NY chicken lover!!!!

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
I know how you feel...I had a hawk take my BLRW cockerel and my fav cochin...so sorry..I love NN I hen two hens...so cute. My family thinks they are to so cute..
We didn't get the snow..cold and windy..

You could try a ruger "air hawk". It it is pellet gun that shoots 1100 feet per second. Really quiet. That is what my husband got for me..haven't had to use it yet. Had one hawk attack. Poor bird lived but she was so ....damaged.

 

[Cydney83]

Quote:
I know how you feel...I had a hawk take my BLRW cockerel and my fav cochin...so sorry..I love NN I hen two hens...so cute. My family thinks they are to so cute..
We didn't get the snow..cold and windy..

You could try a ruger "air hawk". It it is pellet gun that shoots 1100 feet per second. Really quiet. That is what my husband got for me..haven't had to use it yet. Had one hawk attack. Poor bird lived but she was so ....damaged.

I may have to ask for that one...tho we did put fishing line over the top of the pen and we haven't see it again....you are so lucky your lived...my husband and small son saw the attack...if took their heads right off...I just couldn't go and see it..my little son was so quiet and didn't know what to say..I was worried he would have nightmares but he must be small enough that it didn't stay with him...

I have managed to sell a few more "older" birds...only 2 roos to rehome and 2 more older hens...will be down to what DH says we can have...got 9 eggs..no lights yet...

 

[rancher hicks]

Quote:
I've heard that before, but not sure if it really works. If it will keep coons and the like out of a coop, I'll tell DH to go out there and mark all of em. LOL. He won't mind!

Well folks keep making jokes and just think I'm an old coot and don't know what I'm talkin about but I've been doin it for over a year. I've seen a raccoon on the ice near the creek this past spring but no tracks in the snow nor any others. I have a friend not to far who has seen a fox and another who has lost chickens to them. So until I learn other wise I'll continue to "mark".

I have some strips of fabric tied to trees in a few strategic locations in the woods and places where I "mark". I know there are Coyote too. I think I've heard them early in the morning, but not seen them. If I do I'll "mark" them too.

The hoop coop is a bit farther from the house so I'll be watching for tracks when it snows.

I did see a rabbit in the yard the other night and I like that.

 

[In His Service]

Quote:
I know how you feel...I had a hawk take my BLRW cockerel and my fav cochin...so sorry..I love NN I hen two hens...so cute. My family thinks they are to so cute..
We didn't get the snow..cold and windy..

You could try a ruger "air hawk". It it is pellet gun that shoots 1100 feet per second. Really quiet. That is what my husband got for me..haven't had to use it yet. Had one hawk attack. Poor bird lived but she was so ....damaged.

I like the sound of that...oh Santa...

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

Quote:
I know what you mean. My DH wants us to downsize and so far we've only sold 1 hen. We've slated a trio of BBS marans, 3 buff brahma roos, 1 mille fleur d'uccle roo, mille fleur/black cochin bantam cross hen, and some of my project BLRW/blue orp crosses to go. These are all from this past spring and summer hatches. I told him we should try craigslist first then if no one shows any interest they can go to auction next weekend. I think he wants to sell his 2 2yr old cuckoo maran hens too. I also think we've got some assorted OE birds from this year's hatches he's getting rid of.

It makes sad to have to decide which ones to go. I love my birds. But when he counted 115 birds a week ago and mentioned feed costs I couldn't really argue.

As for food I'm enjoying things cooked in the oven because it helps warm up the house. I really like baked buttercup squash with brown sugar and butter. I even got my girls to try it for the first time this week and they realized that it was pretty good!

edited to add something i forgot to mention

 

[Cass]

Tab's chicken obsession :

Quote:
I know what you mean. My DH wants us to downsize and so far we've only sold 1 hen. We've slated a trio of BBS marans, 3 buff brahma roos, 1 mille fleur d'uccle roo, mille fleur/black cochin bantam cross hen, and some of my project BLRW/blue orp crosses to go. These are all from this past spring and summer hatches. I told him we should try craigslist first then if no one shows any interest they can go to auction this coming weekend. I think he wants to sell his 2 2yr old cuckoo maran hens too. I also think we've got some assorted OE birds from this year's hatches he's getting rid of.

It makes sad to have to decide which ones to go. I love my birds. But when he counted 115 birds a week ago and mentioned feed costs I couldn't really argue.

As for food I'm enjoying things cooked in the oven because it helps warm up the house. I really like baked buttercup squash with brown sugar and butter. I even got my girls to try it for the first time this week and they realized that it was pretty good!

edited to add something i forgot to mention

Now I would take some of those birds, if reasonably priced, HOWEVER this is the wrong time of year for me to add birds. I have no place to quarentine them in this cold, so I have to wait til spring. Besides, what would I do with another roo? I have 5 already and no one wants them. 2 of them are wonderful birds, I just have too many.​

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

I know what you mean about roos. I think most of the birds we hatched this year were roos.

 

[marquisella]

Back from Crossroads, got in just after 11pm last night...Took 12 hours....I'm a little tired still.

I never saw so many poultry in one place...and birds were huge! And beautiful. Thhe areas was about the size of Progress building at the State Fairgrounds full. Loads of birds for sale.
I came home with some Coronation Sussex and Light Sussex pullets...Kept myself from buying any Silkies though.

 

[Cass]

Tab's chicken obsession :

I know what you mean about roos. I think most of the birds we hatched this year were roos.

Ironically, I only "hatched" one of these, the rest I BOUGHT. What the he** was I thinking? So, since I have MONEY invested in them I hate to eat them, But I hear roos are good eating. The one I hatched I may eat in the spring, but the other 4 I need to make my choices and rehome 2 of them.​

 

[CT]

So all this talk of the menfolk "marking" the territory to deter predators brings back to mind a question I've had for a while and never have actually tried to get an answer for. Does it have to be male urine or is this just recommended because guys are better equipped for outdoor peeing? Frankly, I don't think I'm going to convince my DH to pee outside and even DS takes convincing, but I'll bet the kids and I could pee in a bucket or something and sprinkle the area around the coop and run. So, is the testosterone somehow essential to this process, or does it just have to smell like human?

Fortunately, no predator attacks yet. The hawks know I have chickens, but they can't get to them.