Losing the flock - Update PICS pg7...

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Your gonna believe webster??? he couldnt even sustain on his own when did he have to bring in merriam to help him define things??? And whos the brains in that outfit since he let merriam put thier name first, or even better, did webster just marry into the definition family????

 

[wegotchickens]

How does this all help walkswithdog?
You can debate until the end of time and NEVER agree on the definition.

Can we all agree to disagree?

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
The laws protecting hawks are FEDERAL laws. States have NO authority to contradict those laws.

It is a FEDERAL OFFENSE to kill, harm, or even harrass any bird of prey. This offense can be punished with jail time or several thousands of dollars in fines.

It is sometimes possible to get a PERMIT to kill a hawk, if it is killing your livestock. However, you can NOT legally just walk out your back door and shoot it -- no matter what state you live in.

 

[Mrs MIA]

I would like to be able to let my birds wander without restriction, but my definition of free range has to be a pen large enough for them to roam, but contained to keep predators out. We don't have many hawks, but we have bald eagles that are drawn to the meat left out by the neighboring sled-dog teams. They are big enough to haul off a 25 pound salmon, so I'm guessing they could haul off my biggest roo it they wanted to. The responsible thing to do is to fence off an area and cover it, since you probably can't legally shoot the hawks.
We used recycled gill-nets to cover ours, and it keeps all but the chickadees and squirrels out of the runs.
I fully understand the desire to just let them roam without any fences at all, but you know that the birds won't be safe without some sort of barrier.

I'm sorry...

 

[walkswithdog]

Well, I spent two days running up a twine net at eight feet over their main yard. I'm afraid here free range actually means FREE RANGE on nine acres.

I'm running up something better and more attractive after I get some rest and haul in some more wood.

I'm still looking for DVDs to hang but at least their primary area has a cover now.

I looked into some netting. That spit isn't cheap.

The suckers were out there every time I went out yesterday but at least they didn't get their meal here.

At least with a vastly expanded, sheltered area they have some place to hide. And they are learning to run under cover when I hollar.

 

[wegotchickens]

I save my lids every time I open a can of soup, tuna or whatever. I have one of those openers that doesn't leave a sharp rim. Anyway, you can knock a hole in the lid with a hammer & nail, then string them on fishing line. They will spin and sparkle in the wind as good as any CD. And if you string them near each other they chime and clang against each other.

Sadly, DH threw away my most recent stash because he thought it was a hoarder thing and we won't need any lids for the garden until spring

Obviously I need to start saving them again. But not under the kitchen sink where they can start to rust....

 

[walkswithdog]

Lids... okay kewl idea, I can do that. I do also have to stash them where Laura won't toss them out. She sometimes doesn't understand what I'm saving. I lose a lot of stuff for projects that way.

 

[wegotchickens]

No fun living with a neatness freak....
Expecially if you have the pack rat gene.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Put a wanted ad on your local Craigslist for DVD or CDs and make sure you just say still shinny, don't need to work. I got a huge number offered to me that way once.

Also get anything low to the ground that you chickens would be willing to run under or in. A hawk will not follow. So any old dog house, crates or pallets that you can put up off the ground a foot or so or lean on each other to make a A frame type place to be.

Do you have a mature rooster? If not get one, they scan the sky and screech if the hawks are coming in and all the hens and chicks duck under something.

I tried keeping crows handy but it did not work for me, they came and went as they pleased.

 

[walkswithdog]

I'm working on getting a mature Roo. I know it would help. The BR tom, Jake, just runs under cover after making a funny noise. He cracks me up. Still some of the chickens have learned to watch him.

I've got one pallet, I'd sort of thought that kind of thing might work. I'm also gonna to make a couple hides out of junk branches I have falling from a dying tree.

Thanks for the ideas folks. Hugs.