Surviving Minnesota!

[ejb3810]

Ralphie, I forgot to mention before but I had an episode with the coyotes last evening.
when I was closing up the chickens for the night the coyotes started their noise in the red pine stand about 150 yards from the coop. I hollered and it had no effect, so I walked up to within about 30 yards of the pines and hollered again. They did not run off but started to bark at me. I went and got the 12 gauge and proceeded to go into the pines and then they ran. I took a parting shot, but they were out of range.

Now the Shi Tzu's can not go out without an escort. Especially after dark.

 

[Cebarmlds]

Would the racoon or possum chew through the coop? I am not too worried about Tom and his ladies in his coop because it has an okay foundation and they go through the coop door to roost. Anything coming in has to come in that door. The rest of the run is enclosed with hardware cloth and it is all on cement block with hardware wire extensions for diggers.

The big Run/coop is on a buried cement block foundation with wire at a 12" depth and 8" depth.

What say you chickeners? I realize anything can happen but I am hoping I have taken enough precautions.

Ivie would you be able to screw a piece of sheet metal onto the door where it was chewed? maybe give us a picture of the door and chewed area.

 

[lvie]

Quote:
I could do that. Good idea. Would a piece of Hardware Cloth work also? But I can talk my DH into the sheet metal but not til tomorrow. Maybe a cement block for tonight

 

[Cebarmlds]

I could do that. Good idea. Would a piece of Hardware Cloth work also? But I can talk my DH into the sheet metal but not til tomorrow. Maybe a cement block for tonight

yes I think hardware cloth would work, use the washers to help hold it securely.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I think those must be what I have too, but they are dirty looking trees and have a fungus of some kind on them. I have thought about pulling them out. I would like to plant some plums or apricots in my new orchard area. I am not aware of suckers, but will go look. my Mom has a tendency to run over everything regardless of size with the mower so they could be there and just get wiped out. She would run over a 6 ft tree if it was new. I think she has vision problems, she does not think she does....


I hope you guys up north did OK with last nights weather, Hopefully we will hear from you soon.

I will take a picture of the two we have. They only look so nice because my husband really enjoys pruning trees to make them visually appealing as well and productive. We had some on the property when we moved here and they were a mess, so those got removed and we planted our own from the Soil and Water Conservation office in the county. We had more, but they were getting too mess being so close to other shrubs and trees, so DH removed those too.
We did lose one plum tree (big plums either red or purple) and a peach tree probably won't make it after the wind storm a couple of weeks ago took out those and half our asparagus got smashed. We are still cleaning up trees and debris from them from that storm. The heat wave last week prevented us from making much more progress.

 

[I Love Layers]

April my Blue cochin is now sexually mature!
Some of my free range roosters were caught in the act.

 

[Cluckies]

Ralphie, so sorry for your losses. Terrible. Agree, cockateil, my bf had one when we were growing up. It said a few words, and whistled very well.

 

[Violetsfeathers]

It looks a little scrawny, but I think we could get a morsel from it's breasts. Drumstick are way to small to bother with.

It is a domesticated bird, that is how big it is supposed to be, I hope you're kidding about eating it. Put up FOUND COCKATEIL posters around town.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Ralphie the losses would make me angry. Part of chickening/free ranging yes. But efforts were made to bring those chicks into the world and raise them up and to have it snatched away. Well, we all understand.

Everybody had their first night in the coop. Mini rooster and babies from the garage. June and Patsy. It's officially a full house in there. All came out this morning looking unscathed.

 

[duluthralphie]

It is a domesticated bird, that is how big it is supposed to be, I hope you're kidding about eating it. Put up FOUND COCKATEIL posters around town.

Why would I joke about eating it?

I eat mushrooms and they are small, but tasty, as are shrimp, crawfish and scallops. I bet he would be tasty if cooked right.....




I am not putting poster up anywhere and least of all in town, I avoid town whenever possible. Putting the species of the bird on any ad would be inviting a shyster to come all teary eyed and get their little "Tweety" back....only to see an ad on craigslist tomorrow "Cockatiel for Sale $100"....... We would love to keep him but our little Johnny is allergic to him. Must go fast..Thanks you for helping Tweety and Johnny.....




Glad your night went well. BC..

I have decided to forgo the Wahpeton Auction as I bought a new mower. and I just have too much to do to go to ND....Besides I am not sure my passport is current.

Minnie, I am surrounded by a tamarack/cedar swamp I think much of the troubles I have with fruit trees is from the cedar rust and other fungi that live in the swamp. It is like trying to raise decent chickens with ducks in the area.....

I have to go out and trip my traps soon so the dogs can go out. I am trying to give the critter as much time as I can to step into one. I would hate to deprive him of the chance to become a good predator.


Ivie I have been wondering, how is it possible for the township to make a chicken regulation? I thought that was beyond the scope of their authority. If it is not anything a township does can be changed at the annual meeting. A handful of people can normally undo any stupid thing the board does. The nice thing about township living is being able to over rule the local political types....


Well. off to check the traps.