New Mexico

[Whoops]

@blaundee I was one of the ones asking about classes. Specifically, I want to learn how to process. I am a wimp, but I have started hatching eggs, which leads to roosters. . .

Also, I need to learn woodworking skills, enough to build a sturdy coop or three.

For rabbits, all I can think of is snakes and dogs, neither of which will be helpful. Maybe use predator pee in the areas you specifically want to keep them out of?

 

[blaundee]

I understand the "wimpiness" with the butchering, I still feel it myself hahaha

As for rabbit control... shot gun. You can shoot them with a .22 if you don't have close neighbors, and you can eat them, if you are opposed to just leaving them to rot.
Shot guns work great on coyotes, too, & their hides are valuable if you properly stretch & dry them (not tanning).

 

[Peep_Show]

Wellllllll......I live in Corrales. No shooting of anything allowed, especially coyotes. Neighbors are kind of close, too (although we all have guns!)

I'm all for the Cycle of Nature and letting the coyotes feast thereon. I did send away for some Rabbit Scram from the folks at Spray-n-Grow which supposedly smells like death to rabbits so that they'll avoid the area it's applied to. But it's not cheap and I anticipate a large area and long season....

 

[blaundee]

How much land do you have? I'd say get some dogs, and be PICKY about the sort of dog you get- they need to be brave enough to bark & chase rabbits & maybe coyotes, but smart & trainable enough to learn to leave your other animals alone & to OBEY- you don't want an unruly bunch of disobedient dogs eating your chickens & cats & neighbors! (even little dogs will chase the rabbits off, & kill those that they do catch- but little dogs alone are coyote bait, so I'd throw a heeler-type into the mix too as long as it didnt kill chickens- chicken killers dont live long at my house. Though not a breed typically known as useful ranch dogs, my Labrador is an awesome ranch dog (thanks to his great temperament & Hubby's great training)- he stays home all the time, never wanders, doesn't hurt poultry (even baby chicks) & can be left alone with them, doesn't hurt goats or sheep or cats (though he WILL chase cats, he doesn't do anything but wag his tail & bark when he catches them, & lives on theback porch with the outdoor cat... supposedly a "barn cat", but he lives on the back porch & eats the mice that want to come inside lol), and he chases coyotes off. Anytime I let the chickens roam, I send him with them & I have not lost ONE bird while he was with them. Oh, he also makes me feel quite safe, too, because he is intimidating toward men outside of our family- however, I can very easily control him with one word & he is safe to be around & play with.). Since you live in town I'd put up a fenceless system to keep the dogs home, & an electric fencing system- the right one will discourage coyotes & rabbits, & encourage chickens, dogs, & goats to stay in. Then get goats I've had goats for 26 years and never lost one to any predators, though I lose many chickens each year to coyotes, bobcats, hawks, etc. I live on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, and we have a lot of predators that live in the woods. The goats & sheep roam all day by themselves & have never been bothered. Our neighbor a few miles away had a goat killed by a bear last summer (a "problem bear" with a tracking collar on it- they always bring bears that bother people in the cities to our area, oh yay), I saw it in our big pasture a few weeks before it got the neighbors goat & it was HUGE, the biggest black bear I'd ever seen in real life- the only bears I've seen in real life that were bigger than this bear were Grizzlies in Alaska! After that, MIL decides that she needed a llama to protect her sheep, but I honestly don't think a llama is going to do anything against a bear. The only defense my family has ever taken against bears (we've had them visit the chicken houses before, completely ignoring the goats & horses) is loud dogs to sound the alarm & a gun to remedy the situation.

 

[CibolaChooks]

@blaundee

Also, I need to learn woodworking skills, enough to build a sturdy coop or three. 

I could teach you wood working and help build a coop. Maybe i could earn a small sum. Moneys been avoiding me as of late. Im a little disappointed i havent finished my tiny cabin in my mountain homestead but I'll get there someday. Here's what my woodworking skills are. I built this 95% all by myself. Ive built and redone (improving) my goat pen 4 times and have built 8 chicken coops and runs
I need to finish a few things on the outside like the cabin and window trim, skirting and what not.

 

[CibolaChooks]

Heya, Steen!

I still haven't built my chicken coop yet (been busy painting the interior of this place before I move in), but this summer I would love to hatch out some Legbar eggs if you'd be willing to sell.   Would love to see some nice blue shells amidst the marans brown.   Just sayin'......

Nice batch o' goats you have there.  Unfortunately, my property is a coyote thoroughfare.   And I dare not discourage the coyotes or I would be overrun with rabbits.  Both husband and I actually fell through the earth and into a massive rabbit warren.  Ugh.   It was like quicksand trying to wade out as the soil surface just kept crumbling underneath our feet.   I'm thinking they will make veggie gardening a challenge.

Besides coyotes, does anyone know of a good rabbit deterrent?

Ill be able to get some CL eggs togeather for you,

my land in the mountains has three packs of coyote. I lost cream legbar babies and 30 ams at the beginning of the year. I bought two great pyrenees manly for goat/chicken protction( i have a large mountion lion and a huge male bobcat) and a bunch of coyote so they will protect my chickens when i sell the goats. Im keeping two goats but the rest have to go. I also have a blue mearle aussie mix whos good around my geese ducks chickens and goats. My protection is a few months away from being locked in. The pyrenees will also keep people out.

 

[blaundee]

Whoops- if you're willing to put some time & driving & some sort of payment into it, I'm sure you'll be able to learn everything you want to learn from some of us all on here. We have different skills, & even different takes on the same skills, and actually DOING something in person is SO much better than youtube or books (though I do loveyoutube and books! )

 

[CibolaChooks]

If anybody has large projects they need help with or small ones they want nothing to do with labor wise i have some free time to help. i could use the work and can do anything. Im proficient at everything except electrical stuff.

 

[bumpercarr]

Hi! New to this forum, live in Tularosa and my latest project is Brahmas. Currently have some mixed layers (Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rock and sex linked) and a pen for my LF Brahma project with a pullet and cockerel that I hatched out at the end of July. Well, I didn't actually do the hatching, I had a silkie mix do it for me

 

[CibolaChooks]

Hi!  New to this forum, live in Tularosa and my latest project is Brahmas.  Currently have some mixed layers (Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rock and sex linked) and a pen for my LF Brahma project with a pullet and cockerel that I hatched out at the end of July.  Well, I didn't actually do the hatching, I had a silkie mix do it for me

nice to see that you joined byc bumpercarr. how is your project going. It's nice to see more and more people in New Mexico join the site