San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[LALASD4]

Anywhere is fine with us.

 

[CAChickenNewbee]

I thought Lake Murray was really nice. The people and the rangers were pretty cool, too. It was pretty funny to watch the reaction of people who just happened to walk by and see there were chickens all over the place. I am willing to show up early to set up and to stay late to clean up.

I just have to post a couple more photos of the silkies I got that day. The bigger ones were form Phage. They are gorgeous and very sweet. The three little black chicks I got from Tigerrlilly are hysterical. I don't have a photo becasue they are quite zippy, but they have black and silver feather tips sticking out in all directions from their head poofs. So cute. And yes, I have convinced my husband to buy or build me another coop just for the silkies.....I really am beginning to understand chicken hoarders.

Enzolove, I am so happy to hear that Stella recovered. I was so feeling for you during the crisis. It's strange isn't it, that chickens can get really sick so fast - they also tend to recover fast, though. They have such simple systems, I'm amazed at all they can do. It still seems to me to be a miracle that my girls can lay an egg a day. I am in awe.

 

[dfdesigns]

The darn squirrels are stealing and eating my eggs...

 

[CAChickenNewbee]

DfDesigns, you need a squirrelenator. It's a live trap that can hold up to 8 squirrels. You just bait it with fruit or peanut butter. Then you can either dispatch them (my husband does that) or you can take them out to a field somewhere and let them go. It's the only way I know other than poison to get rid of those nasty ground squirrel vermin. They are probably into your feed, too. Tehy sell them at feed stores. I got mine at Ranch Feed in Jamul.

I have caught squirrels and possums with the trap. It's amazing. The problem with ground squirrels is that if you let them get out of control they just multiply worse than rabbits and destroy your yard. Last year they ate all the fruit on one of my peach trees in one day. They have also stripped my almond tree (I have yet to actually eat one almond off that tree!) and they leave huge holes with mounds of dirt around them in the yard. I wish chickens could eat squirrels! This year it's war.....

 

[dfdesigns]

We had a Squirrelanator until I backed over it with my car...

I knew I was losing some feed. This, however, is really torquing me. Off I go to Kahoots tomorrow with my 20% off coupon!

 

[CAChickenNewbee]

Darn, that was an expensive mistake. I have used poison on them in the past, and it was very effective. I've tried to remove all poisons and chemicals from my garden in the past 5 years, though, so I really hate to resort to that. These darn things are horrible, though. Between squirrels and gophers I lose at least half of my garden and fruit crops. My husband has really gotten serious this year both trapping and shooting the vermin (although I think it's just another excuse to use a pellet gun). This is the season when all the babies are born, too. Last year we watched them multiply right before our eyes. I think this one pair had ten babies. Yuck. Why can't the hawks and coyotes go after squirrels rather than our chickens?????

 

[dfdesigns]

Yes, that was an expensive "oops"! I felt really silly after doing that.

I don't like to use poison, either - we have a lot of hawks and owls that will eat the dead animals, and I don't want to have any secondary poisoning. But you're right - 'tis the season for procreation, and I need to get a handle on this like yesterday!

I always ask the chickens (especially the roosters!) why they don't at least chase the squirrels away. So far, they're not answering me.

 

[igotchickens]

Sounds like you might need a guinea. Or a pellet gun. You know, I've heard tree squirrels can be quite tasty! Ground squirrels, however, are evil vermin that need to be destroyed.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

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Where'd you get a 20% off coupon? Thanks!

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

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Well I think this is a good Question!!! I have walking pneumonia a the moment and am unable to function clearly. I dont know when the next meet up is wanted, I know we were talking quarterly, however this is coming up on spring and i think the end of mar beg in April woul dbe great and one a few months after that!! I cannot host at the moment to much going on, but will help set up and arrive early to what ever is planned!!

Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. You're the third person I've known to get walking pneumonia this season, all young people. It's been a nasty season!!