Illinois...

[Faraday40]

@ChicagoClucker
My DD has wanted a silkie for almost 2 years, and especially loves the white ones. After seeing the above pic, I told her that if she ever got one, I'd be dyeing it pink! (DH says we have enough "useless chickens" & I'm still unsure about the way silkies look. Can't see their eyes! Besides, from what I read, white birds attract hawks. Of course, I doubt hot pink would do any better. LOL)

We used to have a local fox. She set up in our neighborhood & we saw her every couple days for several months. She removed the entire rabbit population. Then she'd disappear for 3-5 years. When the the rabbit populations increased, she returned. I'm guessing she moved out to you in the city because we have been overrun with rabbits & squirrels for the past 3 years! Skunks & possums are very common, but more opportunists than hunters. I don't think you'll have to worry about your adult hens if your coop & run are secure. However, dogs & skunks do not play well together. We must keep extra H2O2 ready (add baking soda, & dish soap to remove skunk oils). We also scan the yard with a flashlight before letting the dogs out at night.

 

[ydkjenn]

Has anyone 'boarded' their hens with someone else before? I might need to be moving much sooner than expected and will need somewhere for my hens to go while in the process of moving. I'm currently near the Joliet area.

 

[Faraday40]

Has anyone 'boarded' their hens with someone else before? I might need to be moving much sooner than expected and will need somewhere for my hens to go while in the process of moving. I'm currently near the Joliet area.

I've never boarded my hens, but I have had chicken sitters (usually neighbors) stop by each day while we're away. If you must move the coop temporarily, you could probably ask a friend or family member to care for them.

 

[chickendreams24]

I just want to let all of the wild animals know that I live in the city not the country! Now I have a FOX, trolling my yard! Come on now, coyotes, foxes, possums, raccoons and my son saw a skunk one nite. They are making me nervous. I am sitting at the kitchen table with my coat on and keep going out to check on my babies. DH is laughing at me.

Also, there is someone from Sterling, Il. looking for a Salmon Faverolle Rooster, anyone have any?

I have a cockeral that will be a year old in the beginning of May that would love a new home of they're interested I coming this far. He's super super sweet just surplus.

 

[cavemanrich]

The last few days due to cold, the 2 or 3 eggs I was getting ended freezing and breaking. I just cook them and feed them back to the chickens. Its like instant recycling..

My attitude is......

LOL-LOL-LOL-LOL

 

[ChicagoClucker]

I have a cockeral that will be a year old in the beginning of May that would love a new home of they're interested I coming this far. He's super super sweet just surplus.

No luck, I guess its a bit too far for them.

 

[chickendreams24]

No luck, I guess its a bit too far for them. 

I'm not familiar with Sterling IL but I hope they'll reconsider. We could maybe meet them a bit closer. He's very sweet a little timid now that he's been in the bachelor group, but we don't have the space to keep him. Unfortunately he will be processed more than likely if we don't find him a home, but we will wait as long as we can.

 

[4stakes]

Sterling is south of Freeport or SW of Rockford

 

[cavemanrich]

Quote: You are a SUPER SWEET PERSON

BTW how is that young man with the combine encounter doing?

 

[chickendreams24]

I'm not familiar with Sterling IL but I hope they'll reconsider. We could maybe meet them a bit closer. He's very sweet a little timid now that he's been in the bachelor group, but we don't have the space to keep him. Unfortunately he will be processed more than likely if we don't find him a home, but we will wait as long as we can.

Sterling is south of Freeport or SW of Rockford

Yes thank you I looked it up after realizing that I could just do that. It's not terribly long about as far as from us to Chicago. Perhaps they would be interested in meeting if we drove to say Rockford? We could make a day date out of it and they could take the bird and give us a little bit in return for him. Say 15-20$?

You are a SUPER SWEET PERSON   
BTW how is that young man with the combine encounter doing?

thank you very very much. That's so kind of you to say. We want him to go to a good home. We had planned to keep him but unfortunately we are both overrun with cockerals right now and also lost all but one of our salmon favorelles pullets from last year. I think they had had a bad time shipping. We lost two right away as chicks and an older girl to a freak accident later leaving us with just the one pullet. Who's awesome by the way!

He's doing good last we heard he had broken one bone in his leg and needed some stitches but was expected to make a full recovery. He was very lucky that they saw him backing towards it and were able to turn it off. It was winding down when he backed into it. Turns out they had been shoveling up spilled corn when it happened. Still terrifying. He was very very lucky that day. Thank God there was no permanent damage and he didn't lose the foot or leg. Or of course his life. That is why I always tell DH2B to be careful when he heads off to work. I've ridden in the combines and tractors it's fun but you can never forget that those machines are huge and dangerous and to be respected. The tires on DH2B's family's equipment are taller than either DH2B or I.

When I was in high school a student was killed when his tractor rolled on him in a ditch his friends were there in their own tractors and couldn't save him. That is why when you get stuck behind a tractor be patient they will get over when they can if they get over in too steep of a ditch it could be the end of their lives. People need to appreciate farmers more. What they do is extremely dangerous even if they do everything correctly.

Edited because of autocorrect errors.