South Carolina

[CarolinaChickenKeeper]

I thought we were safe right at the edge of the woods. Shows how much I know. The devil was sitting in the tree and attacked from behind. Now I know why my grandpa has his gun when he sits outside to bird watch. Papa's an 80yr old crazy over his purple martins.

 

[Larkspur88]

I think I will have my husband put up netting to slow down the hawks from getting into the fenced in run part of my coop. I was going to leave it open. Now I'm scared to! And I almost had a hawk take some of my chicks from me a month ago. Had them in a little cardboard corral while I cleaned their plastic tub and this hawk kept closer and closer. I realized what he was about to do before he nabbed a snack. He got close enough I could have thrown a rock at him though

 

[huckleberryfarm]

I moved my layers out to an open pasture and have lost 5 to a hawk in the last two weeks. We moved the water and food right next to the coop. It was down at the other end and that's where they kept getting killed. I think the hawk waited until one was alone. I can't imagine seeing a chick get taken off. And a silkie! Hawks stink.

 

[riverscape1]

Let me say hello,
I'm a newbie and a new chicken mom. I've posted a new member intro. but I'd like to introduce myself to you guys since some of you are close by.

My 13 year old dd and I are new chicken moms. We adopted 3 unknown chicks from a K5 hatching at Easter. So they are 5 weeks old now. My dd thought her grandfather would add the one that she got attached to into his flock of free range game chickens, but he didn't want a standard size chicken and his flock has dwindled due to predators recently and he really doesn't intend to replenish them (they were a rehome). So after a considerable mope and pout, her dad said we'll keep it...no it needs buddies, we'll get one each. So three chicks came home to a Rubbermaid apartment in the bathtub. One was the last baby who needed help coming out of his egg and he didn't make it. That was mine and I'm still looking for a pullet to fill the hole that was left in my heart after 3 days. (I'm beginning to see why people get more...that cuteness is so brief and you just can't get enough before they look like buzzard cousins). Now down to two chicks and one is definitely a roo. Out of three potential egg factories, I've ended up with one, a Back Sex Link pullet who's growing like gangbusters. The roo is an unknown. He was a snowball chick (one of two in the hatching) so we thought he might be a white breed like a leghorn. But now, I see a few black shafts in his tail and wing feathers and some breast and shoulder feathers that are growing in buff. He started trying to crow just before 4 weeks and practices now whenever we close the door to leave him. They have graduated to a larger chicken run/tractor in the garage that we can move outside for fresh air and sunshine. I'd like to post pictures for a guessing game but I understand I have to talk alot first.

We live between Reidville (Hwy. 101) and Woodruff Road on the county line between Spartanburg and Greenville counties. I grew up in Woodruff and my dd will go to Byrnes High. I think we must be pretty close to Joycat. We have 7 1/2 acres of mostly woods beside the river. I teach at River Ridge in Moore.

We're busy planning our permanent coop and loving and laughing at our pet chickens.

Donna

 

[WestKnollAmy]

You are close to Joy. I am a bit further but still just up the road from you all.

Congrats on getting into chickens! They are awesome. I started with 7 grown white bantam Cochins and it has escalated into a full time job.
But, hey, I am not gaining as many chicks as I once was. Though, dang it, I just ordered in more hatching eggs! And my dear friend just bought me a bunch of dark Brahma chicks (like the 10 I just hatched wasn't enough). But I am down to 5 brooders now. That is a big plus for me!
And hallelujah, I moved the last of the ducklings out to their new coop and run yesterday.

The heat is trying to get me but I am getting up early and resting often. Still, this is going to be a rough summer for me.

 

[riverscape1]

Quote:
Carolina,
Your post struck fear into my heart! I'm so upset for you! We also live on wooded property and I see hawks sitting, watching my field where the chicken coop will be built. Our coop will be as predator proof as I can make it. Let's see, I have to account for the racoons that knock on my back door, red foxes in the driveway, hawks and great horned owls, those ugly possums that come every night, coyotes that I know are there, not to mention snakes. Hmmmm! I think I'll need an armored coop. So our coop will be roofed and floored, with very tight wire and a lock on the doors.

My grandmother actually received a cat by hawk mail one time. She was working in the garden and heard a pitiful mewing from above.

She saw a hawk flying low overhead with a kitten and quickly picked up something and threw it at the hawk. The hawk dropped the squirming kitten with no damage and that's how Trouble arrived at her house. And he was Trouble from then on.

Donna

 

[riverscape1]

It's neat to hear from my "neighbors" Nadine. That's alot of birds.

Afraid I can't let myself make a job of this, I will still have to go back to teaching my little K5 chicks in August. This heat is hard on women and birds. We will have to adopt the custom of siesta. We are planning a road trip in a couple of weeks and I'm worried about whether to actually move the chickies out of the garage before then.

I've also emailed back and forth with Southern Bee Lady. I'm interested in finding a similar age pullet to add to our little pets and we were talking about her BO chicks. She knows my dad since he's active in the Piedmont Beekeepers Association.

Thanks for the welcome,
Donna

 

[phoneman]

this time of the yr. we dont have problems with hawks. only early spring when they are hatching do we have a problem.because the farmers here are cutting the wheat and planting soybeans. in the wheat fields mice, baby rabbits,and baby deer and turkeys are plentiful. they just wait for the combine to make a few passes and they have a feast.

 

[emptynester]

Quote:
Hello

I'm not that close to you, I'm all the way down south with one foot on the Ga border, but wanted to say hi anyway! Keeping chickens is a lot of fun. We have quickly grown this winter from 5 to 21, and just added 8 newly hatched babies 3 days ago. Soon, you too will experience a strange sort of mental rearranging that brings on a feeling of euphoria- it's called chicken math! You start with 3,
add some fencing and toss a little chick feed and you look up to find 25 chickens running around your back yard!

For those of you keeping up through my chicken blog, Luci Lu is back in general population after spending a week on the top floor of the chicken Hilton Condo. Looks like it was just a tendon and she is back to putting weight on her leg and moving around pretty good.

 

[ChickyChickyBaby]

newcomers!

I am nursing a bee sting still today. Wasp got me yesterday afternoon on the forearm. Swollen from my elbow to my fingernails.

Typing one handed is not easy. I did not realize how much I use my left hand until this happened. I would rather be without the right

, even though I am right handed.

I have seen a hawk here once....DD was sitting in the yard with her mallard drake and he was flapping and trying to get back to the pen with the ladies. Hawk flew down at about the same time DD stood. Hawk was only about 3-4 foot above her head! Scared the hawk & he flew off. Scared DD too, she did not see him til I yelled, then she was afraid hawk was going to try to get drake while she was holding him.

We have been trying to get some of our acre cleared off to get rid of some of the trees. Traipsing through the woods last week, I saw a small owl. It almost had no fear, neighbor lady & I got less than 6 foot from it. It was too dark in the woods to get a pic though. Luckily it was also a few acres over from my chickens.

Other neighbor came over earlier, there is another stray dog around.

Big shaggy & yellow, she ran over here when it ran down the road & into my yard.

DH did shoot the wolf dog last week.

OMG I could not believe this but while we were working (him with chainsaw & his buddy on bobcat - lots of noise) I moved one of our dogs & when I did the wolf dog came up and started looking for extra dog food.

He was soooooo close to DH & guy on bobcat. I grabbed gun, DH shot him. Sight is off on gun, think hit shoulder. We tracked him (that is how I saw the owl) but lost the blood trail. Couple of days later, saw him again. Not been able to get another shot off. But so far no more losses either.

Heat is HORRIBLE!

I am going out in mornings to check water & give treats, and turn them loose most days, then evenings around 7 for feeding.
Stay cool everyone!