French frogs

[Tumbling K]

we are lucky enough that where we live, the ambient humidity is usually pretty high. So I usually take new hatchlings out after a couple of hours. leave them in long enough to motivate the lazy ones, but not so long they are kicking the eggs around.

 

[WalnutHill]

Hi Phil. I did too much in the garden yesterday, too and am paying for it today. Oh well

I'll say it again Dan, you need to build a secure place for your chickens. Even if you get this fox, there are more out there.

Hooray for all the pips, peeps and new babies out there. It would be so hard not to see them Walnut, and I think I'd have to go in and get them if I could hear cheeping.

we are lucky enough that where we live, the ambient humidity is usually pretty high. So I usually take new hatchlings out after a couple of hours. leave them in long enough to motivate the lazy ones, but not so long they are kicking the eggs around.

I couldn't resist, I went in. I pulled four fat, dry, happy poults and left one wet one. This is an old GQF with the metal hatching tray. It's barely tall enough to fit turkey eggs on their side, the poults can't stand or even sit up in there. But it is doing a GREAT job hatching. I just hope I didn't screw it up by going in. 12 more eggs to go!

 

[dan26552]

Hi Phil. I did too much in the garden yesterday, too and am paying for it today. Oh well

I'll say it again Dan, you need to build a secure place for your chickens. Even if you get this fox, there are more out there.

Hooray for all the pips, peeps and new babies out there. It would be so hard not to see them Walnut, and I think I'd have to go in and get them if I could hear cheeping.

They weren't in the coop, we left them out when we went to visit my grandma yesterday afternoon, when we got back I couldn't find her.

 

[FridayYet]

Sorry you lost another one, but if they were my chickens, I'd have a secure run available for when they can't be watched and predators are around.

Hope she is just hiding and that you find her.

 

[frmboyinthecity]

I went out this morning and the olive egger hen who laid her first egg yesterday was missing. I'm hoping she'll show up, but either way I'll be reinforcing some things tonight. This is the first chicken that's ever just disappeared in 3 years. When I first got chickens, I lost a 6 week old chick to a predator (I suspected a feral cat) and one was dumb enough to crawl under the fence into my neighbors yard with 2 german shepherds. This one, I don't know. I found no feathers or blood, she's just gone. The gate into the backyard was accidentally left unlocked last night, so either a 2 or 4 legged predator appears to have carried her off without a trace.

 

[WalnutHill]

I went out this morning and the olive egger hen who laid her first egg yesterday was missing. I'm hoping she'll show up, but either way I'll be reinforcing some things tonight. This is the first chicken that's ever just disappeared in 3 years. When I first got chickens, I lost a 6 week old chick to a predator (I suspected a feral cat) and one was dumb enough to crawl under the fence into my neighbors yard with 2 german shepherds. This one, I don't know. I found no feathers or blood, she's just gone. The gate into the backyard was accidentally left unlocked last night, so either a 2 or 4 legged predator appears to have carried her off without a trace.

All those predators are looking for easy meals for their offspring. I hope she shows up against all odds.

 

[AmyPaperlady]

All fluffy! And avoiding the camera

I think this pic's my favorite:

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

All fluffy! And avoiding the camera

I think this pic's my favorite:

Oh my goodness, what an adorable picture!

I went out this morning and the olive egger hen who laid her first egg yesterday was missing. I'm hoping she'll show up, but either way I'll be reinforcing some things tonight. This is the first chicken that's ever just disappeared in 3 years. When I first got chickens, I lost a 6 week old chick to a predator (I suspected a feral cat) and one was dumb enough to crawl under the fence into my neighbors yard with 2 german shepherds. This one, I don't know. I found no feathers or blood, she's just gone. The gate into the backyard was accidentally left unlocked last night, so either a 2 or 4 legged predator appears to have carried her off without a trace.

Oh no - hopefully she's just holed up somewhere -- maybe the whole "new layer" thing has her a bit out of sorts and looking for a good hidden nesting spot.

I have lots of"temporary" fixes that are years old.....

Well, yeah - cuz until it breaks again there's no reason to do anything more permanent.

Hey, Phil...



2 new Call layers...

Awesome!

Showed Mr. P some pics of ACs, expecting him to be weirded out by the solid blackness, and he thinks they look cool :lol I wonder how many pounds of fudge those eggs would cost?

LOTS of fudge, at least for the really nice ones from folks who are doing a good job of being selective -- plenty of folks out there churning out back yard breeding versions of them with little care for the culling involved in turning out good birds and looking to make a quick, easy buck selling the "flavor of the month" bird.

 

[WVduckchick]

Lost another chicken to that bloody fox last night.

I got word from a neighbor, night before last, that they saw a fox close to my house around 10pm. Yesterday we installed an electric fence around the runs.

I un-plugged it this morning, because my little 9-week olds like to go in and out through the fence, into the other part of the yard, they were climbing all over the wire.

Anybody know how rough the electric fences are on little chicks? (seriously, I need to know if it will really hurt them)

I couldn't resist, I went in. I pulled four fat, dry, happy poults and left one wet one. This is an old GQF with the metal hatching tray. It's barely tall enough to fit turkey eggs on their side, the poults can't stand or even sit up in there. But it is doing a GREAT job hatching. I just hope I didn't screw it up by going in. 12 more eggs to go!

Hope to see poult pics soon!

I went out this morning and the olive egger hen who laid her first egg yesterday was missing. I'm hoping she'll show up, but either way I'll be reinforcing some things tonight. This is the first chicken that's ever just disappeared in 3 years. When I first got chickens, I lost a 6 week old chick to a predator (I suspected a feral cat) and one was dumb enough to crawl under the fence into my neighbors yard with 2 german shepherds. This one, I don't know. I found no feathers or blood, she's just gone. The gate into the backyard was accidentally left unlocked last night, so either a 2 or 4 legged predator appears to have carried her off without a trace.

Oh boy, hope she comes back safely. Keep us posted please!

 

[WalnutHill]

Danged Easter chicks are plucking the pinfeathers from my juvenile turkeys, so I tossed them in with the grown hens. They are no longer top of the pecking order.

I have 6 new poults in the brooder, and hear a few more in the 'bator. I figure I'll fish them out every four hours or so.