Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[kathyinmo]

OMG, cetawin, do you ever have a peaceful day (or night)? It wears me out just reading about your day! I am sooooo glad you got the coyotes and the birds are all safe! 65 pounds??? .... MG, he's as big as you! Where are the pictures?

 

[Cetawin]

LOL TaceyPerkins - Shooting the coyotes on the run was reasier than catching Thor chasing the lawn tractor....that boy can bob and weave!

Kathy - DH disposed of them this morning before I got out of bed. After that incident I was wired for sound until around 4 am....I did not climb out of bed until almost 9 am. DH already disposed of them and was long gone by then.

That one was a monster...I thought it was a dog when it first came around the corner but when it came under the dusk to dawn light and I saw it clearly I dropped it. I have heard them a couple times at night but they were miles away....I have seen no signs of them around the property so I wonder if they were just literally running through?

Oh and hey now....I weigh 93 lbs I am bigger than him dang it.

Really they spread out the drama today....from 2 am till around 6 pm it was pretty quiet. LMAO

 

[kathyinmo]

OH, you have gained weight!

Send those Dellie girls to me. Poor little Fattie has to sleep in a tree .... poor girl.

 

[kathyinmo]

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Here are just a few!

This morning I opened all the pop doors, and on this one .... the nail came out of the wood, so I couldn't hook the door open. I went to get another nail to pound in to the side of the building......... Look what little Miss Holly did while I was away. Just like her mother, isn't she?

A few Dels out free ranging today ....

Then, they went under the boat, for a dirt bath ....

Jacob stood by as watch out ....

Some of the kids ..... (Claudia and Cyn hatch 12 wks old)
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[ChksontheRun]

Cetawin, what a day. I read your post to my DH and he said--what a woman! He wants to know when I am going to take the handgun course so I can learn how to shot. Im a bit scared of that thing, but you certainly needed it! Way to protect your animals.

Kathy, what beautiful pics of your flock. They are beautiful!!!!

My biggest challenge with forest animals is snakes. killed one black snake on the porch yesterday, and last night almost tripped on one when I let the dogs out. I saw one in the chicken pen 2 days ago(Thank goodness the chickens are too big to interest them, when I get my new chicks they will definitely stay inside for a while), and one sunning himself on the back steps last week. All are black rat snakes so I am not afraid of them, but I have never seen so many. I know they are not the same one as they are all different sizes. I know that when you have black snakes you are not as likely to have copperheads so am not sure I really want to get rid of them, however, I am afraid I will never get eggs when my girls start to lay. Any ideas for keeping them away from the coop? Some people have suggested moth balls, but I think that is a wives tail.

 

[speckledhen]

Ladyhawk, you should get a baby monitor to hook up inside the coop like I have, but heck, if you can hear big Thor inside with the house all buttoned up, you may not need one, LOL.

Kathy, I see lots of black on some of those beaks. The ones with more than a streak will probably be culls, but wait a few more weeks to be sure. I also see some very nice yellow legs and some that are on the pale side. Do you have any idea which batch those came from? Lately, I've seen only nice leg color in Ike's kids; don't want to go backwards on that trait.

 

[Cetawin]

ChksontheRun - the moth balls will work just as sulphur will work...the problem is that you will have to constantly freshen it up. Then there are the chooks to be concerned about and them getting their beaks on them. Those snakes are good snakes gal....leave them. If you lose and egg every now and again it is worth it! They will keep the bad snakes away, keep the rodent population down and they are not a threat to you whatsoever.

As to the shooting lessons....take the lessons and the course gal...it is very worth it. I have been shooting guns since I was about 8 years old. My husband bought me the M1 specifically for home use/the predators...it is a good short range rifle, has the knockdown power to stop bigger predators and it does not have a lot of kick....I could use it for deer hunting if I really wanted to.


speckledhen - I have been thinking about a baby monitor...I really like how you have yours in the coops....I mean you can hear everything...even the stuff you don't want too. lol


Kathy - I do not make that big butt girl sleep in the tree *rolling her eyes* she is just being a brat. That BR is a little handful isn't she? hahahaha I do not envy you having all those Dellies.....they have you right where they want you don't they. Its Dellie mind control gal. BTW I just love #2 and #10....the sweetest faces and expressions. They are good at Mind Control too you can see it.

 

[joletabey]

Catch up, pant, pant, pant, catch up!!!!

Whew!!!

OK- PopcornKathy- THANK YOU for the wing black pictures, that was a great help to me- I was thinking mine had way too much, but I guess we are fine- the SOP is what I use to try to figure out anatomy, feathers, etc. and their sketch is of a bird with wings folded- and it appears to have about two feathers to the dozen that my kids have. I really appreciate the help!!!

Second, KathyinMo, your Jacob is one fine fellow, and you have LOTS of nice chunky kids in the other batch.. I am very tempted to put my bid in for whichever roo is next best after your keeper choices- I still need another, darker boy for my two line plan!!!

Cetawin, you amaze me. Annie Oakley and Sheena and who else do you remind me of? Congrats on your kill! Get horses, at least three. That will help the yotes think twice about scooting through your property. Or maybe that is just skinny little WI and NC yotes that I know about.

Thor is wonderful. You MUST start writing those books.

Chks- I agree, let those black snakes have an egg or two in exchange for the good things they will do for you- if you can, use the smallest hardware cloth you can find around the bottoms of your coops, and partially up the walls. My grand -daddy used it on the coop itself to keep snakes out.

I need you all's opinions. Lizzie can stand, walk, and run a little now. I am not sure how her stamina is, but I am thinking of sneaking her into the coop tonight after dark - I am only afraid that Luke or Ultrasuede will squish her again doing the roo thing- should I try it? She does not stand normally, her walk is stiff, but she moves fairly quickly. Nervous Nellie mom that I am, I don't want to put her back too soon.

 

[kathyinmo]

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No, I don't know which is which. I took off their bands, and did not keep them separated. I am watching that beak color ..... it seems the nice barrel chested ones have that trait, too.

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Make your choice, Beth. You have first pick .... pick of the litter is just for you, girl!

I don't know about Lizzie. I am like you, and worry too much. But, I do know that chickens heal quickly, and maybe that is as good as she is gonna get. I mean, maybe she is totally healed now.


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Dellie mind control for sure! I just love them, and don't want to get rid of any of them! DH has said he wants a pen of meaties. The way I look at it is ..... ok, now I can keep more Dellies!

You should get a dog training leash for that sweet Fattie. I am sure that would keep her out of the tree!

I think she just does that so she can watch you climb the tree!

 

[Cetawin]

Beth I am beginning to think you are right about the books...Thor's antics need to be told.

Kathy - you may be right. Maybe she just wants to get Thor upset and watch me go up the tree after her. hmmmm Bad Dellie Bad Bad Bad.