Illinois...

[Molpet]

We get several hawk attacks every year. Thankfully most attacks are not successful, yet we seem lose 1-2 birds almost every year. In 2018 we actually had 3 terrible attacks resulting in record losses. One in March was responsible for injuring Princess. (It was gruesome, she got away, but the damage was severe. I had to put her down out of mercy.) About 2 weeks later, I think the same brazen hawk also took out several quail (while INSIDE the garage). Just walked right up to their cage & started pulling them through the wire bars! Then in the fall we were getting multiple daily attacks. Eventually, the hawk killed my only CCL. She was a smart, fast bird, but the hawk was too determined. The flock has been locked up since Nov. Richter loved to be outside with the chickens, but both dogs passed away this fall. I'm hoping our new boy will become a good deterrent.

Here he is with his new battle cone.
View attachment 1669477
As far as my turkeys, they must think they're chickens. That could explain why they're laying so early. I wouldn't be surprised if the roosters were mating them. They bow for me as soon as I open the door. Such silly creatures.

You have had your share of hawk troubles
Richter should be a good hawk deterrent... mine will chase the hawks... if he sees them
if I didn't have to keep... every..single... girl..I..hatch..I would have enough room to keep them locked up if I had weather to processed 2 of the boys in the bachelor pad, like I planned for mid Jan, I could move the extra hens in there.

 

[Faraday40]

Here are some pics of my roosters' combs after the polar vortex. My coop is not heated but well ventilated.

Lav orp cockerel got it the worst. His poor wattles! He decided to try eating snow.

Mr Wonderful got some on the very tips. (This is his 2nd winter, but nothing happened to him last winter.)

"Puppy" has more comb marks from agitated hens than frostbite issues.
BTW- What are your opinions on his lacing? He's definitely NOT as pretty as Mr Wonderful, but he's getting better with age. (Now 6 mo) I don't think I'm going to breed him.....

Not a rooster, but poor Tillie got some frostbite as well. There's just not a lot we can do when the high is only -15'F.

All the other hens had no issues. Except "Trouble" was unhappy about the cold.

 

[Molpet]

Dinner and the other roos are just going to have blades. The spring cockerel too.. The younger cockerels just have a touch like yours. I have plenty of ventilation, but the freezing rain raised the humidity and then the temp dropped.... hard to get less humidity than the outside.

Here are some pics of my roosters' combs after the polar vortex. My coop is not heated but well ventilated.

Lav orp cockerel got it the worst. His poor wattles! He decided to try eating snow.
View attachment 1669521 View attachment 1669522

Mr Wonderful got some on the very tips. (This is his 2nd winter, but nothing happened to him last winter.)
View attachment 1669528

"Puppy" has more comb marks from agitated hens than frostbite issues.
BTW- What are your opinions on his lacing? He's definitely NOT as pretty as Mr Wonderful, but he's getting better with age. (Now 6 mo) I don't think I'm going to breed him.....
he is pretty but not as nice as the other lace
View attachment 1669524
View attachment 1669532


Not a rooster, but poor Tillie got some frostbite as well. There's just not a lot we can do when the high is only -15'F.
View attachment 1669525 View attachment 1669526


All the other hens had no issues. Except "Trouble" was unhappy about the cold.
View attachment 1669540 View attachment 1669539

 

[Molpet]

https://patch.com/illinois/plainfield/zombie-deer-or-chronic-wasting-disease-reported-illinois
"....ILLINOIS — Chronic wasting disease, sometimes called Zombie deer disease, has been found in Illinois and 23 other states. Should you eat venison?

"Zombie deer disease," a deadly infection that causes deer to dramatically lose weight and coordination and turn aggressive, is spreading across North America, a government report warns. Affecting deer, elk and moose, chronic wasting disease, as it's officially known, had been reported in YOUR STATE and 23 other U.S. states, as well as two provinces in Canada, in January 2019.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which issued the warning, said there's no evidence people will be harmed if they eat meat from infected wildlife. The number of states reporting chronic wasting disease is up by two this year, the agency said.




The affected Illinois counties are:

1. Boone
2. Carroll
3. Dekalb
4. DuPage
5. Grundy
6. Jo Daviess
7. Kane
8. Kankakee
9. Kendall
10. Lake
11. LaSalle
12. Livingston
13. McHenry
14. Ogle
15. Stephenson
16. Will
17. Winnebago

 

[BReeder!]

https://patch.com/illinois/plainfield/zombie-deer-or-chronic-wasting-disease-reported-illinois
"....ILLINOIS — Chronic wasting disease, sometimes called Zombie deer disease, has been found in Illinois and 23 other states. Should you eat venison?

"Zombie deer disease," a deadly infection that causes deer to dramatically lose weight and coordination and turn aggressive, is spreading across North America, a government report warns. Affecting deer, elk and moose, chronic wasting disease, as it's officially known, had been reported in YOUR STATE and 23 other U.S. states, as well as two provinces in Canada, in January 2019.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which issued the warning, said there's no evidence people will be harmed if they eat meat from infected wildlife. The number of states reporting chronic wasting disease is up by two this year, the agency said.




The affected Illinois counties are:

1. Boone
2. Carroll
3. Dekalb
4. DuPage
5. Grundy
6. Jo Daviess
7. Kane
8. Kankakee
9. Kendall
10. Lake
11. LaSalle
12. Livingston
13. McHenry
14. Ogle
15. Stephenson
16. Will
17. Winnebago

I live in Will... I don't get Venison unless I'm lucky enough to get meat through a friend of a friend who goes hunting. I do worry about our local deer though. I enjoy seeing them in fields and the woods, not to mention I'd eventually like to learn to hunt them myself.

 

[NotAFarm]

Easter Hatchalong thread

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-10th-annual-byc-easter-hatch-a-long.1291653/

 

[AmberZooKeeper]

Welcome to the Illinois thread and
I try to feed all my poultry organic feed...as far as I know all the organic is non medicated... I have not had any chicks get sick..... I have had poults get sick with what I suspect was coccidia, they are more fragile thsn chicks the first couple of months.

Hi! I feed mine organic as well. What do you pay for yours if you don't mind me asking? Just wondering if there is something out there that won't put me in such a hole while still feeding organic feed. (Mine free range, get vegetables and fruit, etc. still in a sink hole with them . Just breaking even would be nice!)

 

[Molpet]

Hi! I feed mine organic as well. What do you pay for yours if you don't mind me asking? Just wondering if there is something out there that won't put me in such a hole while still feeding organic feed. (Mine free range, get vegetables and fruit, etc. still in a sink hole with them . Just breaking even would be nice!)

Right now I am getting "Prince" at Ludwig's in lemont$30 for 50lbs
I was getting at a co-op in fairburry for $25 but they closed the feed division. They were over an hour away anyway
I feed 3 bags a week.... Between meat and eggs I eat, eggs I sell... I am$100 a month in the hole ... But most of mine are meat mutts and don't lay well... and the 9 turkeys eat a lot
ETA I have 60 some chickens

 

[Faraday40]

Did anyone else have to chip away at the coop just to open it up this morning?
Oh the joys of "wintery mix"! I once again have a wet run.

DH drove DD to band practice to find out there was a late start & before school activities were cancelled. Oh well. They grabbed some shovels & helped the maintenance man get the car lane ready. After that DD stayed to help the teachers babysit the little ones who were dropped off at normal time.

 

[Molpet]

Did anyone else have to chip away at the coop just to open it up this morning?
Oh the joys of "wintery mix"! I once again have a wet run.

DH drove DD to band practice to find out there was a late start & before school activities were cancelled. Oh well. They grabbed some shovels & helped the maintenance man get the car lane ready. After that DD stayed to help the teachers babysit the little ones who were dropped off at normal time.

just above freezing when i went out. I left water in 3 of the coops because we were supposed to rise above freezing and it's a bit warmer in the coops. The 4th coop has too many birds for feed and water. I didn't go out until about 9.. 2 +hrs later... 2 of the coops have standing water in holes they dug...dirt floor.... I put some alfalfa cubes to soak up the water... they don't want to eat those anyway and it's a good use to get rid of them. Supposed to rehydrate the cubes and it's high in protein. I thought it would be a good winter treat, but they disagreed.