Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RebeccaBoyd]

Oh no. So sorry.


It may not be a permanent issue though. Once they learn there aren’t easy chickens on the hill the coyotes may move on to where there is other food.
And of course you can still shoot some of them!
Maybe you need one of these. Honestly I am a cat person but I do consider it from time to time.
https://www.11alive.com/article/lif...rhood/85-4197e55d-d611-4047-a6c6-f7cbe34e43d5

I have thought about it before and they are wonderful dogs. My neighbor has one and my friend up the road who gave me the eggs Branch hatched from has 2, the parents to my neighbors pup. I call him a pup because even though he is a year and a half he still has a lot of growing to do. He is already 150lbs of gangly teenage energy. I like big dogs, prefer them actually, but these are more dog then I am comfortable handling. CeeCee is big at 110lbs and he makes her look like a shrimp, towering 4 good inches at the shoulder over her. He is friendly, but he barks. All the time and his bark carries. Actually so does his parent's bark. They live a half a mile up the road and I hear them all the time day and night. It is not their fault, doing their job protecting their territory so barking comes with it. My 2 girls are quiet. I also have to look at I currently have 2 big dogs. Gracie my golden is hitting her senior years and will be 11 September 1. CeeCee is 4 now. With big dogs come big vet bills, medications are based on their weight, cannot get around that. My girls have been relatively healthy until recently. Gracie had a health scare back in the winter with a seizure episode. Right now it is a watch and wait game, if she has anymore she will have to go on seizure meds. Also in her senior years I really do not want to bring in another dog regardless of size. It would not be fair to her. When she passes will I get another dog? Maybe, it really depends on how old CeeCee is when the time comes. If I have several more years left with Gracie before she passes then CeeCee will be entering her senior years. If CeeCee is 7 or under then I probably will.

 

[bgmathteach]

Hello everyone. I'm sorry for my absence, but I needed to step away for a bit. I am fine and well but dealing with heartbreak. My queen of my flock and a personal favorite Butter is gone. I did not realize she had been taken until it was time to put the flock up Tuesday evening. It had to have happened while I was at the dr's for my tests. Me and mom are both gutted, Butter was beyond special. I did not find a body but a mass of yellow feathers on the hillside. I have never minded the chickens being on the hill until now. This has me and mom thinking. Over half of the flock spend a majority of time on the hill. I cannot protect them when they free range on it. We are going to build a larger coop that connects to Russ's stall and free range time is going to become limited. Coyotes are taking over. I am going to be looking at a major flock reduction if this happens. I know several of them will not take kindly to being cooped up. I have a soft list of who to keep and who to place if we in fact go this route. I want to keep them all but I am thinking of what is in their best interests. I cannot kill off 3 separate packs of coyote's.

I am so sorry to hear this - heartache upon stress upon heartache. You are overdue for some good news and some peaceful times.


Is there any way you could fence the hillside to make it more difficult for coyotes? Thinking that they would have to come around near the house or something - Because clearly your chickens love that and the creek, and it also provides a cooler spot for them. I know it is pretty steep - but is there a way that would work against foxes & coyotes? With the rocks, I know you can't bury wire at spots---but maybe run it about 2' out and either bury the end, or secure it with rocks so they don't 'crawl' under it?

I hope you are able to think of a way to protect them some, but if not - I fully understand the need to reduce so they are well cared for and have adequate space. So good of you to recognize their needs and to be willing, however heartbreaking - to put them over your wants and loves regarding them....it is never easy making those kind of decisions - even when we know what we should do, it still breaks our hearts.Lots of hugs and love sent your way.

 

[RoyalChick]

The Pentagonists don’t seem to regard the electric net fence as applying to them.

 

[featherhead007]

Hot day 106f . Some of the birds are acting up. I gave Coco a bath, and she’s drying off. Jaffar needs one as well, so in the tub he’s going right now. If I have time, I’ll get Flash and Xzit in as well.

 

[Ponypoor]

The Pentagonists don’t seem to regard the electric net fence as applying to them.
View attachment 3585592

Did they fly over? Or go under the fence?

Or though a hole like mine do!

 

[Ponypoor]

Hot day 106f . Some of the birds are acting up. I gave Coco a bath, and she’s drying off. Jaffar needs one as well, so in the tub he’s going right now. If I have time, I’ll get Flash and Xzit in as well.

That’s pretty hot

 

[RoyalChick]

Did they fly over? Or go under the fence?

Or though a hole like mine do!

Unclear. I need to move one of the cameras to that part of the fence as that is the same area they keep getting out.
There is one larger space because a raccoon got entangled but it would require sharpshooter level accuracy to fly through it.
I suspect they are going under but really not sure.
In some ways I am fine with them going out as long as they know how to get back because I just want to keep the foxes out. So if I was sure they wouldn't panic but would fly safely back over the fence I would be delighted. But I am not convinced they wouldn't get pinned against the fence by a fox so it worries me.

 

[featherhead007]

That’s pretty hot

Yes it is. I’m cooling the world off, one chook at a time

 

[fuentemoon]

I am still about 60 pgs behind but thought you would like some kitten day pictures

 

[rural mouse]

A/C repairs completed and replaced the filter and condenser unit. Evaporator coil was fine. The air handler is fairly new.
TaxView attachment 3585149

Hen-Rietta is looking Fiiiiine!