OHio ~ Come on Buckeyes, let me know your out there!

[ivoryeyes]

Me too! Small world. I'm just outside Mason city limits

I'm right by downtown Middletown lol. Hey, do you have problems with any other predators than the Red tails? I saw a young one once about 6 months ago but it never came back. We do have possums that come in occasionally

 

[Tlmcq]

I'm right by downtown Middletown lol. Hey, do you have problems with any other predators than the Red tails? I saw a young one once about 6 months ago but it never came back. We do have possums that come in occasionally

I haven't had issues with anything where I am now but when I was in town my biggest problem was neighborhood stray cats and racoons. I always lock em in the coop at night since then. Once the animals realize they are they they will keep coming back til they get em all, if they can. I was letting them run fenced in the yard but if you have a hawk they will eventually catch em out and can get them, especially if there is nothing for them to get away under or block his path. They usually hunt in morning and before sun sets but can take them anytime of day. I only have 6 chicken and 6 ducks now so don't wanna lose any. Better safe than sorry. I hear Opossum will get them, but I've never had a problem with them..Too much garage and dead stuff for them to bother working for a meal around here.

 

[Tlmcq]

I'm just making a smaller run from my duck house to chicken coop until I can get something better set up. They are 10 foot apart so will be about 10x6...It's not much but better than coop all day or dead

 

[ivoryeyes]

I haven't had issues with anything where I am now but when I was in town my biggest problem was neighborhood stray cats and racoons. I always lock em in the coop at night since then. Once the animals realize they are they they will keep coming back til they get em all, if they can. I was letting them run fenced in the yard but if you have a hawk they will eventually catch em out and can get them, especially if there is nothing for them to get away under or block his path. They usually hunt in morning and before sun sets but can take them anytime of day. I only have 6 chicken and 6 ducks now so don't wanna lose any. Better safe than sorry. I hear Opossum will get them, but I've never had a problem with them..Too much garage and dead stuff for them to bother working for a meal around here.

I lost a bunch hens over the course of two months in October/ November, hadn't had problems before they were 6 months old. Not sure what attacked them either. Most bodies were intact with just the feathers missing on the back. I'm sure a raccoon or stray took off with a couple, never found any trace of those but there were a trail of feathers going up the walnut tree in thier run. Haven't had problems since the last attack in November. My hen had gotten over into the other fenced off area without any cover, looked like her neck had gotten broken and feathers were missing on the back but other than that no gore. I've been locking up the remaing 7 at night. We have 5 pekins and nothing has bothered them since I put them out last summer.

 

[Krazyquilts]

So today everyone got to enjoy the great outdoors and some finally moved out of the house and garage.

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They look like they are having so much fun!

 

[Krazyquilts]

Hello fellow Ohioans!!! Today I bought my first little flock of 6 girls! So excited to give chicken life a try! I've been wanting to do this for sometime and today was the day I went for it. I will gladly take any advice you can give a first timer! 

This is a great community.

My number one advice is predator-proof their coop and run. I see so many sad stories of people devastated by something getting in and killing one or more of their flock. When we were building our ducks' house and run, I tried to pretend that I was a hungry raccoon and ask myself just how I would get to those tasty morsels of duckness inside. So now we have an extremely secure duck house inside an already predator-proof duck run.

Also, post pics. I don't think people should be allowed to mention new birds and not post pics of them!

 

[Krazyquilts]

What kind of coop do you have?  Hopefully bigger than what you think you need, because there is something called "chicken math", lol.

So very true! "Duck math" is just as slippery!

 

[Krazyquilts]

Hello everyone! I started a small flock last year in Butler county. After using this site multiple times I decided to join a year later lol. I had no idea there was an Ohio thread until a few minutes ago.

This is such an amazing community, isn't it?

 

[Krazyquilts]

I went to close my coop last night and saw a red tailed hawk leaving my yard...Thought OH NO! All were safe n sound in there coop. That pesky lil guy was back this morning so they stayed in...Off to make a run with a wired top today. Looks like I won't be visiting with y'all til this evening. Have a great day and enjoy the sun

That sounds so scary!!! So glad your chickens were safe!

 

[Krazyquilts]

I'm just making a smaller run from my duck house to chicken coop until I can get something better set up. They are 10 foot apart so will be about 10x6...It's not much but better than coop all day or dead

So very true.