"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[LaDoodler]

We hear coyotes nearby sometimes at night. But, in the two years we have lived here, which is a couple of miles out of town, I've never spotted one on our property, night or day. Also, haven't seen coons or possums, even though a large ditch that holds water is nearby which I would think would encourage them to be in the area.. Other than locking the girls and Rudy up, I've done all that I can to protect them during the day - electrified fence around the pen. Ran fence around the large clump of trees where they can feed and hide. And they are securely locked up in their coop at night, which I "think" is pretty secure. During the day, I'm frequently outside doodling in the garden, working to add features to the coop, etc. So, I have continued to hope that being seen is a deterrent to daytime predators. Didn't work on this hawk though.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Victoria had her beautiful baby girl!! Congratulations!! Welcome little one!!

 

[LaDoodler]

Victoria had her beautiful baby girl!! Congratulations!! Welcome little one!!

Beautiful!! Grandbaby? We have 19, and love all of them dearly. Bright lights in our lives all of the time.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Beautiful!!  Grandbaby?  We have 19, and love all of them dearly.  Bright lights in our lives all of the time.

No, long term member of this thread, BugglesMom.

 

[Ron Skekel]

Thank you everyone for the nice compliments. It's been a lot of hard work to build the coop. Especially the pred proofing. I think I've done more digging on this job than I've done in my life, and I've dug quite a few fence posts in my time  It will certainly pay off and already has. I've gotten more enjoyment watching the chicks grow. I've always thought chickens are comical animals. But chicks are so funny. I've spent many hours with them and have gotten a lot of laughs. I'm most certainly an animal lover and have been my whole life. With these birds I really have to keep it in mind that some of them will be food.

TerriLaChicks, the birds are barred rocks from Ideal Hatchery.

Hey Pam, your birds are beautiful. Your really making me want another breed.  

Topdog, my plan in the beginning was to build for 50 birds with raising some for eggs and some to eat in mind. Then it dawned on me that I'd eat most of my flock without being able to have laying hens year round. I built the coop bigger so I could have a perpetual flock. I'm already wanting to get more but I'm not sure what direction to go in from here as far as the type of breed goes.

@ Ricrow, my apologies for making you jealous Not my intentions. LOL.

Congratulations you have graduated from chicken math to chicken fever.
I'm happy to supply you with any of the breeds I have that you are interested in. Pam

 

[Ron Skekel]

You're not mixed up, that was me. We ended up not going because it was $33 just to walk in the door, not counting tests/meds/whatever else, and a 30-minute drive to get there.

I had another hen go down before the weekend; I thought she was egg bound and worked on that for a while, but her symptoms really started to look like the cocci. I treated for that and she rebounded. So now even though my pullet has the wet/dry pox, I'm treating for coccidiosis because that's really what it looks like.

That's what we're here for. Next time post what's going on. I can't tell you how many hen's we've saved by giving advice over the Internet. We're here to help.Pam

 

[campingshaws]

That's what we're here for. Next time post what's going on. I can't tell you how many hen's we've saved by giving advice over the Internet. We're here to help.Pam

Thanks, Pam, that means a lot. I have threads for each of them in the emergencies forum. I like posting here, but sometimes I feel like the newbie pest that panics over every little hiccup.

 

[Ron Skekel]

Dang it!  Lost one of my RIR girls to a hawk yesterday.   At the end-of-day feeding, I didn't get the usual rush of all 8 girls and Rudy, my rooster, to the gate as I approached their pen.  I found that very curious since it's never happened before, but chalked it up to grandchildren visiting and feeding them some scratch.  Thought they just might not be hungry.

By the time I reached the coop, only Rudy and four of the girls were with me to eat.  Finally, all but one came out of the trees that are in their pen, but even then, just didn't eat with the normal enthusiasm.  When one didn't show up by almost dark, I went looking and found her.  I was startled that a hawk flew off as I approached her carcass.  It was too dark to realize that it was still there, and to see what kind it might be, as if that makes a difference.

I had been confident that the trees and the brush underneath would be the safest area of their pen.  I assume that if there was to be a hawk attack, it would happen in the open, grassy area.  Maybe the hawk did get her there and carried her into the trees for its meal.  That hawk must be pretty brave, since our grandkids and I had been in and out of their pen a number of times yesterday.  And, I worked in the garden part of the day that is within earshot of their pen, and heard nothing.

I'm wondering if Rudy did anything to protect her.  He just may be too young yet to be the tough guy I hope him to be.

These are my first chickens in a long time, and really hate losing her.  They are our pets, which makes the loss that much more difficult.  And, they've just started laying. I'm sure folks that raise large flocks of chickens wouldn't give this a passing thought, and probably just can't understand we backyard chicken keepers feelings about such.

Most of us feel this way even the ones with large flocks. It knows there is food now it will be back. So be prepared. May be put them up early. Now you know it not only upsets you but your whole flock. Pam

 

[PrimroseMom1]

That's what we're here for. Next time post what's going on. I can't tell you how many hen's we've saved by giving advice over the Internet. We're here to help.Pam

You guys saved Primrose recently. She DEFINATELY would have died. She's fine now, except for molting.

 

[Ron Skekel]

Thanks PrimroseMom1.  Yes, still bothered by the loss, and probably will be for a few days each time I count them to make sure all are there, and come up with 7 instead of 8.  I raised them from day old biddies.  Hope I scared the hawk enough that it won't be back, but doubtful.  Anyway, I'm scanning the trees and skies more than I have been for a while.  Hopefully, I'll spot it while it's scouting out it's next victim and can scare it off before that happens.  Also, maybe my girls and Rudy will be a little more diligent. Come on Rudy, man up, or....rooster up! :yiipchick

It takes a while for them to be mature enough to fight for their hen's he's a baby. I am sorry for your loss. You know what scares them?....Bullets!!!