Silkies - They’re simply SPECTACULAR!

[pennyJo1960]

I had 4 silkie lost all of them last summer high killing heat..
So been raising new banty 3 pure silkie pullets, 1 frizzle pullet. One sikie x polish pullet. A easter egger blue banty pullet. One cockerel silkie with the frizzle gene splash colored he will leave soon.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I am an animal lover but I don't want any of those you mentioned around my chickens. they spread diseases. you cannot rehome all of them and I don't think it is a good idea either. that park will become overpopulated by them and they will start to expand their breeding area. 5 miles is a small distance for mice and rats. they will soon be back.

At this new farm, we've yet to see a coon... We have caught a baby possum in our live trap once last year but no other signs of possum. I'm assuming because of the foxes.... I've got at least one vixen with 2 kits last year and this year. I've also seen a red fox and heard coyotes so I think they pretty much keep the larger pests away. So far the foxes & coyotes can't get into the runs at all, plus our dog helps deter them because our backyard is adjacent to both coops. That just leaves the mice & rats. I've seen rats in the barn on occasion but none in the coops. Mice are the biggest issue out there and I agree, they cause disease. Plus they stink and are just overall disgusting.... The live trap instructions say to release them at least 2 miles away. The place I take them is well over 6 miles away. With the amount of hawks, owls, other birds of prey, foxes, coyotes, cats, dogs, bobcats, etc....I really don't worry that they will find their way back. We live in the Ozark foothills so its not flat terrain. Also, the state park is hundreds of acres. It is unlikely that a few dozen mice I release there are going to affect the ecosystem much.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Miss broody Milli is back in the nest again and it's pouring snow here so I can't shut up the pre-fab coop...should I bring her in the garage? And Mango my roo is just standing in the exact same spit not moving at all. He crows from time to time but that's it!
Do yalls behave this way on snow?! Sorry I'm a helicopter chicken gamma!

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Miss broody Milli is back in the nest again and it's pouring snow here so I can't shut up the pre-fab coop...should I bring her in the garage? And Mango my roo is just standing in the exact same spit not moving at all. He crows from time to time but that's it!
Do yalls behave this way on snow?! Sorry I'm a helicopter chicken gamma!

Yall laugh but Mango was turning white!
Hubby redeemed himself! He said let's bring em in garage and then he helped me too!

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Yall laugh but Mango was turning white!
Hubby redeemed himself! He said let's bring em in garage and then he helped me too!

They're all so cute!

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

They're all so cute!

Totally didn't think bout the crowin...til Mango crowed - in the garage Lolol

 

[chickengr]

At this new farm, we've yet to see a coon... We have caught a baby possum in our live trap once last year but no other signs of possum. I'm assuming because of the foxes.... I've got at least one vixen with 2 kits last year and this year. I've also seen a red fox and heard coyotes so I think they pretty much keep the larger pests away. So far the foxes & coyotes can't get into the runs at all, plus our dog helps deter them because our backyard is adjacent to both coops. That just leaves the mice & rats. I've seen rats in the barn on occasion but none in the coops. Mice are the biggest issue out there and I agree, they cause disease. Plus they stink and are just overall disgusting.... The live trap instructions say to release them at least 2 miles away. The place I take them is well over 6 miles away. With the amount of hawks, owls, other birds of prey, foxes, coyotes, cats, dogs, bobcats, etc....I really don't worry that they will find their way back. We live in the Ozark foothills so its not flat terrain. Also, the state park is hundreds of acres. It is unlikely that a few dozen mice I release there are going to affect the ecosystem much.

that makes sense. we don't have many trees here not to mention forests. foxes and feral cats cannot keep up with mice and rats here.

 

[chickengr]

we don't have snow here so no advice about keeping chickens in snow, lol. greetings from a sunny island to all and best wishes with cold weather.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

that makes sense. we don't have many trees here not to mention forests. foxes and feral cats cannot keep up with mice and rats here.

I'm on the edge of the town so I don't get many foxes even though they live in the nearby fields. I only have bats living in my garden

 

[AngBantamLuv]

I'm on the edge of the town so I don't get many foxes even though they live in the nearby fields. I only have bats living in my garden

Ooooh... do you have a bat house? I'm sure bats are near me. But we have fox and skunks, well possums and racoons too. I haven't seen them personally yet though. The coop builder actually added 1/4" (around .5 cm) hardware cloth instead of 1/2" after i have him the neighborhood prey animal list oh and black vultures and hawks and coyotes. Its a zoo out here!

Guess what!! Pretty girl Esmeralda laid her first egg yesterday i heard her chatting more then normal in the afternoon, but didn't suspect anything. Found the egg in the evening. ANDDD Daisy has started back up too! I kind of think Minnie got everyone going again! Next is Elsa.

I'm noticing the silkie chicks seem calmer now, and the polish are still spazzy weirdos, they are starting to get more curious.

Gave my base plans to a potential worker and haven't heard anything. So.. gotta post the job again. Getting annoyed with lazies around here. I built a retaining wall with a neighbor once, so i know what to do, just not sure i can do it alone in a timely manner.