll shoot. I think...

 

[ValerieJ]

Ok. So maybe I'll do 6 or 8...

My flock hangs out with their siblings. In the case of the Australorps, that is 3 hens hanging together.

 

[ValerieJ]

We are actively working on reducing the deer population here... so far we have been lucky on our island but two neighboring ones have been hit with a nasty deer virus. I think we are being spared because we do try to actively limit the deer population here. Almost everyone on our island is pro hunting (I can think of two exceptions, and one of those came from Mayne island, the hardest hit by the virus, where there is no hunting allowed at all) because we have no large predators here to control the population it’s a necessity.

My chickens do see the deer as a threat though. The silly things alarm when they show up, almost every morning.

The deer hang out right outside the fence line and the chickens pay no attention. But, oh boy, if my dog Ruby sees them, that is great sport. She loves chasing them away. The deer are welcome neighbors in our community. I have several neighbors who regularly feed them. I find them very peaceful in the yard, but they do eat my flowers and hostas, and that doesn't make me very peaceful.

 

[ValerieJ]

Me too, and prawns brought by the generous hunters that hunt on our land. I am an awful shot, it has to do with a quirk in my vision, that also limits the type of glasses I can wear. I can’t see out of the ones that don’t distort your face when people look through them at you. I would hate to take a poor shot and have an animal suffer for it.

My gun does have a laser pointer, so I probably wouldn't miss. But, again, I've never even shot it at a target. That's why it stays locked up. When we are allowed to congregate again, I will take a gun safety and use class. Then I might be more comfortable with it. I'm rather afraid of it now.