Maine

[learycow]

What is up with the rats?
I have a TON of them too all of a sudden. I've had birds for YEARS and never had a rat problem. Now they are digging holes all around my coops, snatching ducklings out of my chicken tractors, etc.
I set up a normal rat sized trap and got one, but there are new holes so I know there are more rats

 

[buckabucka]

So, after you fry that first rat, are the rest of them supposed to be stupid enough to follow suit???  I'll be watching for your success.  So far, I've not seen any signs of rats, but know it's just a matter of time until I do.

My sister said that with hers, she would catch a few rats, and then they would stop going in there. She would go back to the procedure of turning it off, and leaving bait within easy reach for a while, and then turn it back on and catch more.

I don't know if the rats I have are very cautious, or if they are mostly dead, as they did haul off a lot of poison late in the summer. We had the game cam set up by one of their tunnels for a while (which is how we knew we had rats, not just mice or chipmunks), but we need to put the card back out there so we can check it out again soon.

We'll likely be moving the hoop coop this weekend, but plan to put the rat zapper in the hoop house for a while, and once it gets cold, we'll put it in our basement to catch house mice.

 

[lazy gardener]

I started a test batch of sprouts last night. They soaked over night, and have since been rinsed x 2. They were already showing faint signs of germination this morning when I rinsed them. Awesome germination speed. Will open the other bag this week and test them as well. Plan to add some BOSS to the mix, and perhaps some millet and some lentils.

 

[suzMEchicks]

Is there anything sadder looking than a seriously molting chicken? One of my leg horns is quickly getting bald. The good news is her next feathers are already sprouting so she will be re-feather ed before it gets too cold.

 

[islandgirl82]

Is there anything sadder looking than a seriously molting chicken? One of my leg horns is quickly getting bald. The good news is her next feathers are already sprouting so she will be re-feather ed before it gets too cold.

I was just thinking the same thing. What a miserable process it must be for them. I only have one molting now (top hen) and it's a heavy one...well beyond anything she's gone through before. She's normally the first one to come running and never hesitates to jump into my lap for treats but now she keeps her distance, not wanting to be touched at all. She looks half hedgehog. For her sake, I can't wait for it to be over.

 

[lazy gardener]

My girls are also heading into some serious molts. One of the pullets looks like the aftermath of a pillow fight. Today, they were eating their first jar of sprouts, and one of the other girls bumped into the pullet who's in heavy molt. A pile of feathers cascaded down to her feet. They literally fell out in clumps. Yesterday, I thought she'd been attacked b/c half of the primary feathers on one wing were stuck out at 90* and twisted sideways! If there's a bright side to this story, it's that they're molting early, so should not be nude during the nasty cold winter.

 

[suzMEchicks]

Very true about the timing of the molt. I wonder why some do and some don't. This leghorn is one of two chickens who are usually the dominant ones. She seems to be holding her place for now. I'm wondering if they all will molt this fall or is it not a sure thing? One of my RIR has been on a slow partial molt for a while now. Much different from the other one who ,like you said ,looked like she had gotten roughed up somehow.white feathers everwhere!

 

[lazy gardener]

Correction re: molting girl: It's not a pullet, but one of my hens who is doing the pillow fight. She's 20 months old. 2 others the same age are headed into a molt with her.

 

[CoopChick719]

Is there anything sadder looking than a seriously molting chicken? One of my leg horns is quickly getting bald. The good news is her next feathers are already sprouting so she will be re-feather ed before it gets too cold.

You are so right suzMEchicks! My BR cross has blown a lot of feathers recently. My husband said "What's wrong with her?!"

But I can see pin feathers on her head so she'll be okay before it gets too cold. One of my cochins had a serious bald spot on her back 2 weeks ago but is refeathering nicely. My 2 Sizzles have finally regrown their head feathers that those mean RIR's pulled out!! I rehomed them with a friend's son who had 2 lonely roosters. He said they're 2 happy roosters now!

LazyG--how are you doing your sprouts in a jar? I tried that last year but the sprouts molded pretty quickly so I gave up!

 

[lazy gardener]

Coop Chick and Suz: Molting chickens? One of my gals, a 20 month old hen has patches on her wings that look like the wings of any respectable carcass in the meat cooler at Hannaford.

Re: sprouts: I put about an inch of seeds in the bottom of a mason jar, and cover with water. Rinse and let it soak for a couple of hours, or over night. Rinse well, and drain well. I put a piece of window screen or some fine mesh needle point canvas inside the ring of the mason jar lid, and use that to contain the seeds when rinsing. After rinsing, I place the jar, with screen in place upside down in a bowl. I keep it beside the sink and rinse 2 - 3 x/day. After the sprouts have put on a tiny bit of top growth, I put them in the sun to green up for a day or 2 before feeding them to the girls.

If your sprouts don't germinate: It could be that the water is too warm, the seeds are old, the seeds are heat treated, they've soaked too long, they are contaminated with mold or bacteria, or GORK. (God only really knows) What kind of seeds are you using? Oats tend to be difficult. Try wheat and barley. Be sure your barley is whole barley, with the seed hull intact. Pearl barley won't sprout. Try putting a drop of liquid dish soap in your first soak water, or even a drop or 2 of bleach. If using soap, I'd try to stay away from the anti-bacterial soaps.