How do you count your chickens?

[B-Goock]

We have raccoons. I see tracks around the pond daily and my husband killed a sick one a few weeks back.
We haven't seen any other predator in a while, unless you count the nasty buffalo gnats that killed one of my brahma hens a couple of weeks back.
I also had a young hen who kept getting onto the roof of our travel trailer. She jumped off one day and broke her neck. A shame, she was a sweet olive egger, but not so smart.

I hate Buffalo gnats! Relentless biting jerks!
When I lived in Indiana I bought vanilla car hang ups for the coop. Or make some of your own real vanilla extract. Pretty easy to make. Vanilla beans soaked in cheap booze. Lol

Avon skin so soft helps keep them away too. You can dilute it down with water in a spritz bottle.

 

[janiedoe]

I hate Buffalo gnats! Relentless biting jerks!
When I lived in Indiana I bought vanilla car hang ups for the coop. Or make some of your own real vanilla extract. Pretty easy to make. Vanilla beans soaked in cheap booze. Lol

Avon skin so soft helps keep them away too. You can dilute it down with water in a spritz bottle.

Thank you for the tips!

 

[B-Goock]

Thank you for the tips!

Anything to keep them away but the girls never liked when I gave them a spritz on their back. So glad I don't have any where I live now.

Oh back to how do I count?
Sometimes dont at all.
Occasionally go in after dark and touch each one on the back and figure out who's who by cluck or feel. Lol. Touch Squawk? Oh that's muffy. Touch Bock bock bock bock think that's gray. Touch Raauwk! that's lily for sure.

 

[janiedoe]

Anything to keep them away but the girls never liked when I gave them a spritz on their back. So glad I don't have any where I live now.

Oh back to how do I count?
Sometimes dont at all.
Occasionally go in after dark and touch each one on the back and figure out who's who by cluck or feel. Lol. Touch Squawk? Oh that's muffy. Touch Bock bock bock bock think that's gray. Touch Raauwk! that's lily for sure.

Mine would be screeming and falling off the roosts. Lol.

 

[B-Goock]

Mine would be screeming and falling off the roosts. Lol.

I work some crazy hrs so mine are somewhat used to me coming in the dark to fill waterers and feeders, scooping out bedding, or late to close them up for the night. I talk when I come in like that. "Sorry girls. Or feeders are full. Fresh water when you get up"

 

[cherrynberry]

I work some crazy hrs so mine are somewhat used to me coming in the dark to fill waterers and feeders, scooping out bedding, or late to close them up for the night. I talk when I come in like that. "Sorry girls. Or feeders are full. Fresh water when you get up"

That’s sweet!

 

[B-Goock]

That’s sweet!

More like necessary since sometimes I worked all night and didn't get to check on them at night. Be bad if I got home, went to bed, and their waterer was empty.
I figure they know my noises but critters are sneaky and quiet......until they chomp on to them.

 

[cherrynberry]

More like necessary since sometimes I worked all night and didn't get to check on them at night. Be bad if I got home, went to bed, and their waterer was empty.
I figure they know my noises but critters are sneaky and quiet......until they chomp on to them.

Yeah, especially in the summer. I also like to keep an extra waterer in the coop at night, even though they are let out the next morning, it’s nice to know they are not thirsty (It’s been really HOT lately).