Michigan

[Mom 2em All]

Wake up Michigan!

I want to share my morning story. Blue Jays are now my favorite bird. And Keyt, I have the duck in the bath tub- if somehow I can get him to you today, that would be great.

I was outside filling the bird feeder and the ducks and chickens were all around me on the ground. I heard a weird bird sound and looked up and some small hawk was circling the neighbors yard- too small to be a red tail- perhaps a falcon. My fowl were clueless. This bird was too small to carry one off, but large enough to cause injury/decapitation. Then the blue jays came. There must have been at least twenty of them, and they chased this hawk/falcon away- it kept trying to come back, and the blue jays just kept increasing in numbers until they managed to drive it off. Finally my ducks/chickens got a clue and they went into hiding under the bushes. Well, Mr. Jax- my problem duck decided while hiding it would be a great opportunity for him to try and mate with the chickens- and chased them right out in the open to become hawk food.

I snatched him up, and he is in my bath tub until I can transport his overzealous butt out of here. Bad enough he is so over-zealous, but to do that in the middle of hiding from a hawk?

I called my husband and said, "Im giving him away". he will get over it.

As far as the blue jays go, I used to be aggravated that they took all the peanuts before the squirrels could, but now they will all get more peanuts. I think that in my situation where I can't have a rooster, they are the next best thing.

 

[A2SciTeach]

Quote:
The blue jays are protecting their own fledglings as hawks are predators of jays and crows. You will often see crows and other blackbirds chasing red tail or coopers hawks (probably most likely the hawk you saw today.) My chickens immediately take cover when they hear the jays calling, they know there is a hawk around and they head for the bushes. Crows will kill chicks or ducklings, so you may want to keep an ear out for the sounds of crows if you have young chicks or ducklings in the yard, especially if your chickens aren't too savvy in the ways of crows and hawks.

 

[ibpboo]

Here, it was the blue jays that attacked and killed my baby chickies.
I was not aware that they could fit through the wire on the cage I had them in, eating grass for a few minutes. DH went in the house for a minute, 4 of the 5 chickies were attacked. One died, one I wasn't sure if it would make it, but it did, and the others were only hurt a little.
They have never bothered the big girls, but a chick they will kill.

 

[charrisonxstitch]

Good Morning all, and Thanks to the Gals at the rabbit show yesterday for the invite here. We just started with chickens in the spring of this year, two buff orphingtons, one buff brahma, one black copper marans....just added two leghorns, and a Sussex. Oh no, I see a problem....forming a chicken habit! Love my girls!

 

[shelleyb1969]

Quote:
Shelleyb1969 from Brown City breeds Silkies and other bantams.

Thanks Chickflick!

I do have Silkies...I have new roos this year, directly from Bobbi Porto. I also have a young flock (3 mths) of blue and splash Orpingtons (standard size). I'll be going through those and "culling" as soon as they're mature...probably late winter/early spring.

Wynette has gorgeous blue Jersey Giants.

 

[vicki2x2]

Quote:
Uh oh, she found us!!

I was one of those crazy people!! lol Jenny was the other, it was her van you saw the bumper sticker on. Glad you could join us!

Now you can join us for Chickenstock next year!!

 

[Olive Hill]

Quote:

Be careful, it looks like Chicken math is taking hold of you already. Three becomes six which become eighteen which becomes fifty four which becomes...

 

[Riverdale]

Quote:
At Redbird? I have been meaning to go to that one (or the
one in Edmore).

When is the next St Louis swap?

 

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
At Redbird? I have been meaning to go to that one (or the
one in Edmore).

When is the next St Louis swap?

No, the one at the stockyard. The next, and last one for this year, is in November. Usually they're the second Saturday which would be the 13th, but this one was the third so I'm not sure which the November swap is planned for -- the 13th or the 20th. I'll check and post back to this thread with the date. The Redbird one is usually a different weekend than the stockyard one, and I'm not sure they do it monthly -- maybe only a couple times a year instead? I can get dates on that one too if you want though. I know someone who is a regular at both.

 

[keyt1969]

Does anyone have Kim's (mom2emall) number? I have a feeling she already left.

Kim, if you get this msg, I am SO sorry I didn't get your msg til now we've been cleaning. We are about to leave for the store but I gave you my cell number in a pm. We won't be gone too long but after the store we'll be home the rest of the day. I'm SO excited!!