NY chicken lover!!!!

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Luv--you have squirrels running there. Lead poisoning works great. As far as the idea of the fridge outside storing the feed, I wouldnt. Most critters wouldnt be able to break into it but you are inviting bear trouble if you do that. Bears can easily break into locked and chained fridges and freezers, even dragging them off into yards to work on them. A bears sense of smell is very powerful and the feed inside would bring them in for an easy meal.

I hope everyone is well. Hoping to be on more often now that things have calmed down some.

I don't like to use poison. My cat likes to bring me all sorts of critters and I don't want to risk the old man to get hurt.

We don't have to many big critters like bears and such around here so I'm not to worried about those. Haven't decided anything yet. Just and idea.

 

[rancher hicks]

I don't like to use poison. My cat likes to bring me all sorts of critters and I don't want to risk the old man to get hurt.

We don't have to many big critters like bears and such around here so I'm not to worried about those. Haven't decided anything yet. Just and idea.

I worry about poison getting to where the chickens can get to it. Plus the Decon stuff is little pellets and looks like layer pellets. But I have used it in the past.

I heard the turkeys this am. I was up before dark and took water out. Is there any way I can help the turkeys? I hope to do some evergreen plantings this year. I wonder if it would hurt or help to dump some corn near where I see a lot of tracks? I have seen them once scratching where I dumped the coop cleanings.

No bears but I do believe possum and coons and fox and coyote.

I do wish folks would put their location under their avatar so I had some idea how close these bears are.

 

[horsekeeper]

pharmchickenmom - not doubting you at all .... but what is the difference between a frig or freezer outside and a trash barrel inside a barn ?

Wouldn't the smell attract no matter what ? Or is it because the feed would be closer to the coop ?

Wondering as I am designing a new coop and trying to figure out a really good place to store feed .... and convenient!

I'll start by saying we don't have a bear problem here. I built my best coop in stages. Started with a 6' x 16' structure that had a 6x6 coop with attached 6x10 covered run.



The next year I converted the run side to a matching 6x6 coop and had a 4-foot space between coops. I built a shelf to hold the feed cans and have space underneath for hay/straw/shavings. I store a pitchfork, shovel, and broom behind the door and have small tools like scissors and scrapers hung above the window. The window is heavy wire with clear plastic roofing that comes off for warmer weather. Works great.

 

[bakingintherain]

I love my ice cleats, I have had mine for almost 10 years and they still work perfect

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Nice coop Horsekeeper! I went online and ordered those yaktrax. Hopefully they will be here thrusday. Stopped snowing here and its melting. Means it will all freeze tonight and be fun driving and walking tomorrow. Oh, when I say lead poisoning I mean bullets (22) or pellets (air rifle). I dont use poisons or pesticides for pests. The chickens eat most everything and the little owls that live around here pick off most of the mice.and voles. Speaking of, the reds are out wandering the backyard trails I made walking out to their coop. Their reward was a few handfuls of sunflower seeds. Not that they are spoiled or anything. ,

Rancher--Im in northern ulster county in the catskills. Bear central around here. Luckily the citiots leave their trash cans out and the bears like those easy meals as opposed to my chickens. However, we do keep tabs on where the locals are. Not really interested in having to shoot any breaking into our coops. The youngster that was by last spring had a very unpleasant experience that night and we havent seen him since.

Looked out the window to see some of the red girls wandering around the back yard and coop through the snow. Rotten liars. Always yelling at me to shovel the white stuff so they can come out. Ive been had I tell you. Who says chickens are dumb?

 

[jennianne]

I finally broke down and bought some Yaktrax ice cleats for my boots. Boy do they work good, even on sheer ice.

I went online and ordered those yaktrax.

I ordered a set, too, lol. Mine should be here Wednesday.

 

[Lapeerian]

Picked up my hatching eggs this morning for the Valentine's Hatch Along! 8 partridge rock, 8 buff Orp, and a couple mix eggs. Deb might be getting out of Welsummers, got some Cuckoo Marans to work with instead, but is looking for breeder quality rooster, so if anyone knows of some. No hatchery birds. She also needs some Speckled Sussex pullets to refresh that flock.

 

[Beer can]

pharmchickrnmom, I'm in Delaware county, on the other side of the Catskills were you the one who posted they had bought feed in Oneonta? It was somewhere I hadn't heard of and I don't remember where the person said

We have plenty of bears here also. They haven't bothered my garbage cans behind the garage yet but they wreck havoc on the farmers field of corn directly behind our property. They knock down a minimum five acres of corn. I missed a huge one 350-400lbs with my bow back there two years ago, it surprised me, I walked right up to it ripping a hole in the farmers wrapped round bales. I almost turned around and ran home, but thought what the heck, here's my chance the Indians did it and let a arrow rip, went right under its neck, I was aiming at it's chest broadside 25 yrds! I never miss! I swear I wasn't shaking! I just thank God I didn't wound it. Haven't seen it with a rifle in my hands. Two days before that I had a small cub walk right up to me bowhunting on State Forest land, that really scared me when it let out a growl and ran, I didn't want to see it's mamma! I use to keep my feed in a chest freezer in the garage. Being it was sealed I guess it could have led to moisture problems. I need to rodent proof my back room, mud room, chipmunks and red squirrels come in and steal feed, I keep it in garbage cans in there now to keep the critters from stealing it.

 

[Tough Old Bird]

Will we be seeing you at Chickenstock?? Sounds like temptation will be overwhelming there....

Hiya Boskelli! I am doubting it, as we are up at our family cottage in Canada the end of May. Cottage season up north is relatively short, and we like to go up and spend as much time as we can, while we can! I am keeping a finger on the Chickenstock pulse, and reading up on plans, just in case.....

Luv.......as far as the idea of the fridge outside storing the feed, I wouldnt. Most critters wouldnt be able to break into it but you are inviting bear trouble if you do that. Bears can easily break into locked and chained fridges and freezers, even dragging them off into yards to work on them. A bears sense of smell is very powerful and the feed inside would bring them in for an easy meal.

My friend is a bear biologist (retired from the state dec) and has told me that keeping a clean yard and feed in the cellar or garage will help keep bear issues to a minimum. .... Respect and understand the wildlife you live with and you will be able to live peaceably with them.

Good points made by pharm. The reason I bring this up again is because up in Ontario where we have our cottage, there was a nuisance bear who literally broke down a kitchen door into a small home nearby. Prior to this incident, he had shown up at a couple of our neighbors' cottages and been chased off .... but at this particular home he came back a couple of times and broke into a refrigerator they had on their front porch. He also found a bowl of apples they had outside on their porch. Because of his repeat offenses and bold behavior (breaking down the front door and entering their kitchen!), this bear was eventually shot and killed. Pharm's right about a bear's sense of smell. I wouldn't tempt fate with an outdoor fridge IF you live in an area where bears are sharing your neighborhood. Just my 2 cents, but thought I'd mention this story as it was relevant to the question about an outdoor fridge.

TOB

 

[Beer can]

Not many breaking and entering bears around here, but give them time I'm sure they will. Mostly destroyed bird feeders. And tore up garbage cans. People I know with bee boxes have electric fences around them.