i somehow acquired 2 runaways and i have questions. please help

[pollipazzi]

The previous three outbreaks were all before the housing order (or whatever it's called) came into place on November 10th.

i thought the one in monaghan happened after? maybe immediately after. i don't know. is there a lockdown where you are? and what would you do?

 

[pollipazzi]

The previous three outbreaks were all before the housing order (or whatever it's called) came into place on November 10th.

i hope that didn't come off as cheeky. i genuinely want to know.

 

[BDutch]

The previous three outbreaks were all before the housing order (or whatever it's called) came into place on November 10th.

In the Netherlands we have housing orders for at least 3 years on a row now with this type of bird flu.

And before that there were housing orders in different years, going back about 22-25 years bc of other types of AI.

That was one of the reasons I didn’t start keeping chickens earlier in life. After a few years without AI/ housing orders. I finally started in 2014.

It has been an on and off with AI since. Sometimes, rules for BYC were not very strict. Sometime they were.

This last horrible AI type seems impossible to conquer with locking in poultry as was done before. It just keeps coming back and the housing order period seems to get longer every year.

 

[pollipazzi]

5 turkey farms now.

 

[pollipazzi]

we have a mouse!
i think a little field mouse.
he is very cute.
but he needs to go somewhere else.

cheeky, right?

the camera alerted and i went out there with my husband like a swat team.
we couldn't find him.

he came back again later.
i went out again. took the feeders in and couldn't find him again.
then it was quiet.
in the morning i went out there and cleaned up everything. checked everywhere for holes.
there's really no chance of anything digging under. but i still checked. no holes.

i think he was getting in up top through the corrugated roof. climbing the hwc like a ladder, and slipping through the gaps where the curve goes up.

the next night the camera went off again.
i went out again with my big broom. started tapping around with it.
he came out and started running around my feet and jumping up a lot. (he can really jump!)
which made me do an "eek a mouse!" dance.
then he disappeared.

we filled all the corrugated bits today, i took the feeders in, and so far no sign of him.
if i just jinxed myself by telling ye, i am going to be very sad.
please send good mojo that he doesn't come back with his friends.

 

[pollipazzi]

Sorry. That sucks. Especially bc these things probably wont help the backyard poultry. The bird flu is unstoppable and everywhere bc of the contaminated wild birds. Imho, it’s all a waist of time and gives the chickens again a miserable winter period.

But if you are still in need of a solution to please the authorities I might have an idea to fence of a corridor from the run to the greenhouse.

In the past I have used rabbit panels and panels with 5cm square openings to make temporary runs. Size 80x80 and 80 x 150 cm. Easy to attach to each other with tie wraps or similar.
View attachment 4255593

i saw these today at our diy shop. well, the ones that were there were not very rigid. stronger than hwc, but many of them were all bent out of shape.
€14 each! that's a lot, isn't it? i'll keep looking. sometimes different shops here can have very different prices for the very same things

 

[akroberts1085]

I have 11 hens and they will eat mice. They usually lay in the box but they have laid in a box of sand for dust bathing, under the nest box, on top of the nest box and even in the run. I had one lay under the porch and some laid under the rosemary bush. There's 3 that I can pet and pick up but they will all follow me around the yard. Some even try coming in the house. Chickens are amazing though and it's always a learning curve. I also have 3 ducks and my hen seems to think that the best place to lay an egg is in the pool.

 

[pollipazzi]

i jinxed myself.
he's squeezing right through the doubled up hwc no problem. no climbing at all.

 

[pollipazzi]

I have 11 hens and they will eat mice. They usually lay in the box but they have laid in a box of sand for dust bathing, under the nest box, on top of the nest box and even in the run. I had one lay under the porch and some laid under the rosemary bush. There's 3 that I can pet and pick up but they will all follow me around the yard. Some even try coming in the house. Chickens are amazing though and it's always a learning curve. I also have 3 ducks and my hen seems to think that the best place to lay an egg is in the pool.

these guys are little. do you think they could eat a mouse? at night when they can't see?

they are laying in the nest boxes every time now. that coop is their house now. they are very comfortable with their living situation now. i'm so glad because our weather has been so awful and i keep thinking that i am glad they are warm and dry and not in a tree. even if there is a mouse ruining everybody's sleep.

they are also very used to me. they sit right beside me and aren't bothered by me being very close to them. sometimes i will chance it, and just slightly stroke thelma's side. she seems to like it until she realizes i am touching her and then she gets offended.

 

[BDutch]

please send good mojo that he doesn't come back with his friends.

€14 each! that's a lot, isn't it?

That’s a very good price for 80 x 150 cm maze 5 cm panels. But they wont keep any mice out .

I have 11 hens and they will eat mice.

I have never seen my Dutch go after or kill a mouse. I suppose the neighbours cats do kill them and eat them straight away or take them home as a present for the owner.

i jinxed myself.
he's squeezing right through the doubled up hwc no problem. no climbing at all.

Whats the size of the maze?

these guys are little. do you think they could eat a mouse? at night when they can't see?

The biggest creature my Dutch have hunted, caught and eaten was a salamander as far as I have seen.

Chickens do not hunt at night for sure.

During winter the easiest thing to do is probably to take away the food after sunset including any spilled food. I don’t know if treadle feeders can be adjusted/work for bantams.