Good Morning BYC! Coffee anyone?

[DianaMallory]

Just sitting here sipping on my coffee, waiting for my girls to come strutting out of their coop. I am biting my nails waiting after reading all the nightmare predator stories here.
After having 2 different flock losses in the past due to predators I am very paranoid this time!
Oh well all is good here all 11 are out and stretching and waiting for me to come say good morning!
The coffee is still hot pour yourself a cup and I will be back in a bit!

 

[PartyOnARoost]

Good morning to you too! I am building the girls a new, better coop today so I am very motivated this morning! Heard you got some predator problems? Time to start settin up those traps... Good luck!

 

[DianaMallory]

I am back no not yet I don't have predator problems, but always paranoid about it due to past experience!
In my neighborhood we have had an overwhelming amount of raccoons this year. They got my garden, chewed through plastic trash cans and destroyed many bird feeders. But my neighbors set 2 different traps and at last count we were up to being rid of about 20 of them.

 

[canesisters]

That's funny (sort of). I had a terrible dream last night that I opened up the coop door this morning and there were little bodies everywhere. In the dream, I didn't see it right off because it's JUST dawn when I leave for work. Then I had all this crazy, nutzo stuff going on to try and find how something got in, and then to catch it..... I was exhausted when I woke up. And, needless to say, a little nervous when I opened the coop door in the pre-dawn gloom.
Everyone was fine though.

But I'm on coffee #3 trying to kick this sleepy, heavy as lead feeling. I need to go back to bed. lol

 

[DianaMallory]

I tossed and turned all night myself! I think we are suffering from the same paranoid feelings about predators! Here I go again reading those stories but I have to know if the person that had a predator get in through a 1/2 inch hole found out what it was yet. And this afternoon I got more confused on the # 1 question hen or rooster? I spent an hour just looking at my flock and still don't know who is who! They are suppose to be all hens but I have doubts. I decided to wait until one either crows or lays an egg, then I will really know for sure!

 

[canesisters]

About the eggs or crows - me too. I've been told that my BCM is a roo for sure.... I'm still hoping (until I hear a crow) to find one of those dark choc. eggs. And I have a SLW that is 2x the size of 'her' sister, has legs like tree trunks and keeps 'her' body in a more upright position. She's been 'declared' a pullet because her comb is very small and dull pink and she has no wattles to speak of....

I'm actually worried that I'm going to be out in the yard one Saturday and hear TWO distinctly different "Good Morning" songs from the coop.

It seems that my Saturday's have become chicken work days anymore. Last weekend was shoring up the security around the roof eaves and cutting a hole, framing in and installing a big window on the east side. (I guess so those roos will have a good look at the dawn?)
This weekend will be figuring out a coon proof latch for the bottom of the coop door (I was told the hasp halfway up was not sufficient so now I'm worried) and building a 'grown-up' roost w/nest boxes. Gotta be ready for that dark choc egg... right?