Maine

[CoopChick719]

Welcome MainerChick! We've got a good group here. Sounds like you'll be busy!!

Are you putting scratch in your FF?  If so, that's why they are billing it out.  I just use the pellets, so there's nothing for them to want to pull out of the mix.  They clean it right up.  You might be feeding too much.  I feed in the morning, (they clean that up within 2 hours) then give them scratch or some more FF when I bring them in from free range.

Yes, I was throwing scratch on top bcause they were not eating the FF alone. I have 15 chickens and was feeding them 8 cups of FF then throwing out some scratch to get them back in from free ranging. I've had to work late this week so the poor things have had little free ranging time especially with the time change. I've been feeding dry lately using Lisa Steele's Breakfast of Champions recipe. They seem to like it.

In rat adventures, I have noticed new tunnels by the compost, so maybe they gave up on the hoop coop. It will be easier to fight them in the compost, so I'm hoping that is the case. DH has had some success by running the propane flame weeder down their hole (not lit, just let the propane leak out). Let it settle for a bit, and throw a match. You wouldn't want to do it under a structure, of course, but it has worked in our compost before.

I did try the "hose attached to the car tailpipe then shove it down the rathole" method. I haven't seen any bodies and I think I may have gassed myself in the process. I was looking at a propane fogger at TSC. Not sure I want to spend the $ on it.

Ooohh BF bought my a propane torch weeder cause I had been insistent I wanted a flamethrower and he assured me that I didn't need one nor would it be safe for anyone. He'd better not catch me terrorizing rodents with the weeder... 

What he doesn't know won't hurt him! I say fry the suckers!

My DD & I have discussed the pros of a flame thrower for snow removal many times. DH says we'd probably burn the house down. We saw one at Harbor Freight recently. He saw my eyes light up then said, NO!

We're not the average group of females, eh???

I'm glad I've got you ladies because the girls at the office are horrified by some of my rat stories. Even my friend, who is a former Marine, shakes his head at me. He also told DH, "For your own safety, Don't p*ss her off."

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Farming is tough and I'm also glad we have each other here for support... and to give us wonderful ideas (cough, bucka).

I've learned to lie at work when people as "got any weekend plans?" Killing, disemboweling and butchering poultry, then making a lovely stock out of the leftovers isn't what people want to hear, apparently.

 

[buckabucka]

At school, we were asked at the beginning of the year to make a poster introducing ourselves to students. We could add photos and they wanted us to post some highlights of our summer activities. All the posters are on display in the hall, most displaying pictures of grandchildren or a fun hike. I did put a photo of our camping trip, but that was only the last weekend of the summer, so I added a photo of what I really did. There I am, sitting on the ground in filthy clothing, surrounded by dirt piles, carefully sewing together pieces of hardware cloth with florist wire. Captioned: Rat-proofing the chicken run

 

[superchemicalgirl]

This is why I love you.

 

[buckabucka]

 

[lazy gardener]

Wouldn't a Maine Reunion be fun? But, it really wouldn't be a reunion in the literal sense of the word, b/c that would imply that most of us have not met before! Wasn't it Ash who set up an egg swap a couple of years ago? Did that really happen???

 

[buckabucka]

Yes. It was fun to meet ashandvine and see her beautiful property. I can't remember the names of the young couple that also was there, but they are the people who live off the grid (and make a mean chocolate chip cookie!).

 

[MainerChick]

Sounds like a wonderful time. I'm sure we'd attend if it was with an hour or so of our location.

 

[VardoChicken]

I know we'd try and make it. Catching up with all the replies here is my Sunday morning pre-alarm ritual. I look forward to reading everyone's adventures in chicken wrangling. My coworkers already think of me as the crazy chicken lady. It would be fun to meet in person. Maybe a potluck or something - beer counts, right ?

We've been lucky with rats...we had a couple in the coop that were upsetting the ladies a few months ago but we set snap traps baited with a combo melt of Starburst and Tootsie roll (a gooey mess my farmer friend swears by for rat attractant). You nuke it and set the trap. Nothing else seemed to work, but this stuff is like rat crack. I guess he didn't tell his friends because we've seen none since.

We're trying to finish out the Chicken Dome (geodesic dome Dh built for extra chicken space at the end of their runs) but $$ and time seem never to align quite right. We saw a few flakes flying yesterday but then the sun came out! With any luck we might get another couple of snow less weeks to work on it. Part of the issue is trying to find a cheap material that will stand up to snow to cover the **** thing. I think a few heavy duty tarps should do for 1 season. The dome design should theoretically prevent snow buildup...And the girls will love all the extra space!

Not our dome, but it sure looks like ours!

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I finally got all the wood stacked and restacked today, plus the bee hives have been winterized. I'm not taking any chances, we had snow here in October.