North Carolina

[Hollowoakfarm]

I read your post voting for coyote last night, Beth, but was too tired to post. I was going to say that I didn't see a coyote walking through the lamb pasture to work harder going over a second fence and just getting a single chicken each time. I figure a coyote would just take a lamb.

After last night though, I'm thinking foxes. Plural. Like Mama and Papa are teaching their babies how to dig under brand new chickenhouses and take five of my teenager BCMs!

One pullet was left dead, four were missing. I have five pullets and four roos left in that batch. (The younger ones, from CSB, are still safe.) Several dug places around the building, one where they went through. Way too small for a coyote. A single possum or coon would only take one chicken. This has to be a family.

Hubby will be reinforcing the chickenhouse when he gets home from work. I've got dog obedience class this evening, so he'll be working on his own. But when I get home, we'll take cages down and put all the chickens inside cages inside the henhouse for the night.

Frustration has set in.

 

[TarheelBirdy]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to look at the pics of the SFH. I posted here and on the SFH board, and it's pretty unanimous that I have three roos and two hens. We will probably get rid of one of the roos.....that will be a tough decision.

Sorry about the predator problems. Every morning that I go out and everyone is all accounted for, I feel relieved.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

I read your post voting for coyote last night, Beth, but was too tired to post. I was going to say that I didn't see a coyote walking through the lamb pasture to work harder going over a second fence and just getting a single chicken each time. I figure a coyote would just take a lamb.

After last night though, I'm thinking foxes. Plural. Like Mama and Papa are teaching their babies how to dig under brand new chickenhouses and take five of my teenager BCMs!

One pullet was left dead, four were missing. I have five pullets and four roos left in that batch. (The younger ones, from CSB, are still safe.) Several dug places around the building, one where they went through. Way too small for a coyote. A single possum or coon would only take one chicken. This has to be a family.

Hubby will be reinforcing the chickenhouse when he gets home from work. I've got dog obedience class this evening, so he'll be working on his own. But when I get home, we'll take cages down and put all the chickens inside cages inside the henhouse for the night.

Frustration has set in.

get hubby to bury a skirt of wire, connect it the existing bottom of the wall/wire and dig a ditch/swatch a few inches down, extend the skirt ATLEAST 2 foot out, lay flat with some stones (or 4X4 for added strength to keeping it down) and cover with the dirt. and seriously think about adding some hotwire along the very bottom of the coop...

 

[BHep]

I read your post voting for coyote last night, Beth, but was too tired to post. I was going to say that I didn't see a coyote walking through the lamb pasture to work harder going over a second fence and just getting a single chicken each time. I figure a coyote would just take a lamb.

After last night though, I'm thinking foxes. Plural. Like Mama and Papa are teaching their babies how to dig under brand new chickenhouses and take five of my teenager BCMs!

One pullet was left dead, four were missing. I have five pullets and four roos left in that batch. (The younger ones, from CSB, are still safe.) Several dug places around the building, one where they went through. Way too small for a coyote. A single possum or coon would only take one chicken. This has to be a family.

Hubby will be reinforcing the chickenhouse when he gets home from work. I've got dog obedience class this evening, so he'll be working on his own. But when I get home, we'll take cages down and put all the chickens inside cages inside the henhouse for the night.

Frustration has set in.

YUP...fox and kits. DeJa vu........

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

Good Morning everyone.

Hollow - I am so sorry you are having such a time with a predator. It seems like foxes are in abundance lately!!

I do hope you can get things squared away and keep your flock from further diminishing.

Mary - you ALMOST have me convinced I NEED a goat. One more bout of poison ivy this summer, and I might be begging DH for one...or else begging the byc'ers to let me feed their goat for a few days...at least until the ivy is gone!!

Just my luck that it is growing all around the coops...I get it just by being CLOSE to it.

Vfem - I would LOVE to learn...I am praying my tomatoes actually ripen!!

CUTE CKICKS everyone!! Ours are due this weekend

hoping for a better hatch rate than last time. 1 out of 5 is rather dismal.

So...I have officially gone crazy!! We have a wedding to go to in August, so I decided to make the girls identical matching dresses...even bought enough fabric to make myself one...if I can figure out how to alter it so it is nursing friendly. Yes, I have become one of those crazy matchy matchy ladies!! LOL

Have a great day everyone!!

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

get hubby to bury a skirt of wire, connect it the existing bottom of the wall/wire and dig a ditch/swatch a few inches down, extend the skirt ATLEAST 2 foot out, lay flat with some stones (or 4X4 for added strength to keeping it down) and cover with the dirt. and seriously think about adding some hotwire along the very bottom of the coop...

Yep. That's the plan. Except we can't do the hotwire at this point, unless we can set it up off a solar panel. Too far from the house to bury lines deep enough to keep the puppy from investigating. The the wire skirt and flare will get done this evening. I think I'm gonna skip class tonight to help. Reilly can handle missing a class.

 

[TheRookie]

how old? hey look boyish with them not having single combs and already red and swollen a bit....
Also how long have you had them? they honestly look sickly atleast the bottom one does???

I've had them since April 28th. They don't act sick but I dont know much about chicken illness... They're about 6 weeks old. What looks wrong with them?

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

I'm cleaning out the barn, and found an old LG incubator that the mice got to and used some of the styrofoam for bedding.

Obviously not usable any more. The heating element is still good. Can anyone who is building an incubator use it? I don't want to mail it, as that would mean I would get the "fun" part of dismantling the thing from the rest of the styrofoam, and I'm avoiding that. I'd rather someone picked it up or I could take it to the next swap in the Fayetteville area, or to WCA.

 

[TarheelBirdy]

I'm cleaning out the barn, and found an old LG incubator that the mice got to and used some of the styrofoam for bedding.

Obviously not usable any more. The heating element is still good. Can anyone who is building an incubator use it? I don't want to mail it, as that would mean I would get the "fun" part of dismantling the thing from the rest of the styrofoam, and I'm avoiding that. I'd rather someone picked it up or I could take it to the next swap in the Fayetteville area, or to WCA.

I'd love to have it. We are going to build an incubator. The only issue is that I don't know how I'd get it from you. I'm not near you, nor do I go to WCA.

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

I'd love to have it. We are going to build an incubator. The only issue is that I don't know how I'd get it from you. I'm not near you, nor do I go to WCA.

I looked on the map to see where you are, and you aren't near any place I might go. I've got a son in Boone, my neurologist is in Charlotte, and I occasionally go to Raleigh. And you aren't near any of them! Perhaps someone else who is driving that way can transport?

Or, you could move......