Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

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I have the pen for the bantam ducks all ready. Just add water, a bowl of feed and some bedding and it is ready for ducks. I have a 500w floating de-icer on order for their pond, but will drain and cover the pond when it is super cold like this. I shudder to think how much I have spent on the bantam duck project, but it's my 2018 "guilty pleasure". I am trying to resist buying more chicken breeds this year and back off a little on the number of chicks I hatch. One thing I learned on the business side of this is that working more (ie hatching more) doesn't equal more profits. The added costs more than eat up any additional revenue, such that 2016 was really a better year than 2017, in terms of funds to put back into the farm. So this year I'm doing more fun projects, like the ducks, and caring less about mass selling of Cream Legbars and Ameraucanas.
 
So the fox has not been back, but I am nervous everyday.

New Years Eve we went to a family party. Since I knew we wouldn't be home at dusk, I hung my used pajamas on a tree and sprayed them with extra perfume so the fox would smell me loud and clear. Of course, my pajamas were on the ground when I came home. No doubt of course, from my turkeys thinking they were a piñata.:lau

I also had a radio playing talk radio. I know it's not a permanent solution, but until the hunter or his friend (a trapper) can come back, hopefully this will dissuade him.

I'm excited for the pelt, the hunter said I can have it.
 
MotorcycleChick said:
You can hang a head of cabbage, buy or make a flock block, TSC sells treat balls (Kong’s for chickens), buy crickets.
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Crickets! That's a smart idea. I'll have to get some as soon as I can. Thanks!

dheltzel said:
I have the pen for the bantam ducks all ready. Just add water, a bowl of feed and some bedding and it is ready for ducks. I have a 500w floating de-icer on order for their pond, but will drain and cover the pond when it is super cold like this. I shudder to think how much I have spent on the bantam duck project, but it's my 2018 "guilty pleasure". I am trying to resist buying more chicken breeds this year and back off a little on the number of chicks I hatch. One thing I learned on the business side of this is that working more (ie hatching more) doesn't equal more profits. The added costs more than eat up any additional revenue, such that 2016 was really a better year than 2017, in terms of funds to put back into the farm. So this year I'm doing more fun projects, like the ducks, and caring less about mass selling of Cream Legbars and Ameraucanas.
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I'd love to see that setup if you can share pictures. I love ducks and had 6 before, but the upkeep on the pond and messes they make was just too much for me. I'd love to have an easier method of caring for ducks so that someday we can have them again!

AnneInTheBurbs said:
So the fox has not been back, but I am nervous everyday.

New Years Eve we went to a family party. Since I knew we wouldn't be home at dusk, I hung my used pajamas on a tree and sprayed them with extra perfume so the fox would smell me loud and clear. Of course, my pajamas were on the ground when I came home. No doubt of course, from my turkeys thinking they were a piñata.:lau

I also had a radio playing talk radio. I know it's not a permanent solution, but until the hunter or his friend (a trapper) can come back, hopefully this will dissuade him.

I'm excited for the pelt, the hunter said I can have it.
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Don't be too surprised if it has mange though. That'll ruin the pelt :(
 
So we're going to have some very cold nights this week. I think the lowest is 4 degrees. The air certainly hurts! I'm worried about the chickens. I'll have to check our rooster to see if he has frostbite in the morning - I'm kinda gauging the severity of the cold by watching his comb and wattles for frostbite. If he does have frostbite, then I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm tempted to put the chickens in our garage that is below the house to keep them safe. I worry about out 2 "teenagers" since they are so little and roost away from the adults. What do you guys think I should do? I know chickens are hardy but I'd hate to lose any of them knowing that I could have done something more.
 
Lelanae said:
FangedKnight--we love our little layer we got from you!
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Oh my god, she's getting so spoiled! (That's okay though she needs it lol). I still have 2 more GLW hens in case anyone wants them, still $15 each.

So the farm show is coming up, is anyone going to be there? @LeBlackbird and I are going to be going this weekend, I'll be there Saturday and Sunday. I'm actually picking up a Black Cochin Bantam Pullet from Jamie Matts (hope I got his name right) she's going to be gorgeous. Show quality bird for a show quality price.... $75 for a pullet!!! :thBut! It's worth it! I'm going to breed her to Little Butt, my splash Cochin Bantam since he's decent so I can get started on my own line of Blue Cochin Bantams for show. God it's going to be so funny.

Also, does anyone have any good prefab coop recommendations that might not break the bank? I've been trying to shop around but I need something for the Cochins and then something full size for the Ameraucanas. And if anyone has any ideas on something to do for the geese, i'm all ears. :bow
 
Auroradream26 said:
My geese just sleep in the chicken run. They free range all day, except when it's cold like this and I don't let the out. I have to herd them in at night though.
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Well right now they're mixed in with the ducks and chickens, but it's going to be their first spring so we want to separate them out so that way they don't try and kill anyone because goslings. We thought about maybe a big dog house type thing??? with a door? And just plenty of bedding??? But I'm not sure.
 
Re the bantam duck pen, I'm having technical difficulties downloading pics from my camera. I really want to make a video too, but that is for later. Here are links I used for inspiration:
My birds are coming from duckcreekfarm. The other link is really more detailed. This pen would work great for bantam chickens or quail too, just leave out the pool. There are a bunch more great examples on YouTube, search for "bantam duck pen".
I am using the largest mortar pan available from Lowes. It costs about $12 and holds about 30 gallons (those who know me, know my motto is "go big or go home"). It will be heavy, so I have a 2x4 structure under it. I will probably design that part better in the next one (this is a working prototype to give me experience). The pool has a stainless steel sink drain installed for easy draining and a board angled out of the pool to give them a ramp. A brick on top of the ramp should make it stable and give them a place to stand if they should get waterlogged and need to "preen it out". I also ordered a stock tank heater to keep ice from forming in the pool. They have a separate heated water bowl with rubber tie-downs stretched across the top in an 'X' to discourage swimming in the water bowl.
The who structure is designed to be movable, though I don't expect to move it much. Maybe in the summer it will go close to a garden area with additional pipes to drain the water into the plantings (duck "tea" for fertilizer!).
 

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