Maine

[CoopChick719]

Came home tonight to find my little Fav nesting in the pen behind the pallet hide

and a baby skunk in the pen as well. I slowly backed away, went into the coop to close the pop door in case Pepe Le Pew decided to wander into the coop. Went back to the pen to see Pepe walking behind the pallet with my Fav. Went to get a better flashlight, Pepe was gone. DH looked all around no sign of a hole in fence or ground. I think the skunk walked through the fence & chainlink pen. I scooped Mabel up and put her in the coop with her buddy, the BCM.

 

[MEMama3]

We are headed off to the fair today. I am so excited to visit the farm buildings! They redid the goat barn. I guess they made a little goat playground. My dh always gets me something special at the fair as an anniversary present. I asked him if he'd get me a chicken to celebrate 9 years of togetherness. He said "I thought you promised no more until spring". Darn that memory.

 

[buckabucka]

We had two litters of skunks here this year. They were all over the place and could easily walk through the chickens "restricted free-range" fences. Luckily, they never came in the coop, even though it is wide open during the day.

I haven't seen the skunks at all recently, but I'm sure they are around. Our corn is disappearing in slow motion, and I think raccoons would take it all in one night.

I run down the road in the morning in semi-darkness. If anyone ever sees me out there, they must think I am crazy because I am weaving all over the place. Every time I see anything with a little white on it (usually it is just a piece of trash), I quickly move over to the other side of the road.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

We had two litters of skunks here this year. They were all over the place and could easily walk through the chickens "restricted free-range" fences. Luckily, they never came in the coop, even though it is wide open during the day.

I haven't seen the skunks at all recently, but I'm sure they are around. Our corn is disappearing in slow motion, and I think raccoons would take it all in one night.

I run down the road in the morning in semi-darkness. If anyone ever sees me out there, they must think I am crazy because I am weaving all over the place. Every time I see anything with a little white on it (usually it is just a piece of trash), I quickly move over to the other side of the road.

I let the animals out really early about a month ago. I had to be in at work at 0500 so I let them out at 0230. I went from the garage to the chicken coop, opened them up, then out the other gate and to the duck enclosure. I was wearing a head lamp but it was pitch dark. As I open the duck gate and walk in something white catches my eye at the corner across from me. I take a step back and shine the head lamp on it. It was a skunk. INSIDE THE FENCE. I am not sure I've ever moved that fast in my life. It wasn't pretty. I managed to get to the front porch and at that point I realized I left the duck fence open and the skunk could be anywhere, now. I contemplated my fate for about 5 minutes, considered breaking the front door down, but eventually decided to secretly slink to the goat house while madly sweeping with my head lamp, feed them (because they were going to wake up the neighborhood (they knew I was out there with food), and then slowly go back to the ducks and hope my striped friend was gone before heading back inside.
The duck enclosure was clear of skunks.
However, I ran into it again on the way back to the garage.

I was very lucky that morning to not be sprayed.

 

[anyasmifya]

I love the skunk stories. For some odd reason my coon cat (the one in the photo with me) Heidi, has a skunk friend we named stinky. Every once and awhile I will see them hanging out together! I don't yell at them for fear the skunk will spray me or Heidi. I guess skunks and cats get along. Or at least mine do!

 

[buckabucka]

Cats and skunks do usually get along (or at least that makes two of us!). Our baby skunks were quite friendly. There were 5 of them and I had to be careful not to startle them, but they were not afraid of me at all, wandering right by me as I went about the yard doing chores.

Soon, I will have to don a headlamp when running down the road (assuming I can keep this up for a while). Right now, it is only semi-dark when I head out, but I usually go right down the center of the road. It is easier to spot skunks there, plus all the dark bushes, logs, and trees look like lions, bears, and ax murderers to me. I never really lost my childhood fear of the dark. It makes for faster running!

 

[lazy gardener]

Here's a good read about assessing hens for productivity. http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/ALBCchicken_assessment-2.pdf

Today, I blocked off a small section of the garden, and started working it up for a winter crop of lettuce, radish, spinach, chard and kale. The girls were lined up outside of the make shift fence, coveting the freshly turned soil and my little pots of transplants. When I took out the seed packets and started sprinkling those seeds, they went absolutely nuts. Those seeds rattling around in the packets and falling on the soil... sounded just like scratch. They were astounded that I didn't allow them to share the activity.

 

[quailtrail]

Here's a good read about assessing hens for productivity.  http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/ALBCchicken_assessment-2.pdf

Today, I blocked off a small section of the garden, and started working it up for a winter crop of lettuce, radish, spinach, chard and kale.  The girls were lined up outside of the make shift fence, coveting the freshly turned soil and my little pots of transplants.  When I took out the seed packets and started sprinkling those seeds, they went absolutely nuts.  Those seeds rattling around in the packets and falling on the soil... sounded just like scratch.  They were astounded that I didn't allow them to share the activity.

I can just see it!!! This being my first winter with my chicks...what can be planted now for winter? I read up on planting grass and sprouts, in doors for thr winter.

 

[buckabucka]

I'd like to know more about planting now as well. Last year, I started some things (I think maybe early September), but they never grew enough to be eaten and died during our many freeze-thaw cycles over winter. This year, I started seedlings in July, and then it was really hot, so I didn't transplant out for a while. A few things bolted in the pots, and all looked pathetic when I put them in. Now, the arugula and mustard look great! I have a little lettuce growing, and the spinach: half bolted, and one variety is hanging on.

Now I wish I had more plants, but I was thinking it is too late. I suppose if I can get it to germinate, maybe this will be a better overwintering year. Chard sounds like a good idea. Maybe I'll give it a shot.

 

[MustardTiger]

I've got chard, radishes, kale, lettuce, cabbage, spinach and peas still going. But they are going sloooooowly. I planted them in late august - some directly and some from transplants. I think with the change in the angle of the sun, they may be getting too much shade from one giant pine I have. My peppers are still going crazy too. They are soooooo late this year and pretty small. Same with the eggplant. After this crop is done we are going to till under and plant winter rye. I am going to try and plant some in the run. My run is really muddy and messy right now. I am thinking of cutting another pop door in the back of the coop and making a second run so that I can rotate them.