NY chicken lover!!!!

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Hi all....Its been quite a while since I was on last. I like to come on to see how everyone is doing. Something happened a couple of days ago that still has me shocked. Ive been a chicken mom for 7 years (this time) and I went out to feed my chickens and everyone of them was dead. Feathers and birds were scattered all over the coop. I still can't believe what I saw. Tomorrow morning my grandson and I are building a weasel trap. If I want to have chickens again, I need to be sure that I can keep them safe. In the spring, I'll go around the coop burying hardware cloth. Some were 7 years old. We've never had predator problems outside of the neighbors dog. Be alert. Just because it hasn't happened doesn't mean it won't.

I'm so sorry!! I had the same issue this spring. I went out and all of my large fowl were dead. A weasel had gotten in and killed everything. It is so heartbreaking..

 

[horsekeeper]

Happy birthday by the way. It turns out that we rented a several acre pasture that used to be home to buffalo back in a day. It has several outbuildings on it and running water and electric. I was thinking of getting a goose or geese as protectors. Looking into Americans (lavender ice) or Possibly Ebdens. I want friendly geese toward us but intimidating to predators. Also is it better to hatch your own. I was going to try to get eggs but I think I really want a sexed pair, but only if they have a good chance at being friendly. If not hubby is convinced they will be dinner. Do you recommend a breed.

I have embdens and really like them. Not sure if I have a pair, but I do have five extras left from hatching out a bunch from my breeding pair last year. They act aggressive but calm right down when I pick them up. They spent several weeks being carried one by one out to a doggy playpen in the spring and summer to get some grass and sun and spent their nights in the bathtub. I incubated them because Lucy goose just can't seem to hatch any on her own even though she tries so hard.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

Thanks everyone! I think I will be placing an order for some Roman Tufted goslings from Sandhill as my birthday present to myself

Happy Birthday Pyxis! Sounds like a fantastic birthday present!

 

[cutipatooti]

Thanks Pyxis and horse keeper. Pyxis I'm thinking I want a bigger goose. I'm still torn on if I should get some or not. The property is very open and I'm afraid of hawks. There is some electric fence in place but not all of it has electric. The property is a few minutes drive from my house so I want to deter anyone or anything from entering when they shouldn't. I'm nervous it will hit maturity and turn nasty

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Happy Birthday Pyxis!

 

[Beer can]

Happy birthday by the way. It turns out that we rented a several acre pasture that used to be home to buffalo back in a day. It has several outbuildings on it and running water and electric. I was thinking of getting a goose or geese as protectors. Looking into Americans (lavender ice) or Possibly Ebdens. I want friendly geese toward us but intimidating to predators. Also is it better to hatch your own. I was going to try to get eggs but I think I really want a sexed pair, but only if they have a good chance at being friendly. If not hubby is convinced they will be dinner. Do you recommend a breed.

I wish someone on here was getting Cotton Patch geese, on the smaller side, friendly, and I think the only domestic goose breed that can jump up and fly from a standstill, good at evading predators. Rare though, only see a few breeders that have them.
Not all geese are 'man killers'... Only geese I've seen were though Lol!
Pilgrim (sexable by color) and American Buff are a couple others that are known for being docile, and both easy to find.
Man, now I'm looking at geese again, how many birds can one have before spouse freaks out? I might be better off with geese though than ducks as far as predators go, hmmm,

 

[Beer can]

Sorry to hear of those with weasel problems/attacks. Pound for pound the absolute worse predator ever as far as I'm concerned, size of a chipmunk, tenacity of a lion. My Dad who always had chickens, never got them again after a weasel visited. Just took the heads off every chicken he had.
I had one, a ermine, white, in our back room a couple yrs ago, was scared to death I'd loose all my flock, nope, didn't touch them. My FIL swears they will not harm chickens, fed one for yrs that visited him, he only had problems with opossums and raccoon.
I don't trust them, don't know if maybe some turn bloodthirsty or what? Don't know if there is much you can do besides eliminate the offender, wouldn't want to or trust spending $$ on caging all birds in with hardware cloth, bet they are like a mouse, if they can find a place to get their nose in the body will follow. Dad eventually got his with a rat trap, they are so light no other trap will work, and apparently looking for a live meal not bait. Good luck.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Its SO COLD ...my chicken only has 1 leg now ..LOL


Not REALLY ..she is tucking the leg to warm it up ..
Cowboy Did this today too...Forgot to take his Pic ...
I just picked him up and hugged him and held his feet in my gloved hands to warm them up

 

[cutipatooti]

I wish someone on here was getting Cotton Patch geese, on the smaller side, friendly, and I think the only domestic goose breed that can jump up and fly from a standstill, good at evading predators. Rare though, only see a few breeders that have them.
Not all geese are 'man killers'... Only geese I've seen were though Lol!
Pilgrim (sexable by color) and American Buff are a couple others that are known for being docile, and both easy to find.
Man, now I'm looking at geese again, how many birds can one have before spouse freaks out? I might be better off with geese though than ducks as far as predators go, hmmm, :/

I've heard of cotton patch geese. I think GFF keeps a few but does not sell them. I could be thinking of a different farm though.

 

[boskelli1571]

I like coloring myself, when I find some time before bed. I've been coloring the same complicated design for the past six months!

A few minutes at a time. But I skipped a few weeks here and there. I saw a nice one with cats.
So I have two chickens that had leg mites. At least, I hope it's 'had' and not 'still have'. I had bathed them in tick shampoo a couple months ago. The thing is, the ugly raised scales are still on there, falling off really slowly. I think they have bumble foot too. I hear I have to cut into their feet

Which I really don't want to do, but I suppose I have to. Can any of you tell me what supplies I will need, other than a scalpel? Like antibiotics and bandages and such

There is an excellent article in the learning center on 'how to' do a bumblefoot. You will need: large towel (over the birds head)' scalpel, some gauze, pair tweezers (toothed if you can get them), pair scissors, bowl warm water, antibiotic ointment, alcohol to clean the instruments with, iodine to clean the skin with (before surgery).
I read the article several times and then did a bumble - it was quiet easy as long as the chicken co-operates