NY chicken lover!!!!

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I saw on the home page a clip about fodder. Any thoughts of experiences with growing and feeding it? Just wondering

 

[Cass]

Has anyone ever had a problem with falcons? I have lost two 12 week old guinea hens to a stupid falcon! I can only figure the guinea hen because they are the smallest I have free ranging but the darn falcon was the same size. I guess that's what I got them for.

Falcons are birds of prey and sometimes introduced into inner city areas to control the pigeon population. Here in Albany there are a couple of nesting pairs that nest in the window frames of the twin towers. Of course they poop on the windows. Cracks me up that their "solution" created a different problem. (I would hate to be that window washer up on the 40th floor trying to removed dried on falcon poop)

I read (somewhere) that if you take mirror tiles (you can get the little ones at a Craft store) and glue them all over a weather resistant cone and hang a couple of them from your trees around the yard, the reflection of the sunlight disorients the birds of prey and keeps them out of your yard. I have heard from several sources that hanging shiny pie pans around the yard keeps unwanted birds out of the yard....would think mirror cones would be prettier and less noisy in the wind.

 

[Glasshen]

Luv, I feed sprouted grains, and also fermented grains. They love the sprouts. Currently I'm using alphalfa and oats.

 

[Cass]

I think falcons are smaller maybe. I didn't see either attacks but my neighbor and my son did. My neighbor knows all about animals so I am taking his word for it.

. I have heard of red tailed hawks as a predator but never a falcon. In fact I really didn't know they lived around here.

There are many birds of prey in NY state. Heck, in the USA there are loads of birds of prey, google "birds of prey USA" and see how many come up.

They all look alike to me....only difference is size. And coloring. In the sky a red tail hawk looks exactly like an juvie bald eagle, to the naked eye. And they ALL eat meat. Last time I checked chickens were composed of meat. As soon as we breed chickens without meat we will eliminate all our predator problems, except the racoon, cuz they kill for fun....oh and the fisher and mink.

Edited to add: Ouch, there is even a owl that hunts in the daytime. Meatless chickens is the way to go. Remove the temptation for the birds of prey to visit.

 

[Lynzi777]

Falcons are birds of prey and sometimes introduced into inner city areas to control the pigeon population.  Here in Albany there are a couple of nesting pairs that nest in the window frames of the twin towers.  Of course they poop on the windows.   Cracks me up that their "solution" created a different problem. (I would hate to be that window washer up on the 40th floor trying to removed dried on falcon poop)

I read (somewhere) that if you take mirror tiles (you can get the little ones at a Craft store) and glue them all over a weather resistant cone and hang a couple of them from your trees around the yard, the reflection of the sunlight disorients the birds of prey and keeps them out of your yard.   I have heard from several sources that hanging shiny pie pans around the yard keeps unwanted birds out of the yard....would think mirror cones would be prettier  and less noisy in the wind.

Someone up the road from me on Route 20 has a large garden with maybe 7-10 pie pans hanging across the top of it. I figured that's what they were used for (keeping the birds away) but never dawned on me to do something like that to keep them away from my birds. Especially come Spring time and I get some smaller breeds. But like you said, I'd like to have something that's more appealing in the than pie pans. Lol

 

[Cass]

I had to google what a falcon looked like, how do you tell the difference between those and hawks? Some if them looked the same to me. I know I saw something huge fly from a tree a couple of weeks ago, thought it was a really large hawk but maybe it was a falcon??

More likely a turkey vulture....if it was really big. Falcons tend to be smaller than hawks. But there are big falcons and small hawks.

 

[payner59]

I will do that for sure! In early fall we had a juvenile red tailed hawk here. It was perched on top of the ladies coop! Thank goodness for my guineas as they made so much noise. I chased the thing away with a big stick and kept the ladies locked up for a few days. Never saw him again. ( knock on wood).

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Broody

 

[Cass]

Someone up the road from me on Route 20 has a large garden with maybe 7-10 pie pans hanging across the top of it. I figured that's what they were used for (keeping the birds away) but never dawned on me to do something like that to keep them away from my birds. Especially come Spring time and I get some smaller breeds. But like you said, I'd like to have something that's more appealing in the than pie pans. Lol

I remembered another part of the directions. Use Liquid nails (or other construction adhesive) to glue the mirror tiles onto the cone, since it is going to be out in the weather.

 

[Lynzi777]

I remembered another part of the directions.  Use Liquid nails (or other construction adhesive) to glue the mirror tiles onto the cone, since it is going to be out in the weather.

Thanks! That may be my weekend project! ;-) I have to venture out at some point and get bubbles for the kids, they've been wanting to do that blowing bubbles thing when the temp drops below 30 to see if the bubbles freeze instantly.