Maine

[superchemicalgirl]

I would love to try the camel milk bar!! THere is a family raising camels for milk down south as it is so supposed to be SO good for you. FDA won't allow them to sell it. I wish they would. Camels, llamas, all of it!

You know SCG, explaining that fishing line idea might be nice. I figure its lines of fishing 'wire' across an open area to deter the hawks. I was considering pretty streamers, like windsocks only pretty, but invisible is good. What impact does it have on the hawks? And since I didn't get the duck or the mathbox I think Widget should forfeit or have to share her dark chocolate!

I will probably have some when you come over. There are ways of getting around FDA... like selling the bottles, the milk is free. Wink, nudge.

The fishing line idea... here it goes. My run is pretty big, there's no way I can net it with traditional methods (see picture although the lines are clear). So I string up fishing line haphazardly from fence line to fence line, zig zagging across the run in a horrible cats cradle type of game. I leave gaps maybe 4 feet across at the biggest hole (although they are by no means square). As my fence runs up and down a hill the lines are also 3D, kinda like that scene in mission impossible. The fence is 6 feet high so I don't have a problem with the lines, only in the winter if it's a wet storm or ice storm it will sag, and then I get all tangled up. BF on the other hand at 6 feet 4 inches... Is always getting tangled if he goes in. There's probably 40 to 50 strings of fishing line up there.



I'm not sure exactly how it deters hawks. Obviously I don't know if they can see it. I know hawks are very agile and are able to swoop down with ease and precision. However, I have lines snapped from time to time but no missing biddies, so it either slows the hawks down enough to give the chickens time to run under or in the coop for protection or it snags the hawks. I have had my (stupid) turkeys get snagged in it occasionally but I wouldn't say they're intelligent enough to see and avoid it. The turkeys have always managed to get out of their snag without hurting themselves, although they do snap a line sometimes.

What is a mathbox? Is that some kind of torture device for small children? "WHAT IS THE SQUARE ROOT OF 4? ... FASTER! FASTER!"

 

[ashandvine]

I will probably have some when you come over. There are ways of getting around FDA... like selling the bottles, the milk is free. Wink, nudge.

What is a mathbox? Is that some kind of torture device for small children? "WHAT IS THE SQUARE ROOT OF 4? ... FASTER! FASTER!"

MatChbox, as in car. Its a running gag that tripped because it couldn't C.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

MatChbox, as in car. Its a running gag that tripped because it couldn't C.

You know I love those puns.

 

[macchicken]

howdy ;; just wanted to drop a note,,, and a thank-you,,, to you guys.. the wife and i went down to longhorns in buxton today ..wow they have some birds huh,,we put in an order for six comets(pullets) comin this week-end and we could'nt leave without two liitle silkies that somehow got trapped in with the turkeys ,,,the wife spotted them and said "oh those two are coming with me " !!! and just like that the hotel is full ,,lol ,, thanks again ,,,have any of you guys got any advice on silkies and comets ,, the silkies are a little small but fully feathered so they are in the temp cage inside the barn till they geta little bit bigger,, but hopefully those comet pullets can go right in with the rest when they come ,,,,,,,,,,with a little supervision at first ofcourse .. but anything you guys might have for tips will be put to good use ---thanx--phil..

 

[buckabucka]

I like the birds-eye view of your coop, SCG! At first I thought I could detect the fishing line, in perfect neat rows, which had me questioning your sanity, but then I realized it is the window screen .
I have some shiny silver streamer-type stuff I keep threatening to hang, but I'm not sure it is weather-proof. Right now, we just provide a couple of pallet-on-2x4-legs hawk shelters, along with a couple of bushes. We haven't lost anyone yet, but they do get locked into their covered run if we are gone for the day.
DH looked out today and thought the chickens had all escaped, but it was a bunch of wild turkeys outside the run. For some reason, they don't come around here all that much.

 

[kinsey228]

I've had 3 Golden Comets, and they've been pretty awesome layers of big brown eggs, and they're quite cold hardy. I have a Silkie roo and he thinks he's the dominant one over 2 other breeds of roosters. He's pretty nice though. Good luck with your new birds. The chicken math has started ! Becareful

You may one day wake up and have 30-40 chickens.

 

[ChickMagnet207]

If you get any chickens from long horn pet make sure you check them for parasites, we got a few last year that were loaded with lice and their beaks were trimmed pretty bad a few had twisted beaks..... good luck!

 

[ashandvine]

If you get any chickens from long horn pet make sure you check them for parasites, we got a few last year that were loaded with lice and their beaks were trimmed pretty bad a few had twisted beaks..... good luck!

Double posting issue again. Sorry. See below

Hey chickmagnet207... were your ears burning yesterday?

 

[ashandvine]

My computer didn't post my reply here. huh?
Long Horn also sold me crosses which they advertised as pure, were fairly poor about their shipment notifications, didn't have prices on most of their things I looked at, had terrible customer service, and when I pointed out that they had sold me crosses they didn't bother to fill the rest of my order/call me for it.

 

[gracejr]

I must say, I love my chickens! The original reason was for utility, fresh eggs and eventually healthy meat. I didn't realize how FUN they would be! Just went to let everyone out, they were all following me around like puppies, begging for scraps. Even the two roos! LOL