You need an incubator! If you can wire a lamp, you can make an incubator! Makes for a fun wintertime project and cost about $20 if you can scrounge a lot of your materials.
Maine
- Thread starter chickenboy
- Start date
What do you need to make one?
I'm using a small havahart trap. Origionally got it for a baby squirrel who somehow got in my cellar. Cute but could have been such a mess. The squirrel we caught a couple of days ago was almost too big for the trap .
A styrofoam box, or a cooler, or a couple of cardboard boxes and some newspaper, a picture frame, a light bulb and socket, preferably 2, a computer fan, a 12V converter, and a $16.00 thermostat from Incubator warehouse. You'll also need some duct tape!!! There are plenty of tutorials on BYC for making them. Do a thread search for "Rush Lane". He has a great video.
What are you using to catch the squirrel? I had good luck last year with big rat traps, but that was for the smaller flying squirrels. Squirrels and chipmunks... people who have never had to deal with their destructive tendencies don't understand what a nuisance they can be! I remember when I used to think they were cute...
In other rodent news: my dead mouse count is up to 22 for the season! (I use the old fashioned snap traps and have only had one instance where it wasn't a clean kill.) I know I should really find where they are getting in, or get a cat. Two problems with both of those plans - 1) this is an old house... the minute I plug one hole they've got another 2) my greyhound has a very keen prey drive when it comes to felines! Alas, I'm stuck with my traps all over the basement and attic.
My dachshunds love catching squirrels, the 13 year old black and tan especially likes knocking them off.
If I have any complaint about my Doms, it's that they are too "nice". They tend to let all of the other breeds in my flock bully them. But, today, I witnessed something that gives me hope for them finally getting to the point where they take their rightful place in the flock. The girls have 4 nest boxes to choose from. Every morning, they must take a vote to see which box will be the favored one that day. Well, this morning, my RIR (who is the Alpha hen) was hogging the "box du jour" and one of the Dom gals decided it was time to lay an egg. So, she hopped in the box, ignoring the growling RIR, walked right over her back, even sat on her back for a bit before shoving her aside and settling down at the back of the box. She kept her head tucked down under RIR belly so she couldn't get pecked! YOU GO DOM GIRL!!!
Went to get the chickens out this morning and found fort Knox covered in raccoon prints. All over the roof and around the sides, nice to have fresh snow to see them in. No damage, no injuries. Just wanted to let others know the predators are out there still. I set up my game cam again.
So glad Fort Knox passed the inspection.
I also like checking out tracks in the snow to see who has been by. So far, it is just the neighbor's cat and dog. Glad your raccoon could not get in!
Me too, although it's a bit unnerving to find out what's really out there.
It's still opossum time here, haven't caught the sucker yet.
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