people with house chickens

[SunnyAlberta]

I have never had any disease transfer from any of my critters, unless you count couch potato disease.

I have just started keeping Seramas as house chickens. For many years I was involved in breeding and showing pedigreed cats and my family fosters dog rescues. Unfortunately we have had "fun" with ringworm, tapeworms, and staph skin infections that are all zoonotic (shared between species including from pets to people). My post is not to discourage having housepets, but to encourage good hygiene. Isolate and bathe new critters (Nizoral is antifungal for ringworm, Hibitane is antibacterial for staph), wash soft surfaces like clothing and carpets (Virkon kills ringworm and many diseases without bleaching) and put into a hot drier or a deep freeze, use bleach and water routinely as a safe household disinfectant (1:10). Those of us who show, rescue, visit places with animals, or who bring new critters home are most at risk.If your animals are healthy and you aren't bringing new ones in or visiting risky places then simple soap and water does the trick most of the time.

 

[ChickyChickens]

Hi ChickyChickens, I love your username! I saw this picture and I was wondering; what breed is that hen? She is beautiful! She looks almost like a Speckled Sussex version of my Ebony. This is Ebony Edited to add: I just saw that you said she is an EE. To me she doesn't really look like an EE, but instead more of a Speckled Sussex- silkie cross. Ebony is a cochin- silkie cross.

Hey! Sorry for the late reply I haven't been at home for a while she is definitely an EE as I don't have any other pure breeds at home and the was hatched here as a chick!

 

[PBGGG]

Grrrr... a **** raccoon came in and took Butterbean last night. My dad said he found her this morning headless.. I don't want ANY of my chickens to die, but why is it always the Buff Orpingtons?

 

[subhanalah]

Grrrr... a **** raccoon came in and took Butterbean last night. My dad said he found her this morning headless.. I don't want ANY of my chickens to die, but why is it always the Buff Orpingtons?

why wasn't she in her coop?

 

[PBGGG]

why wasn't she in her coop?

She was. She was sleeping on a log next to the fence, and it ripped open the fence and got her. The raccoon dragged her out of the pen.

 

[Amykins]

why wasn't she in her coop?

You've apparently never had to deal with a raccoon. They are persistent, clever little buggers with opposable digits and they will find a way in no matter what. If a hen is by the fence and they can't pull the entire bird through, then they will gnaw off whatever limb they have hold of while the animal screams and screams. They just don't care. They are horrible, nasty little beasts.

I'm so sorry for your loss, PBG. My deepest condolences. :/

 

[PBGGG]

You've apparently never had to deal with a raccoon. They are persistent, clever little buggers with opposable digits and they will find a way in no matter what. If a hen is by the fence and they can't pull the entire bird through, then they will gnaw off whatever limb they have hold of while the animal screams and screams. They just don't care. They are horrible, nasty little beasts.

I'm so sorry for your loss, PBG. My deepest condolences. :/

Thanks. I feel bad because last night I noticed the fence where she sleeps was a little rickety, but I didn't do anything about it because I figured it was ok. I realize now that the same raccoon maybe has been taking our eggs, because I found two holes in our fencing. We're working on it, but currently the ducks will sleep in the garage and the chickens will sleep in their coops.

 

[Sylvester017]

You've apparently never had to deal with a raccoon. They are persistent, clever little buggers with opposable digits and they will find a way in no matter what. If a hen is by the fence and they can't pull the entire bird through, then they will gnaw off whatever limb they have hold of while the animal screams and screams. They just don't care. They are horrible, nasty little beasts.

I'm so sorry for your loss, PBG. My deepest condolences. :/

You described the beasties very well. I would add that Raccoons love the frenzy of a chase and kill just for the sheer joy of it more than for food. It's play to them.

 

[PBGGG]

I really, really, wanna track down this raccoon and shoot it. I know it wont do much, but just for some revenge. And yes, I know they have to eat, but I am so mad about this.

 

[chrissy903]

I really, really, wanna track down this raccoon and shoot it. I know it wont do much, but just for some revenge. And yes, I know they have to eat, but I am so mad about this.

I'm so sorry!! How sad. I hate raccoons!!! He still found a way to get to her??