Minnesota!

[Chickenchick11]

It was thursday early afternoon, from 1 until about 1:15. 

They were as far from the door as they could be, one must have been in the run portion because I don't think the hawk would've been that persistant without a sight line. The run extends under the enclosed part of the coop as well, so they were probably under there.

I wouldn't be surprised if one or two of them ran up there, but the ramp is a bit more exposed so they may have been too scared to make the run inside.

It was quite something alright.

Indeed, after losing red1, the girls have been on lockdown unless myself or the dog are out there.
Ya, and my yard abuts the 35w noise barrier, city hawks aren't afraid of much.

Whoa.

 

[ejb3810]

I caution anyone that has weasels near their coop. They can get in an unbelievably small hole, and if one gets in your coop at night you will have many, most or all of your chickens dead as a result. The killing they will do is quite something.

 

[duluthralphie]

I caution anyone that has weasels near their coop. They can get in an unbelievably small hole, and if one gets in your coop at night you will have many, most or all of your chickens dead as a result. The killing they will do is quite something.

X2..

The only good weasel is a dead weasel!

Luckily weasel do not like dogs, but they can hide any where. A nail trap and bait works well. just make sure the hole is small and the nails close together they will stick their head in anything. I have found conventional jaw traps are nearly useless on Weasel, maybe I set them wrong or they avoid them I am not sure.



Minnie, I am pretty sure you're right on the scabs. The other day I was talking to my turkeys, yeah I do that, and one of the young hens walked up to the one with the black scabs and started picking them off his face.

Then about 2o minutes later the toms were in a group and this Jake and another were going around and around neck wrestling (like finger wrestling except they use their head and necks) Actually though his head is looking better than it was as JJ has stepped up and is not allowing as much BS between the boys.

I know butchering a few jakes and separating them would help, but I so like them to free range and I am sorely lacking in pens. I have been tempted to try my post hole auger this time of year, but I would hate to break it. ( it is a bobcat mounted digger)

 

[Scott16475]

Hi Scott. Is it crazy to suggest putting in a game camera in the coop to see who is laying what eggs? I would LOVE to find out who is laying and what egg belongs to them. I know crazy thought?

Just tonight as I was doing evening chores a deer came into our yard. I know they have been coming in because they basically are licking the feed bowls of the geese and ducks clean. I started putting the dishes away each night but sometimes they get over looked. Well, tonight the deer came into the yard as I was working on putting the geese and ducks in their house. He stood there staring and snorting and stomping at me. I thought that perhaps he just might come at me but then it just turned away. WHEW! I wasn't in the mood to take on a deer!

Hi, Rhetts. My wife and I priced some game cameras and we couldn't find one for less than $200. Admittedly, we didn't look too hard, but we didn't want to spend that kind of money but trust me when I say, wife and I think about purchasing one from time to time.

 

[ejb3810]

An effective way to trap a weasel is with a rat trap. If you crate a small box or use a piece of pvc large enough in diameter to create a chamber for them to go into and place bait in back with trap just in front of bait they will be caught.
There are you tube videos of various methods a person can access.

 

[Dandelioness]

Okay, don't read it until you've fully digested your breakfast -

But I know when my son traps gophers or if/when we dispatch predators, I feel like it's such a waste to just throw the carcass in the trash so we used to bury it. Then it would start decomposing and some dog or another would dig it up and carry it around and chew on it and then try to KISS ME.

This past summer/fall, we tried composting farm carcasses and offal from processing day in a special spot with my wood chip supply. We shall see this spring how efficient that was. We kept the layers very thick and have no evidence of anyone digging through it.

These buckets are something I have not tried yet, but would like to at some point. Maybe one of you could fill yours with weasels or beavers!

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Feeding-Chickens-Maggots.html

 

[duluthralphie]

An effective way to trap a weasel is with a rat trap. If you crate a small box or use a piece of pvc large enough in diameter to create a chamber for them to go into and place bait in back with trap just in front of bait they will be caught.
There are you tube videos of various methods a person can access.

COOL idea, I never heard or thought of this!!



I got a picture this morning of my turkeys head with the black spots, It actually looks better today, I think it is just war wounds as Minnie said.

 

[Rhetts]

Good Morning!

duluthralphie-yes we live on the Iron Range. We moved out to the country last summer. From time to time I would see this rodent running around I assumed was a gopher. My husband kept saying ground squirrel. I really had no idea there was such a thing. I was asking the family if they had any thing like these at their places and no one did. Well, all was fine until they got into the veggie garden and ate the lettuce down to nothing. Then the other veggies were hit. I was frustrated and set out some traps. I never found mounds or holes like from the types of gophers I was used to so we used the kind of trap that snapped shut. Well, I got one right away and then I began my search on the Internet to find out what it was. The Minnesota DNR web did not have anything like it. I found what I think it is. The Franklin's Ground Squirrel. I read up on wikipedia about them and other sites. I really think that is what I am dealing with here. While trapping for those I accidentally trapped 3 weasels this August. First time seeing those in person too. I don't know why I have such a large number of the ground squirrel but they sure do wreck havoc! I would be super scared seeing a mountain lion!! I have heard they are around though.

Thanks for the the rooster numbers everyone.
We really do have so many predators to watch out for. I had forgotten about the fisher. I haven't seen those or mink or martins yet. Hope not to.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Rhetts,
I am surprised you have the ground squirrels if you have that many Weasels running around. They prey on smaller rodents, so I would think they would keep the GS in check. But many people who haven't dealt with or worried about weasels before, they follow mouse trails and will be lead to your coop by them. So aside from all the other reasons of keeping mice and rats at bay around your coop, here is another one.

Ralphie,
Have you applied anything to that jake's head? Can I recommend trying Vicks Vaporub? I had never thought of this or looked it up, but Vicks, since it contains eucalyptus, has some antibiotic properties. I have a Silkie hen with infected nasal passages that I have been trying to clear up. I put Vicks on just to help her breath better and it is seemed to help. I went to Neosporin on her, and it didn't help. Went back to Vicks and slowly it is clearing up. FYI, I think it is from her mop head getting wet that dirty with scratching and peck this winter that started that whole problem. It is gross, but I have been cleaning her up daily and it is slowly going away.

 

[Cluckies]

I have a chicken, baby, who's eggs have been getting softer and softer, today she had a broken eggs half stuck in and half out, I was able to pull it out. I gave her a bath in epsom salts, it was a big mess back there. she has had runny poo for a few days as well. She just started laying about a month ago and her eggs are huge. I offer free choice oyster shell and giver her cottage cheese for treats some times. I have liquid calcium here, but i'm not sure how much to give if at all? anybody dealt with this?