NY chicken lover!!!!

[huntin fool]

oh yeah, look up norway rat on google images and you will see how big they get.. and ugly too

 

[JLaw]

Last I knew Chipmunks lived in trees, not holes in the ground. Only time I see squirrels or chipmunks dig holes is to bury/dig up nuts, and those are just small holes for a couple nuts, not digging to China against a foundation. My vote is on some ground dwelling critter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_chipmunk

~~It can climb trees well but constructs underground nests with extensive tunnel systems, often with several entrances. To hide the construction of its burrow, the eastern chipmunk carries dirt to a different location in its cheek pouches. It also lines the burrow with leaves, rocks, sticks, and other material, making it even harder to see.[7] It has several bird-like or chattering calls; one is a trill at the rate of 130 vibrations per minute and another is a lower-pitched, clicking sound.[6]


And to top it off I have them trying to live under my coop also. But the jokes on them I built my coop on the only sure ground I have in my yard. That's the back part of my black top driveway. I've seen them run under my coop this summer but the jokes on me also. They burrowed under my house and live down there now also lol.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

The humidity in the coop is okay. I try to make sure that it is airy. I have the 2 big windows at the top where the wind blows through. I have one side window closed cause I get tired of shoveling snow out of the coop. I don't have an enclosed covered run so they have to go out. There food and water I put outside. They spend most of their time either under the coop or in the duck hut.

When I was letting them out this morning I scooped him up. His comb looks better. I put a little vaso jelly on it. He was so good. I don't like to hold him to often, but he has a good understanding that momma is incharge! He is so good. I didn't want a rooster, but as a surprise, he was a good one!

Lynzi as for your hole..I agree with the others. I don't think that it is a chipmunk. Yes the live in burrows, but..."Burrows are usually well hidden in woodpiles, near stumps or brush piles or around the edges of buildings. The chipmunk also disguises its burrow entrance by carrying the dirt away in its cheek pouches and scattering it away from the burrow, making the burrow entrance less conspicuous".I think that you may have an opossum or skunk. Good luck either way

 

[miquwid]

Thanks everyone she is doing great all cleaned up, I just wanted to make sure she got healing nutrients in her. Well actually i let her clean herself up I just helped a little bit. It's snowing but not a lot I'm finaly starting to get use to the weather takes me a bit every year. Chickens are still not eventuring out much but I keep all food and water in the run nothing in the coop to keep it dry and clean. The open air coop works out great and I just over the top of the run so that no snow is on the food but there is still a top vent on the run as well as coop to make sure all raising air escapes. I do think I'm going to buy an electric water bowl I'm kind of done with this water issue didn't like it last year and definitely hating it this year. Since all that is in the run I'm not worried about humidity. The chicks are great they seem very strong and active I think I like this hybrid, they should be good for both meat and laying. I'm believe that I can feather sex this bunch which would leave me with 5 females and 2 males, plus both males have black dots on their heads. But only time will tell if I'm right. I looked at their vents and it's definitely hard to vent sex them as what I read LOL.

Jlaw don't be so hard on yourself your doing the best you can and your baby girl needs much of you as well. I'm glad the surgery went great I wish you all the best.

Hunting Fool I'm agreeing that does look rat - ish to me. Yeah norway rats are insane around here the neighbors told me they were bad but have been able to control them.

Vmdanielsen buckeyes I've heard are quite a nice breed I was thinking about trying out a few but maybe later on, I still have some pullets that just are not laying yet but sure are eating everything LOL.

My dog is like so that is what happened to my crate. Yup a local chicken friend gave another dog crate for the dog since I was using this one for quarentine measures all the time at this point I'm going to put a roost and nest box in there. I like how he had to lay down and watch to the chicken.

 

[Lynzi777]

All the chipmunks around here live in the ground. I had a family of at least 4 or 5 this summer living in my front yard. Had big holes popping up right in the middle of the yard.

On another note, I have never in my life seen a rat in person other than the pet store! I'm not saying it's not possible that they are around here, but I don't think there is much around here for them to live off of so I don't know why they'd wanna come around a place with no food left outside. I give the chickens and ducks just enough to finish off their helping in a day. There is never any feed left outside laying around.

 

[Lynzi777]

Lynzi as for your hole..I agree with the others. I don't think that it is a chipmunk. Yes the live in burrows, but..."Burrows are usually well hidden in woodpiles, near stumps or brush piles or around the edges of buildings. The chipmunk also disguises its burrow entrance by carrying the dirt away in its cheek pouches and scattering it away from the burrow, making the burrow entrance less conspicuous".I think that you may have an opossum or skunk. Good luck either way

Oh this hole is much too small for a skunk or opossum. The reason I say Chipmunk is because like you said - this dirt and rocks/rubble had to be "carried away" somehow to get it all out of that hole/tunnel. I'm going back out there in a few minutes to see if whatever it is dug the hole out once again after I filled in it again this morning

 

[Lynzi777]

I cannot get over how cold it is, it's snowing, and these guys are STILL in their pond! LOL They're crazy!

 

[huntin fool]

Quote:
best bet is wait until some fresh snow look for tracks, take pictures

 

[Lynzi777]

best bet is wait until some fresh snow look for tracks, take pictures

I'll try, I just know how much snow will fall under there since it's under the overhang of the roof. But I will definitely keep a look out for tracks.

 

[huntin fool]

Quote:
you could always sprinkle some powdered snow over the area before nightfall, in the a.m. i'll bet you see tracks