Swedish Flower Hen Thread

[wildhorseannie]

Haven't been in for a while and I must say, SunnySkies and Karen, I am so sorry to hear of your losses. I think we all cringe when it happens to someone else because we know it can just as easily happen to us.
I also would be willing to try to help anyone rebuild a flock. Of course, what I have most of are cockerels. I have plenty of Bazinga boys, but thanks to BullDogMa I also have 4 gorgeous sons of Gunnar and might be persuaded to part with 1 or 2 for a worthy cause.
Leigh, I'm not near the photographer you are but here is a pic of 3 of my Gunnar boys with one of his girls...

 

[SunnySkies]

Jerk ESCAPED the trap last night. He didn't damage the trap, like the door isn't bent or anything. I'll see if the kids can figure out how he did it. I sure can't.

I was going to call DNR in my state and basically tell a lie, "I was trying to trap a stray cat that has been tearing up the trash (which is true; I have seen one in the trash) and I caught this coon. I have small kids and poultry and I don't want coon poop on my deck because it's sooo dangerous. Please come get it. Pretty please."

If I get him again (not likely, as now he is smart to traps), he is dead as soon as I find him. It won't be pretty.

I'll bait the trap tonight with fish and marshmallows.

ETA: thanks for all the offers of birds! I still have 6-7 SFH pullets outside, three of whom should begin laying soon, and I still have 5 roosters (one committed suicide by choosing to sleep outside, 3 others were killed in the recent attacks); inside, I have a small flock of chicks, tentatively sexed as 2 roosters and one pullet with one undetermined. So while this is a setback, it wasn't a complete disaster like some terrible stories I have read. But if you know of anyone with buff or buff barred bantam Cochins, I am looking for eggs (I have some broody hens) or pullets to replace the Cochins. The surviving roos are buff barred; the double barred and mottled were the ones that were killed.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: I just use eggs. that way i'm not likely to catch any of the cats...

as for killing it, if you've got a rain barrel (55 gallon type, or similar) or even a deep creek or something nearby, tie a rope to the trap and drop it in. it's the safest way to dispose of bad coons. opening the cage is dangerous, especially if rabies is in your area, as it could be a potential carrier but not showing symptoms yet...

besides, once they taste chickens, relocating them is just giving someone else your problem, IMO.

 

[chiques chicks]

It is also illegal to relocate in many states

 

[Bulldogma]

Caught the jerk. He tripped the trap last night and got a free meal. I was cool with that, as then he thought he could get away with it.

Gah! I hate that he got away after the havoc he wreaked. And now he'll be smart about the trap too.

He needs to die...

Just sayin'

Haven't been in for a while and I must say, SunnySkies and Karen, I am so sorry to hear of your losses. I think we all cringe when it happens to someone else because we know it can just as easily happen to us.
I also would be willing to try to help anyone rebuild a flock. Of course, what I have most of are cockerels. I have plenty of Bazinga boys, but thanks to BullDogMa I also have 4 gorgeous sons of Gunnar and might be persuaded to part with 1 or 2 for a worthy cause.
Leigh, I'm not near the photographer you are but here is a pic of 3 of my Gunnar boys with one of his girls...

wildhorse - they are beautiful, and that pullet...

*sneaks into coop... steals*

And I'm totally in love with all the babies I have from you! (And ki4got - they are almost 12 weeks old.)
I know it's not advisable to handle the cockerels a lot... but... there's this one - a blue - and he LOVES to be held and loved on. He's just a cuddlebug. I'll let y'all know if he becomes a terror in the future or not. If so, I created the monster myself. LOL.

 

[Raven1]

I am wondering if anyone would be interested in a dozen egg swap with me? I seem to only be hatching the Black/Choc. chicks I have only gotten other colors a couple of times and if I lose any its always them. I would really like to have more nd different colors.

 

[Bulldogma]

I am wondering if anyone would be interested in a dozen egg swap with me? I seem to only be hatching the Black/Choc. chicks I have only gotten other colors a couple of times and if I lose any its always them. I would really like to have more nd different colors.

LOL!! You'll be popular here!!!! Who doesn't like chocolate?? (Especially a chocolate SFH!)

 

[SunnySkies]

Relocating most wildlife is illegal here, and honestly, it's not a great idea anywhere. Many wild animals will travel back "home" unless you move them many, many miles. They carry diseases as well. Coons are the top rabies carrier in my state. They carry fleas and ticks.

I think drowning is awful, particularly with my veterinary training...but...obviously I can't wait until morning to have DNR come take it. Once caught, this coon has to be promptly removed since he knows how to escape traps and is already known to kill poultry. That pretty much leaves that as my only option. we have a 150 gallon trough or a 90 gallon trash can. Creek is too shallow and at the bottom of a hill I don't fancy carrying a heavy trap with an enraged wild animal in down through the trees. I thought about dry ice or vinegar/baking soda, but the volume needed is quite large to fill a trash bag large enough to fit the trap, if its claws don't tear the plastic. And I don't have a way to store dry ice for several nights until I catch it again.

I am vaccinated for rabies, so I'm relatively safe for that, and I have handled many wild animals in my career I am not fussed about handling the trap with a critter inside. I'm more fussed about the monster escaping again! Bought a new trap with a different system, and I am looking into having the trap I have repaired; it has a lwarranty, apparently. It did something to the trap pan, so you can't set it again, when it managed to escape.

 

[Raven1]

This may be stating the obvious but why don't you shoot it?

I hope someone likes Chocolate I sure would like to have other "flavors" My chicks all look like the one you put the picture up of.

 

[Raven1]

This may be stating the obvious but why don't you shoot it?

I hope someone likes Chocolate I sure would like to have other "flavors" My chicks all look like the one you put the picture up of.