Michigan

[CricketYang]

I have to physically take my cochin off the nest. I just pick her up and put her down by the feeder and waterer. She'll eat and drink, scratch and bathe then I'll just pick her up and put her back in the nest and she's happy.

 

[Olive Hill]

Keyt - That pic of your broody is hilarious. She looks very serious.

I vote Golden Sebright on your lone banty. Definitely not a cochin.

 

[Chickmate]

Quote:
For the second year in a row I have a humongous coon living in my wood duck house all winter. The hole in the box is about 4 or 5" square and it is such a hoot to see him/her come out. First you see the face which is larger than the hole, then an arm comes out, then the shoulder and head, (wriggle, wriggle, wriggle) then the other arm and huge gut and out he pops. The wood duck box is on a tree that is about 200 ft. from my coop.

I'm really proud of my coop and don't think anything can get in, but I COULD be wrong! My coop also sits about 20 ft. from my pond and the coons have parties down there all summer. I'm hoping and praying that my coop passes the predator test!

 

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
For the second year in a row I have a humongous coon living in my wood duck house all winter. The hole in the box is about 4 or 5" square and it is such a hoot to see him/her come out. First you see the face which is larger than the hole, then an arm comes out, then the shoulder and head, (wriggle, wriggle, wriggle) then the other arm and huge gut and out he pops. The wood duck box is on a tree that is about 200 ft. from my coop.

I'm really proud of my coop and don't think anything can get in, but I COULD be wrong! My coop also sits about 20 ft. from my pond and the coons have parties down there all summer. I'm hoping and praying that my coop passes the predator test!

No such thing as predator proof. Whether or not he decides to eat your chickens just depends on how convenient they are relative to other food sources of his liking and availability. One particularly bad summer we had coons rip bolts out of a door to get into a coop and eat poults and keets. We literally had taken to bolting the door shut because they figured out every latch we had and they ripped the bolts right out of the side of the coop one night. That same summer lots of people in the area had problems of major proportions with coons. The population that year was huge and there was more pressure on them to find enough food sources as a result. It pushed them to extremes.

Since you obviously see him on a regular basis why not just shoot him now and get it over with? There are no coon shortages in Michigan.

 

[Chickmate]

Quote:
For the second year in a row I have a humongous coon living in my wood duck house all winter. The hole in the box is about 4 or 5" square and it is such a hoot to see him/her come out. First you see the face which is larger than the hole, then an arm comes out, then the shoulder and head, (wriggle, wriggle, wriggle) then the other arm and huge gut and out he pops. The wood duck box is on a tree that is about 200 ft. from my coop.

I'm really proud of my coop and don't think anything can get in, but I COULD be wrong! My coop also sits about 20 ft. from my pond and the coons have parties down there all summer. I'm hoping and praying that my coop passes the predator test!

No such thing as predator proof. Whether or not he decides to eat your chickens just depends on how convenient they are relative to other food sources of his liking and availability. One particularly bad summer we had coons rip bolts out of a door to get into a coop and eat poults and keets. We literally had taken to bolting the door shut because they figured out every latch we had and they ripped the bolts right out of the side of the coop one night. That same summer lots of people in the area had problems of major proportions with coons. The population that year was huge and there was more pressure on them to find enough food sources as a result. It pushed them to extremes.

Since you obviously see him on a regular basis why not just shoot him now and get it over with? There are no coon shortages in Michigan.

Please, please don't tell me there's no such thing as a predator proof coop! We worked on it so long and tried to think of everything to make it safe for them. They ripped the bolts out of the wood?? Maybe I shouldn't try to keep chickens. I can't kill him, I don't think. Maybe I can.....

I sure wish Big O was still here. He was my Dogue de Bordeaux who passed away last year. The coons stayed clear of him. They know he's gone.

 

[keyt1969]

Quote:
I was wondering Sebright after looking at everyone else's pics from TSC.

I'll try picking up the silkie tomorrow. Hopefully she doesn't try to bite my fingers off again. Both Saturday and Sunday I threw her some bread and she literally jumped up to me as I leaned over to give it to her! Problem is she's under the nesting boxes so getting her out will be difficult. I better find my thick gloves lol

Maybe that would be my opportunity to candle the egg(s)? Or should I not touch it?

 

[Opa]

Olive is right. Coons are incredibly smart when it comes to figuring out how to get to food. They will claw, scratch, pull, and gnaw until they get to what ever they have decided to eat. Hook and eye latches are easy for them to figure out. It is amazing how tenacious they are. That's why I have my coops enclosed with a hot wire. However, they is only one proven coon deterent, death. If you see coons on a regular basis you had better terminate it or plan on losing birds.

 

[fifelakelooper]

Amen to that! Prior to chicken raising I thought raccoons were cute...I truly dislike them now. I'd have no trouble shooting one...sorry animal lovers but what they do to poultry is atrocious!
I just did 'lockdown" for my 8 remaining eggs in the incubator. My first time hatching with an incubator...REALLY nervous. Hope to get some...I candled right before and I think 7 look good...one questionable. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[Mom 2em All]

Keyt-

for my broodies, I set a bowl of food next to them and a small waterer pretty close. That way its there if they want it and dont want to move. Makes me feel better.

I think i have a second broody Muscovy. She has an impressive nest built across from the other broody. Time will tell if she continues sitting or not. May be a false alarm.

 

[chikkaboomboom]

My chicks are HERE!!!! My Post office called me at 6:30 this morning, I tell them I have to put my kiddo on a bus then I will be right there its just up the road, But she says ,well one of our workers is on her way home and she drives right past your house you want them now? YES!... door to door delivery .. all 16 seem fine at the moment drinking and eating and hopping all over the brooder.. I dont have a clue what any of them are..lol..
My hard nosed hubby took every chick out of the shipping box and looked them over...lol.. boy they are loud.....