Illinois...

[homeschoolin momma]

as I am sure you know, yote will come back until there is nothing left to eat

I know it will and it has. Took another 5 babies today while i ran to pick up my kids from camp. All i have is two left ...a boy and unknown gender. Even my pretty girl is gone. Unless they are hiding somewhere. But i did find a pile of feathers in the woods. Eaten on the spot. Just having my pasture fenced would be the right solution. We have most of the supplies, i just need help getting it dug and in. I cant do it by myself. I'm beyond frustrated.

 

[Justso]

Here goes nothing! Going to give deviled quail eggs a try. Eggs are from my neighbor, cornwitch

 

[Faraday40]

I know it will and it has. Took another 5 babies today while i ran to pick up my kids from camp. All i have is two left ...a boy and unknown gender. Even my pretty girl is gone. Unless they are hiding somewhere. But i did find a pile of feathers in the woods. Eaten on the spot. Just having my pasture fenced would be the right solution. We have most of the supplies, i just need help getting it dug and in. I cant do it by myself. I'm beyond frustrated.

Oh MY!
Did it take all those Spitzes & beautiful lav orps!?

Can you lock them up temporarily inside the coop or chicken tractor or even garage until a fence is up?

 

[Faraday40]

Here goes nothing! Going to give deviled quail eggs a try. Eggs are from my neighbor, cornwitch

Those tiny little eggs are great and we certainly miss having them.

 

[homeschoolin momma]

Oh MY!
Did it take all those Spitzes & beautiful lav orps!?

Can you lock them up temporarily inside the coop or chicken tractor or even garage until a fence is up?

Lavs are fine. They are in the fenced pasture......sort of. They crawl under the fence still but go into the overgrown brush around my neighbors shed. Coyote is coming from the creek. It would be risky for it to travel all the way around the fenceline to get at them and houses surround the other side.

Its the spitzies that are in danger. Jake has been much more watchful since his attack and takes the girls to the front of the house or orchard.
I could move the chicken tractor, but since the older kids and husband have been gone, i cant move it by myself. (DH didnt finish making a lid or put wheels on) The older kids came back today, so DS can help me move it to protect the last two.

I need an Amish fence raising with fellow Chicago byc'ers.....

 

[Faraday40]

Its the spitzies that are in danger.
I need an Amish fence raising with fellow Chicago byc'ers.....

I hope your adults are OK. Especially the hen with the pointed crest - and Jake of course.

I'm afraid I have very little building skills to offer. (Although I could be somewhat helpful to the "women-folk" with my cooking.) DH is also not very handy with home repair...... unless it has a power cord and Internet access. Does your coop need wi-fi?

 

[homeschoolin momma]

I'm afraid I have very little building skills to offer. (Although I could be somewhat helpful to the "women-folk" with my cooking.) DH is also not very handy with home repair...... unless it has a power cord and Internet

No building skills needed. Just muscles to dig holes for posts.
I know how to do this, just one 40 something old lady digging 20 2ft. deep holes is....exhausting. I'd like to rent an auger,if we had the $$ but that would take 2 guys to manage. With our two pastures we used the backhoe on the tractor. However as is normal, that same tractor ha been broken down under the tree in said pasture since the beginning of June.

DS helped me move the half finished chicken tractor next to the spitz coop. It has the old half rotten lid with the tarp so hopefully it will be enough. We have church tomorrow so im going to worry the whole time that the adults will be ok. I worry for Jake and mama (nice looking hen and the only one to go broody) the most. And Mr. Attitude Jasper, especially moody since Phoe went broody.(look, im dr. Seuss)

 

[homeschoolin momma]

Oh and i think phoes egg is internally pipped!

 

[cavemanrich]

@BReeder!
I know you were looking for Rouen Ducks before. Found some Muskovies in Illinois, you may want to check out?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/muscovy-northern-illinois-ducklings-and-youngsters.1325775/

 

[homeschoolin momma]

@Faraday40 some pics of the lavs.

They look like they swallowed mini bowling balls! Now compare them to the ones i hatched.

Much more streamlined
And then theres the runt which i should probably be culled. I keep hoping shes a late bloomer, but she just doesn't seem right.

Shes 1/3 the size of the others.
And lastly the two ccls
First the darker crested one

And the lighter non crested