I made it here, so will my chickens!

[kaffer]

Hey there, Call me Kaf, Kaffer, Kfer, Ker, really you can call me anything you like. I started getting chickens Feb into March, we would get 4 babies at a time. At one point I had 19 chick/s/ens. We saved the life of a newborn that farm supply gave us. Heat and some force feeding of electorates and chicken feed. Sooner than later the sadness started falling on us... Lost a baby or 2 to some hawks, lost a large baby to a hawk. It took it five feet from my girlfriend and I. I then lost 4 in one night. Something got in the roof of my coop :...( Of course what ever it was took 3 of the favorites. Here we have Coyotes, Raccoons, Skunks, Deer, and we have seen a Bob Cat a few years back. Of course a few other wild critters. Garden Snacks, other snakes, my cat brought a Ferret / Weasel home once, Rabbits, variety of birds, and I spotted a possum once. Well since the fall of last 4 my coop has been stabilized and I haven't lost any since. Phew that was a rough month. Well now most of my chickens are large enough that I am starting to feel these dang hawks can't carry them. Still unsure, those hawks got to eat and they got to feed there babies. Man vs Chickens vs Wild has been an interesting start... Anyways I got my chickens for a couple reasons. Egg produces, manure, and girlfriend/I enjoy having animals. Sometimes I find myself sitting with them for hours becoming one with them heh.. I'm also lucky to live on some land where space and neighbors are a few acres apart. So my story really starts here... As of right now our chickens spend to much time in there coop, but soon they will be spending most of there days unsupervised near and under the oak trees. I'll be here on the forum to get the best help and ideas of there future, and of course to share what I have to offer. I plan on integrating some vitamins and minerals into there water supply soon. Mostly things that will help them fight off any ailments that could arise. I'll be finalizing some nesting boxes. I'm hoping to add a small chicken door soon. Something safe like so the chickens can get through but other animals will have a rough time. I noticed the chickens are pretty good at flying, I have some great ideas to utilize there flight as a safe and sure way the ground animals couldn't get to them. I also plan on training them a bit for wild encounters when everything is in place. Ah the sunshine is coming out, I've got to go soon. Well long story short I've learned long ago to understand and communicate with my chickens, its best to think and be a chicken Peck peck, persnickety peck peck bwwaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkk. I'm looking forward to being part of community. See you around.



Kaaaaafercooockadooo

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join the flock! What a very detailed intro there I'm sorry to hear you lost so many but it's great that you have things more secure now.

Wishing you the very best of luck for the future and enjoy BYC

 

[FridayYet]

Welcome! Good luck with the rest of your flock.

If you are not going to supervise your chickens while free-ranging and you have a lot of predators, you might want to look at electronet fencing. Many people really like it.

 

[CluckerCottage]

"I noticed the chickens are pretty good at flying, I have some great ideas to utilize there flight as a safe and sure way the ground animals couldn't get to them".

I hope you're not banking on that.
Nothing is "safe and sure".
You have LOTS of predators and have lost birds to them already.
It's not a matter of "if" they get attacked, it's "when". I have seen hawks carry off large hens-- they will attack.

Also, you stated "I also plan on training them a bit for wild encounters when everything is in place".
What exactly are you going to do? Sounds frightening.

Welcome to BYC and please read the entire "Predators and Pests" section.
I hope it helps.

 

[kaffer]

thank you. It's been tough to learn the hard way.


I will look into electric fencing when we can put more money into the property.

yes I realized its a matter of when, and not if, unfortunately. I have heard a few stories of hawks flying off with large hens now. :/

As of scaring them, well it is frightening. that is the idea. So far I have come up with stuffed animals and sounds of chickens being attack by predictors. Scratching and digging ect. Pretty much act out a variety of predictors and there hunting habits to my chickens, where they cannot identify that it is me. Its far fetch and sketch, but its pliable to the overall structure to my unstructured coop system. It would be of means of understanding were they fight and flight too, and to retrain them to make the smarter choice, for when it happens. If I can establish a sure proof way to keep ground animals out, and birds can fly in, its the hawks I am left with. For now this is all talk and ideas, nothing I would act on now or in the near future. I will definitely read into Predators and Pest section soon.


thanks again and looking forward to the input.

 

[QueenMisha]

Welcome to BYC! It's great to have you.

 

[drumstick diva]

Remember you are talking chickens and not rocket scientists - their first instincts are panic and I think all the training in the world would NOT cross their brains at such a time.

I have a friend with house chickens and she has been trying for years to raise them like house dogs and has just frustrated them enough to cause turmoil. One has turned very mean against her. They are all bantam hens .

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[kaffer]

Thanks for the welcomes and the information passed along. I'll be posting another topic somewhere here soon. Goodluck all.