Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Marie2020]

I wrote about keeping a ferret but after reading this article I've changed my mind
https://petusiast.com/do-ferrets-keep-mice-away/

 

[RoyalChick]

C found Cloud dead on the coop run floor this morning. We think a stoat get her.
17.
Sad. I liked Cloud even though she wasn't too keen on me.
It's happened before; it will probably happen again. My main concern is it's a mum with young to feed and she'll come back.
There is currently nothing to keep her out. I did two sections of the fence but the rest still needs doing and at my age it's going to take a while.
I watched to see if I could see any signs of distress or nervousness in the rest but I saw nothing that was obvious enough for me to notice and be sure.
They all came out and were out for a two and a half hours.
I've got a hen that roosts late. Often she is still out foraging when the others are at the coop or already in it. I go and stand with her and whinge about how my hands are cold and couldn't she manage to walk back to the coop without diving under ever clump of weeds she finds.
It's not a problem. I'm already too late for the 8.15pm train and the next one isn't until 8.50 pm.
I picked her up off the ground tonight. She made a couple of halfhearted attampts to avoid me and then just sat in my hand looking irritated. I put her in the coop tonight through the main door. I brushed past Major, Matilda and a couple of Legbars opening the coop door. They didn't budge. Put Miss Stopout in the coop. Not even a flap on ground contact.
View attachment 3053694View attachment 3053695View attachment 3053696
The grooming hudle around Bucket Boys chair.
View attachment 3053697View attachment 3053698
I'm a concerend about Matilda. She's laying every day. The eggs are a good shape and weight. The shell thickness is better than most. From what I've seen some stage of making the egg is causing her some discomfort.
View attachment 3053699

Sorry about Cloud. Stoats are tricky critters - but isn’t it odd that it has not taken more?

 

[Molpet]

I wrote about keeping a ferret but after reading this article I've changed my mind
https://petusiast.com/do-ferrets-keep-mice-away/

I had ferrets in the 90s. They are like playful kittens all their lives. Great fun and make you laugh. Of course like kittens they are into everything.
I kept smelling dead mice by the couch. My checkbook went missing, it had been on the desk. After a long search, I seen a hole ripped in the underside of the couch when I looked underneath. The checkbook, toys, and a bunch of dead mice were in there.

 

[Sortacountrychicken]

C found Cloud dead on the coop run floor this morning. We think a stoat get her.
17.
Sad. I liked Cloud even though she wasn't too keen on me.
It's happened before; it will probably happen again. My main concern is it's a mum with young to feed and she'll come back.
There is currently nothing to keep her out. I did two sections of the fence but the rest still needs doing and at my age it's going to take a while.
I watched to see if I could see any signs of distress or nervousness in the rest but I saw nothing that was obvious enough for me to notice and be sure.
They all came out and were out for a two and a half hours.
I've got a hen that roosts late. Often she is still out foraging when the others are at the coop or already in it. I go and stand with her and whinge about how my hands are cold and couldn't she manage to walk back to the coop without diving under ever clump of weeds she finds.
It's not a problem. I'm already too late for the 8.15pm train and the next one isn't until 8.50 pm.
I picked her up off the ground tonight. She made a couple of halfhearted attampts to avoid me and then just sat in my hand looking irritated. I put her in the coop tonight through the main door. I brushed past Major, Matilda and a couple of Legbars opening the coop door. They didn't budge. Put Miss Stopout in the coop. Not even a flap on ground contact.
View attachment 3053694View attachment 3053695View attachment 3053696
The grooming hudle around Bucket Boys chair.
View attachment 3053697View attachment 3053698
I'm a concerend about Matilda. She's laying every day. The eggs are a good shape and weight. The shell thickness is better than most. From what I've seen some stage of making the egg is causing her some discomfort.
View attachment 3053699

Aw well that just sucks. I liked her as well. I hope that this is a one and done but if it really was a stoat I highly doubt it will be.

Odd that Matilda should be having a hard time. Is she down before she lays her egg or sometime after?

 

[bruceha2000]

C found Cloud dead on the coop run floor this morning. We think a stoat get her.
17.

I'm sorry you lost her. And I'm surprised you didn't lose more. Stoats, as with all in the weasel family, usually take out many birds at a time.

Still not sure which one it is , of these : https://www.osi-perception.org/Belette-Fouine-Martre-Hermine.html#ariane

Yes

how small a gap can they get through?

VERY small. The only safe way to have any non solid surface in the coop is to cover it with 1/2" hardware cloth.

A chicken friendly ferret may help.

Ferrets are large weasels. I suspect they would be friendly with the chickens long enough to kill them all. Minks will do the same thing.

 

[Ribh]

I had ferrets in the 90s. They are like playful kittens all their lives. Great fun and make you laugh. Of course like kittens they are into everything.
I kept smelling dead mice by the couch. My checkbook went missing, it had been on the desk. After a long search, I seen a hole ripped in the underside of the couch when I looked underneath. The checkbook, toys, and a bunch of dead mice were in there.

Interesting. I was keen to try but read somewhere the females could have difficulties. Plus that propensity for killing things is something of a deterrent.

 

[Molpet]

Interesting. I was keen to try but read somewhere the females could have difficulties. Plus that propensity for killing things is something of a deterrent.

Usually the ones sold are spayed or neutered. I have heard if they can not get bred they die, which doesn't make sense to me

 

[Ribh]

Usually the ones sold are spayed or neutered. I have heard if they can not get bred they die, which doesn't make sense to me

Yep, that's what I read. And I didn't want to breed. Didn't make sense to me either, but what do I know?

 

[Molpet]

Yep, that's what I read. And I didn't want to breed. Didn't make sense to me either, but what do I know?

I had 5 over the years. They were all neutered and spayed. People got tired of them and gave them away to me.

 

[Shadrach]

RIP Cloud. It’s hard when one you like dies.
It’s also unfortunate that Matilda isn’t comfortable, do you have any idea what could be the cause of it? It seems unusual to me that her eggs are looking well when she is not.

I like them all and I'm a bit like Ribh in that I make a closer attachment if I've had to nurse them, or help out with their chicks etc. With chickens one can find this is ongoing, so for most one has a period when the relationship steps up in intensity.