Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[rachelsflock]

I was going to say I wish we had chipmonks (less trouble than rats most of the time!), but then I remembered...
My darling muscovy ate my chipmonks.

Sometimes because of giant ducks I can not have nice things. Just nice ducks.
Lol.

 

[1muttsfan]

Mink and ferrets are both members of the Weasel family, along with ermine (stoat) and Martins, about others. They are ferocious hunters and excellent at varmint control. If your coop has been properly predator proofed they are not a hazard, and will decimate mouse and rat populations.
As will owls, which is possibly one of the very best arguments against putting out poison bait, as sick animals eaten by owls kills them and removes an excellet natural top predator.

 

[rachelsflock]

Yeah, I thought of that and stopped using it as soon as I got all the giant rats. Poison scares me. We need those rat killers to kill rats, not chickens. Plus, chickens and ducks eat rats.

 

[RaZ]

I'm waiting for the owls to migrate through the area. I loved walking the woods last year when they were hooting and screeching. It was an eerie delight to hear them.
I've seen an uptick in hawks this week. Mostly red tails. Love seeing them too.

As far as mice and rats, I haven't seen any rats. A total of three field mice since I moved up here. Those meeeces were killed by my dogs. The new pup has caught several voles since I adopted him. Between the cats and the dogs, mice, voles, and chipmunks are pretty much taken care. No need for poisons. I wish that stuff would be outlawed. Rodenticides kill far more than just the mice and rats. Snap traps and water traps are much better if you do have mouse/rat problem. The chipmunk trap I bought in Spring worked very well but you have to be willing to SSS with that.

 

[RaZ]

Only a couple of days late in sharing new coop photos.

 

[Folly's place]

Ready for winter?
Mary

 

[1muttsfan]

Looks like the turkey likes it.

 

[RaZ]

Looks like the turkey likes it.

He is standing watch over the chicks. He spent one night in the coop and I don't think he liked it very much.

 

[Folly's place]

FowlFest is coming up, November 3d and the morning of the 4th. I'm planning on going Saturday. Birch Run, not so far from here.
Mary

 

[1muttsfan]

Bit of a long drive for me, but wish I could