Silkie thread!

[swheat]

Quote:
Go at least 15 miles, and then hope you don't drop them off to another poultry keepers house ! Better to shoot them and you'll know for sure they will not kill any more of your birds and any of your neighbors birds.

 

[Teresaann24]

Yeah there is no way I could make this thing someone else problem.

 

[laughingdog]

it is actually more humane to put them down, as even if you do release far enough away they wont come back, that is usually only because they either got killed by something else trying to cross it territory, or they found an easier meal ticket. they have a very good sense of direction, and are actually the same animal as a bear and travel long distances naturally for food, unless easy food is close to were the big families set up. watch out for the babies, as they seem cute to leave, but parents especially taking away birds are feeding them to young, and showing them what to and how to kill, so those babies will always seek out what we dont want unfortunately, and alot still use poison and leg traps (also smeared with poison so when smart animals chew off broken leg, they ingest and get poison in wound, killing them slow). just better to do it quick and easy to the whole nest (ive seen containing up to a hundred or more, by the way.. sorry). i was a vet assistant for over three years, and hunted coons, and actually have a great respect, but once they are taught by garbage and people putting out food for them even, especially cats usually, to not fear, and develop an association of our smell with good, instead of a shot in the butt, the babies learn to adapt and are encouraged forever for hanging around us. now you can do what ive done before, if done right, with wild, or orphans raised up (yes i know im a horrible hypocrite), and just set dogs on, or beat the tar outta them when they try to mess with or show more than idle curiosity to stuff you dont want (this has worked as had coons living right up by my chickens, and when they find a mate or have babies they seem to be able to tell them not to mess with that, and the dog knows its supposed to guard the flock as well. wild coons i obviously mean beat the cage yell scream and poke at and have dog terrorize them while they are in a cage as close to birds as possible, just to clarify for wild coons.. for those who want a more humane compromise. sees mentally nicer just to put them down quick, but conscience gets the better or worse at times. i had a neighbor who was feeding the coons for years till she suddenly decided to stop one day. suddenly in broad daylight eighty raccoons show up, and by night time they were acting starved as rabid dogs. its bad when one of your dogs goes and hides in her dog house, the male is wanting to try to kill them all, and hitting the closest one with a broom, just makes it look confused at you. poor things were so fat they had to go around the fences and were totally confused, so came right up to my door and were trying to get the door open. they were nuisances ever since, and family decided it was cheaper to feed, and trap as many as could, and drop off with cats to river, were was a farm... some still came back from so far.

P.S. sorry about and to all those who lost their fluff puffy butts. i worry about my more fragile and non agile chooks as well now.

 

[Debbi]

I agree with laughingdog. To shoot the coons is far more humane. Also, in most locales, it is ILLEGAL to dump a wild animal somewhere else. You are not only giving your problem to someone else, you are also possibly spreading diseases, such as rabies, to areas where it may not have been a problem. A new coon in an established territory will more than likely meet an ugly death; either by way of the local boar coons mauling it to death, or by starvation. If you trap animals, be sure to be able to dispose of them quickly and humanely!

 

[kfchickenlady]

Quote:
X10 and thanks to Teddy, my sons corgi, who keeps the coons away from the pens!

All good chicken doggies!

 

[Vanessabuffsnsilkies]

Quote:
Have you ever experienced a raccoon attack on your birds? It's not pretty, there's no mercy. I know they are just being animals... The ones I've encountered are not afraid of us. We shot one last week ON TOP of my coop. My dog chased it up there. We had the flashlight on it and it was hissing up on it's hind legs. Needless to say he drug my blue hen out of the coop(just after dusk I might add) feathers everywhere. She was dead of course. The night before that he got into a cage that had a latch and took 2 of my egg layer pullet chicks. Ripped them apart... didn't even eat the breast meat. I guess until you've lost a beloved chook it's hard to imagine killing one of the cute and cuddly little demons.

 

[HatchingFever]

We dont have racoons here but reading that meade me awful if it was my birds or a racoon that racoon would definetly be dead first

 

[muddyhorse]

Quote:
silkies are on the big end of the bantam spectrum. especially when compared to OEGBs or seramas

 

[Colie <3]

Quote:
I don't do all the supplements (yet! lol) but the feed is similar to what I do protein level wise. From my limited experience I think my birds thrive better on a higher percentage. I've researched lower levels and their benefits as opposed to a higher percentage but while mine are doing good on what I'm feeding I'll stick to it.

I do:
* Hi-Pro gamebird feed that's 28% and chick starter that is 21% and mix them 50/50 that's what all the babies get until 3-4 months. Then I switch them to just chick starter at the 21% and give my laying age girls free choice oyster shell.
* Once a week a treat of greens and scrambled eggs to pretty much everyone except teeny tinies.
* Another day during the week I treat with BOSS (unshelled) or parakeet seeds to the older ones.
* Usually grind up Sho Glow or Calf Manna and add it into the feed mix though I haven't the last two weeks since I've been laying around recouping from surgery.
* Add Oxine to my waterers and give electrolytes/vitamins sprinkled on their food once a week to any new birds I get or any birds that I notice might be needing a pick me up from any undue stress.
* Plain yogurt (sometimes with olive oil mixed in it) after being treated by any meds also give my brooder babies plain yogurt or gro gel when they are a couple weeks old.
* Oatmeal mash as a treat especially to the young babies when I trying to teach them they LOVE ME!!

Hard to peg how much it costs monthly exactly (or costs the wonderful hubby like Bat Cave said lol) Since I'm down to 9 adults/juvies and 19 chicks (8-11 weeks) my feed costs have gone down compared to when I had had 20 adults but still I don't think I spend more than $75 a month. (I think!)

 

[kfchickenlady]

Welcome back Colie! Glad youre feeling better, my birds eat the calf manna without crumbling, and I just bought a new 20lb bad of BOSS, they love that too. Im printing out all these feeding suggestions, I never know where to find them when I need them!
Colie did you ever find someone to ship to you?