Had to scold my "children" tonight! They were bad little babies!

[Barrdwing]

I wouldn't mind a bit if they went for those darn squirrels and rats! But they don't. The squirrels barge right up into the middle of the flock when they're at their scratch, squint around in a surly manner, and stuff their little hairy faces until they look like they're going to explode. Some of the hens have tried pecking at them, but the squirrels just flirt their tails around like a matador flashing his cape, and the chickens can't figure out what to do.

My old roo Elwood is actually very good with the chicks. I have had him hop into the nursery, climb into the nest box, and do that funny "oh what a fine nest I have found" cluck while the chicks run up to see what he's talking about. This spring he got ousted by a younger roo, and ended up sharing the nursery with a broody bantam Cochin. I was really worried that he might go for the brand-new chicks while they were wobbly, and put up a partition for the first few days. But then the chicks started springing right over it and Elwood would just stare mildly down at them and look puzzled. So I pulled the partition. I admit, though, it was taking a chance, and we were just lucky that ol' Elwood is such a good daddy!

 

[jenkassai]

Quote:

I was showing my sis-in-law my chicks. MOST of them have a sweet look to them, but the Col Wyandotte, for some reason, to me looks like some kind of dinosaur! I mentioned that to my SIL, and she said "she looks like a velociraptor", and I said "YES!" She IS the terror of the group too!!

 

[ChickyLoo]

Quote:
Me too!

Chickens love meat & if given the chance they will be bad babies again

I would just let nature do it's thing chances are you can't save the victim or their meal so why even try?

 

[chickenbythesea]

my hubby will be glad to hear this... he's terrified of the little snakes in out yard! he likes the chicks but now he'll love'em!! is it bad if they eat the snakes and frogs? health wise I mean?

Quote:

 

[ChickyLoo]

Quote:

Excellent point is it bad for their health......I would like to know as well

 

[Barrdwing]

Hmm; eating fresh meat on the hoof--as it were--isn't a bad thing. The only potential problem that I can see would be parasites. Generally if an animal can get a parasite by eating another animal, it's because that parasite is a type that actually wants to get into the new host, and is using the prey animal as a taxicab. For example, there's the Sarcocystis tapeworm, which goes into rabbits and hides in their muscle, precisely because it is actually trying to get into a fox or coyote where it can finish its life cycle, and there's a fair chance that the rabbit will get eaten by one someday. The tapeworm just cysts up and waits for this to happen.

I can not think of any parasites that would use snakes as a means of getting into birds, or frogs for that matter. But tapeworms are sneaky; I wouldn't put anything past tapeworms. Nor would I bet that we know all of the parasites out there!

 

[Noobchick]

Holy crap! Had no idea theyd do something like that at such a young age. Im gonna have to keep a close eye on mine if we ever decide to add to the flock.