Pond

[itsasmallfarm]

Yeah they can be! We've had a couple try to get in the chicken coop, climbing up on top of the run (we thankfully have wire over top), I guess cause they slept outside? Now since we moved the chickens to a new part of the yard (new coop, same run), they haven't tried to get the chickens, maybe cause they're sleeping inside now, but they've been eating their food! There was digging where one tried to get in but didn't and then just a week or two ago we shined a flashlight over and saw a VERY fat one sitting next to the run, reaching through the fence, eating their food!! I guess cause we blocked his entry hole lol ANYWAY. Long story short, we now have hardware cloth next to the food bowl and are planning to put it all the way around (run is chainlink) and haven't had any issues since but yeah. I think I know why that coon was fat LOL and surprisingly the food is lasting much longer now

my grandparents used to raise chickens back in the 80s coons cleaned them out for like 3 seasons and that is what made them give up chickens.

and yes there are some big old coons out there i got three this year in traps (all where like 15-20 lbs) still waiting for the big one them 40 lb plus coons lol.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

but back on topic about ponds.

my grandparent's have like 3 dugouts/ponds on there farm/land. (no one lives there it just gets rented out.) thinking about stocking them with trout in the future.

 

[ShrekDawg]

my grandparents used to raise chickens back in the 80s coons cleaned them out for like 3 seasons and that is what made them give up chickens.

and yes there are some big old coons out there i got three this year in traps (all where like 15-20 lbs) still waiting for the big one them 40 lb plus coons lol.

Aw that's sad

We've had foxes and hawks too, a hawk killed my favorite hen this past fall

I try not to let them free range too much but it makes them so happy

and oh wow those are some big coons!! I'm not sure if trapping coons is legal here. I think it is but I think they're considered fur bearing or something so I think there's a season for them?

Unless of course you're protecting livestock but I think that's shooting in the moment rather than setting a trap but idk.

This boy was huge. Well, coulda been a girl but wasn't scared.

The chickens moved in around a month or two ago so I think that coon has been eating their food for at least that long but we never noticed any coons. I always wondered why the bowl was always tipped over or empty. Well, now it's lasting much longer lol

 

[ShrekDawg]

but back on topic about ponds.

my grandparent's have like 3 dugouts/ponds on there farm/land. (no one lives there it just gets rented out.) thinking about stocking them with trout in the future.

That sounds awesome!!

I've been thinking about possibly making a box or something temporarily

 

[itsasmallfarm]

Aw that's sad

We've had foxes and hawks too, a hawk killed my favorite hen this past fall

I try not to let them free range too much but it makes them so happy

and oh wow those are some big coons!! I'm not sure if trapping coons is legal here. I think it is but I think they're considered fur bearing or something so I think there's a season for them?

Unless of course you're protecting livestock but I think that's shooting in the moment rather than setting a trap but idk.

This boy was huge. Well, coulda been a girl but wasn't scared.

The chickens moved in around a month or two ago so I think that coon has been eating their food for at least that long but we never noticed any coons. I always wondered why the bowl was always tipped over or empty. Well, now it's lasting much longer lol

sorry for your loss

ya coons are considered fur-bearing animals in most places where i live in Canada (sask) there classified as pest/fur animal's you need a trappers license to sell the fur/hide but anyone with a hunting license and firearm safety can hunt/trap them any time of the year.

 

[ShrekDawg]

sorry for your loss

ya coons are considered fur-bearing animals in most places where i live in Canada (sask) there classified as pest/fur animal's you need a trappers license to sell the fur/hide but anyone with a hunting license and firearm safety can hunt/trap them any time of the year.

Thanks! It was sad too cause she was constantly broody and if she had gone broody again in the spring, I was planning on letting her hatch something finally very sweet and gentle chicken too, even when broody. She was an Orpington.

Anyway, that makes sense. I wonder if there's any exception or anything like that here.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

That sounds awesome!!

I've been thinking about possibly making a box or something temporarily

ya there big ponds/dug outs as well i think 20 feet wide and 100 feet long plus 15-20 feet deep. (man-made for cattle)

i always wanted to make an above ground pond but i got into aquaponics (or planning to) with either trout or tilapia

 

[ShrekDawg]

ya there big ponds/dug outs as well i think 20 feet wide and 100 feet long plus 15-20 feet deep. (man-made for cattle)

i always wanted to make an above ground pond but i got into aquaponics (or planning to) with either trout or tilapia

Oh wow those are huge!! You should definitely add fish.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

Oh wow those are huge!! You should definitely add fish.

i would love too the only issue is we live an hour and a half away, plus getting the fish there is like a 4 hour drive from the fish farm to the ponds,

 

[ShrekDawg]

i would love too the only issue is we live an hour and a half away, plus getting the fish there is like a 4 hour drive from the fish farm to the ponds,

Ahh that stinks :/

Maybe you could find something to transport them in?