San Diego Chicken meetup and Chat thread

[Fraunie]

Awesome suggestions on squirrels!!! Thanks, husband will be happy to hear that we aren't the only ones with issues. And at this point, regardless of cost, i know he will be all over that Squirrelinator.....wish there was a good place for them once caught.....

It does seem like we will have to really step up our efforts though. I have only been feeding at morning, no longer let them free feed and not in the coop. I don't want those nasties in there and I can keep an eye on them if the food is in a tray in the open. problem is we don't often feed them enough and come lock up time I get rushed by 4 squaking starving birds!!!! There used to be enough for them to gather during the day, their corral is pretty large, but now that it is so dry there isnt much there for them.

Thanks for the suggestions....I'll broaden our arsenal.....

 

[Gr33nEggers]

We have a cat named Mr. Meat that kills most of the squirrels in our backyard, there is still one that he can't get to, but hunting cats can help...seriously.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I did - all they have is alfalfa and straw. If they have Bermuda or Orchard Grass or Timothy I'd be all over it! This would be so great for those of you who have dairy goats.

I went to that site too and didnt see Bermuda did see the Wheat straw. Horses can eat wheat straw. Its a low carb forage. I would offer it as a supplement for variety but I too feed strictly Bermuda. And My Air fern eats a 115 bale of Bermuda in about three days, just to keep her figure around 2000 lbs.....

For what its worth The straw is a seasonal thing left over from the wheat havest. It will have a few wheat berries in it. Just because they dont show Bermuda on the site doesnt mean they cant offer it. I sent a query in about it too.


deb "who bucks a whole bale in Katee's feeder without bothering to snap the strings"

 

[dedicateddourly]

Oh no, a racist chicken :-(  Send her to sensitivity training, post haste.  Now, look what my neighbor caught and turned loose again :-(  I'm in rural Vista.  Anybody else have these guys running around?

Super cute. When I moved to Fallbrook last year, a weasel came near me as I was chilling with the chickens. I didn't know what it was at the time and exclaimed, "What on Earth are YOU!?" It promptly ran away.

 

[Nikkipar]

Oh no, a racist chicken :-(  Send her to sensitivity training, post haste.  Now, look what my neighbor caught and turned loose again :-(  I'm in rural Vista.  Anybody else have these guys running around?

I am Vista/Oceanside and I do have weasels too! Darnnit!

 

[Nikkipar]

It doesn't bother the chickens?

 

[Nikkipar]

The cayenne I mean....

 

[LavendarFeather]

My neighbor trapped that weasel a few weeks ago, and released it where it was caught (they trapped it accidentally). They have seen it around since. Their property adjoins mine. I was terrified that I would not be able to make my chicken runs weasel-proof. But then I started thinking. I have had my chickens out there for almost three months. No weasel sightings here. I still plan to do my best to protect my birds, but I'm thinking this weasel either prefers eating mammals and lizards (we have tons of both), or is lazy and just likes what's easy to harvest. So I'm not so panicked anymore. But I will probably reinforce ALL the chain link on the dog runs with 1/2" hardware cloth, instead of just halfway up like I was doing for the raccoons. And I am putting some paving stones around the inside perimeter, too, as weasels can dig.

Also, I have seven dogs at the moment, so maybe the constant canine chatter of my mongrel horde keeps the weasel at a safe distance... I dunno. The dogs aren't out by the chickens, but the weasel doesn't necessarily know that.

 

[perchie.girl]

My neighbor trapped that weasel a few weeks ago, and released it where it was caught (they trapped it accidentally). They have seen it around since. Their property adjoins mine. I was terrified that I would not be able to make my chicken runs weasel-proof. But then I started thinking. I have had my chickens out there for almost three months. No weasel sightings here. I still plan to do my best to protect my birds, but I'm thinking this weasel either prefers eating mammals and lizards (we have tons of both), or is lazy and just likes what's easy to harvest. So I'm not so panicked anymore. But I will probably reinforce ALL the chain link on the dog runs with 1/2" hardware cloth, instead of just halfway up like I was doing for the raccoons. And I am putting some paving stones around the inside perimeter, too, as weasels can dig.

Also, I have seven dogs at the moment, so maybe the constant canine chatter of my mongrel horde keeps the weasel at a safe distance... I dunno. The dogs aren't out by the chickens, but the weasel doesn't necessarily know that.

I think that whole seven dogs thing is your best bet. I hope to make all sides of my future chicken enclosure accessible by my dog/s.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

The cayenne I mean....

Hot peppers of most kinds are very good for birds (they don't feel the capsacian) its tasty to them too.

deb