Peeps in Europe!

[BDutch]

a few days ago my chicks got attaked by rats. I thought a 2,5 x 1,25 cm hardwarecloth was safe. 2 little guys lost parts of their beaks and 1 a pieace of toe as well. they seem to be coping well with it. I didn't expect one to survive as he lost the upper beak. there is very little to nothing past his nares. I had to trim his lower beak so that he can eat.

they stay in the house at night as well as a roo and 2 hens (pekin). I am trying to poison bloody rats at night but they didnt bother to eat the bait. I have got fresh ones and will put some in all the holes I find

Nasty creatures. IMHO the best thing you can do is to make a Fort Knox. Other things you can do is get yourself a strong barn cat to eliminate rats. And do take the feed away after breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Poison is dangerous and only a temporary solution. If you’re chickens find poisoned rats they will eat them and get (lightly) poisoned too. If they eat many, they will die too. Rat poison is a nasty thing for all living creatures in you’re environment.

 

[BDutch]

What do you guys got all planned for Easter

Tomorrow we planned a walk in a nature reserve. Everything else is closed bc of Covid. And visiting family is not permitted either.

What are you’re plans?

 

[abpatchy]

What do you guys got all planned for Easter

I don't have running water over the winter months. The water was just turned on. So I went ahead and butchered a rooster and a hen that needed to go. They were both eating their eggs. Couldn't teach them not to. I need the space for the chicks in the next weeks... and there are more chickens to butcher. So I got started. Oh and I put some gras seeds down. Hoping they will keep some of it alive.
Everything is closed here... we really didn't do much else. Hubby and I picked up some food. That was it. Tomorrow is another Easter holiday for us. So we're enjoying some time off together.

 

[Kk Augy]

@Erba are you happy with Sussex? I had several of them last year and was not overly pleased with their egg laying.
@Kk Augy these look like ISA Browns or Loghmann Browns.. I don't know the difference.

Wait what did i ask about?my chicken breed??well if it's the breed I found out they are red sex links...but if it's something else then ..just let me know..oh and happy Easter!

 

[chickengr]

oh no!!! I am so sorr to hear that!!! Maybe they found a different way in.. or is there a hole in the hardwarecloth. Over here they say nothing bigger than 1,9cm to keep rats and other preditors out. And the wire needs to be at least 1mm thick. I put a preditor apron around my rooster pens to make sure nothing gets underneath it.

they were in a rabbit cage inside the coop, no hole anywhere. the chicks probably stayed near the hadrwarecloth.

I had another accident yesterday. a megpie managed to get another little cockerel from 2,5 cm opening in the cage (no hardwarecloth). luckily his daddy was around and saved him

 

[chickengr]

Nasty creatures. IMHO the best thing you can do is to make a Fort Knox. Other things you can do is get yourself a strong barn cat to eliminate rats. And do take the feed away after breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Poison is dangerous and only a temporary solution. If you’re chickens find poisoned rats they will eat them and get (lightly) poisoned too. If they eat many, they will die too. Rat poison is a nasty thing for all living creatures in you’re environment.

I lost a dog who ate a poisoned mouse - I guess. I learned it hard way. unfortunately I live on an island with a lot of fields, olive and almond trees and abandoned houses. cats kill a few of them only, even my dogs kill them. but there are too many of them so I must take chances with poison. I usually find them a few days after I put the poison.

 

[abpatchy]

they were in a rabbit cage inside the coop, no hole anywhere. the chicks probably stayed near the hadrwarecloth.

I had another accident yesterday. a megpie managed to get another little cockerel from 2,5 cm opening in the cage (no hardwarecloth). luckily his daddy was around and saved him

Good thing Daddy was around!!! I do believe I lost a chick last year to a raven. I never noticed because I had so many running around. But once I put the numbered rings on I noticed one girl missing. These birds are really smart... even using food to bait them and then grab them thru the fence. I really am sorry that you lost your chicks!

And I truely understand about using poison! I had so many mice in my coop, it was the only way out. So far, it is quiet. I have not seen any more mice. Probably because so many died they just up and left. I made sure I checked for dead once as well as I never put the poison where the chickens were. And I tied up the poison blocks with wire to make sure they don't take them somewhere where chickens could get to. Yes, the first poison blocks were actually taken by the mice. I know because 5 minutes after I placed the 1 inch square block it was gone. No way they could have eaten it in that time. Removed the feed at night. The mice just went gaga over the poison without the feed there. Just be careful!

 

[chickengr]

Good thing Daddy was around!!! I do believe I lost a chick last year to a raven. I never noticed because I had so many running around. But once I put the numbered rings on I noticed one girl missing. These birds are really smart... even using food to bait them and then grab them thru the fence. I really am sorry that you lost your chicks!

And I truely understand about using poison! I had so many mice in my coop, it was the only way out. So far, it is quiet. I have not seen any more mice. Probably because so many died they just up and left. I made sure I checked for dead once as well as I never put the poison where the chickens were. And I tied up the poison blocks with wire to make sure they don't take them somewhere where chickens could get to. Yes, the first poison blocks were actually taken by the mice. I know because 5 minutes after I placed the 1 inch square block it was gone. No way they could have eaten it in that time. Removed the feed at night. The mice just went gaga over the poison without the feed there. Just be careful!

I did not loose my chicks. their beaks are in a bad shape but both of them can eat. and I plan to keep both of them. they will still be good for breeding.

 

[abpatchy]

I did not loose my chicks. their beaks are in a bad shape but both of them can eat. and I plan to keep both of them. they will still be good for breeding.

oh sorry, then I remembered it wrong.

 

[Maiahr]

shipping would be a problem as it has to be refrigerated.

check for lice and mites. a friend of mine in north greece (similar climate with bulgaria) thought she had been loosing her chickens to marek's. than she discovered mites, got rid of them and stopped loosing chickens.

Well, I was hoping it was lice and mites, but they were clean, Marek symptoms, plus some died through the winter. I was planning to send a blood sample to the UK for test, but it was too expensive. Couldn't find anywhere else in Europe that would do a Marek test.

a few days ago my chicks got attaked by rats. I thought a 2,5 x 1,25 cm hardwarecloth was safe. 2 little guys lost parts of their beaks and 1 a pieace of toe as well. they seem to be coping well with it. I didn't expect one to survive as he lost the upper beak. there is very little to nothing past his nares. I had to trim his lower beak so that he can eat.

they stay in the house at night as well as a roo and 2 hens (pekin). I am trying to poison bloody rats at night but they didnt bother to eat the bait. I have got fresh ones and will put some in all the holes I find

What about traps? I have mice and rats, traps work well.

What do you guys got all planned for Easter

Our Easter is on May 1st. I already have a list of customers to buy eggs. Easter is the high sells day for people who sell eggs here... So, I think I will be selling eggs around Easter

Wait what did i ask about?my chicken breed??well if it's the breed I found out they are red sex links...but if it's something else then ..just let me know..oh and happy Easter!

Ah, you didn't ask... I was just guessing. I have the same, though I couldn't see yours well on the picture. I still don't know if mine are Loghman brown or ISA brown. How old are yours? Mine are 3-4 years old. When I feed them wheat only they are at 50% egg laying. When I switch to layers feed they are at around 85-90%.