Texas

[Nomibear]

Have ya'll tried the 2 bucket method? Sounds pretty simple and non messy for sure! Excited to try but right now I am on my last few days of medicated chick starter (I am mixing it with grower) and don't think that would work to well? Do you cover the top with a towel like Kraut? Screen like when you sprout? or what do you to with the top?

I started with the two bucket system. The problems I had with that is that as the pellets swell and brake apart from the moisture, the particles clog the tiny holes I had drilled. I prob could drill them bigger. It might work fine that way, I just haven't tried yet.
One bucket has been working for me, and my girls seem to like the oatmeal texture.
I had been using an old pair of Panty hose to keep the bus out, but my girls eat as many bugs as they can fine. Why should I try to keep these away? In the last year they have only gotten a few grasshoppers and a couple beetles.

 

[Nomibear]

DH told me that onions and garlic make the eggs taste bad so I never gave them any. I think I will for sure now seeing as we have 15 hens laying and getting 3-5 eggs a day is making me crazy.

What breeds do you have? Right now I have 15 layers, but we are getting 5-9 a day. I have buff and California white leghorns.

 

[back2simplelife]

I started with the two bucket system. The problems I had with that is that as the pellets swell and brake apart from the moisture, the particles clog the tiny holes I had drilled. I prob could drill them bigger. It might work fine that way, I just haven't tried yet.
One bucket has been working for me, and my girls seem to like the oatmeal texture.
I had been using an old pair of Panty hose to keep the bus out, but my girls eat as many bugs as they can fine. Why should I try to keep these away? In the last year they have only gotten a few grasshoppers and a couple beetles.

Bugs.. well.. ours get plenty OUTSIDE.. lol.. Don't need them inside was why I was asking. I really don't have a place outside that I could do this so I am doing it inside. I just put my mesh screens over it then through a towel over it for darkness

 

[7acres]

Well, had my first predator attack. Had chickens for a year and a half. No trouble. All of them have been in chain link pens. I had 5 cockerels that I was waiting for a fellow to pick up. I closed in the half of my garden area that I did not use this year and surrounded it with cattle panels. I put tin on 3 sides, but had not done the fourth side. I had taken another panel and offset it so the holes were about 2 x 2. They were sleeping in my old pygmy goat shed with an open front. About 3:15 my wife woke me up and said something was in one of the pens. I go out and 4 of them were o.k. and one gone. Feathers all over the pen. One seemed to be kinda in shock, but got over it. One missing with feathers outside of the overlaid panels. Don't know how it got the chicken between the 2 x 2 hole, but did. I walked and looked and found nothing. When I went out my Australian shepherd comes from behind the house. I fuss at him for being worthless. Later I find the dead chicken in the back yard. I guess he ran down and scared off the predator and brought dinner back to the house. The neck was damaged, so my thinking was a coon. Now have to close in the front today, set a live trap and close up my other houses at night. I am just going to use the panel areas for day pens and lock up the birds at night. Pistol and light by the back door now. Wouldn't you know it got the one that I was having second thoughts culling because of his development.

 

[Cockle-Dood]

Had to be a coon! They are the best judges and always pick our best birds!

 

[TexasLisa]

Congrats to all the new chickens, welcome to all the new members, condolences for all the losses. (sorry, about to catch some sleep)

Thought I would update everyone quickly while I have a moment.

We have our cdl drivers permits. Passed all the tests at the dmv with 90 or above scores. We have mastered backing and parallel parking. (which, btw, we are the best in our class at)

We just finished our first day actually on the highway. I managed to shift through all ten gears both up and down. Since the company we are going into requires double clutching, that is the only way we are doing it. I have been shifting nice and smooth most of they day. Tim got his truck on the highway today and did all his driving almost perfectly.

By the end of the day both of our instructors decided to have us drive from Waxahachi to Lancaster. Both of us did well (even though some of those idiot drivers out there nearly got smooshed) and got everyone back to class safely.

If you see someone you know trying to cut around a truck driver taking a wide turn, tell them not to. Especially if the truck has "STUDENT DRIVER" in brilliant orange all over the darn truck. It's hard to make sure that your trailer doesn't scrape those fools who think you can manage to stay on the road and dodge them all at once when they take up the only place you have left to go. I managed not to kill the fool that did this to me. But only through complete luck. Those trucks don't move around as fast as you would like.

Good Morning StelleKitten! It is good to hear from you. You are missed on this forum! You and your husband will be in our prayers. Please watch out for the crazy drivers. What is your handle?

Well, had my first predator attack. Had chickens for a year and a half. No trouble. All of them have been in chain link pens. I had 5 cockerels that I was waiting for a fellow to pick up. I closed in the half of my garden area that I did not use this year and surrounded it with cattle panels. I put tin on 3 sides, but had not done the fourth side. I had taken another panel and offset it so the holes were about 2 x 2. They were sleeping in my old pygmy goat shed with an open front. About 3:15 my wife woke me up and said something was in one of the pens. I go out and 4 of them were o.k. and one gone. Feathers all over the pen. One seemed to be kinda in shock, but got over it. One missing with feathers outside of the overlaid panels. Don't know how it got the chicken between the 2 x 2 hole, but did. I walked and looked and found nothing. When I went out my Australian shepherd comes from behind the house. I fuss at him for being worthless. Later I find the dead chicken in the back yard. I guess he ran down and scared off the predator and brought dinner back to the house. The neck was damaged, so my thinking was a coon. Now have to close in the front today, set a live trap and close up my other houses at night. I am just going to use the panel areas for day pens and lock up the birds at night. Pistol and light by the back door now. Wouldn't you know it got the one that I was having second thoughts culling because of his development.

So sorry for your loss. I hope you catch and kill the varmint!

Lisa

 

[back2simplelife]

Well, had my first predator attack. Had chickens for a year and a half. No trouble. All of them have been in chain link pens. I had 5 cockerels that I was waiting for a fellow to pick up. I closed in the half of my garden area that I did not use this year and surrounded it with cattle panels. I put tin on 3 sides, but had not done the fourth side. I had taken another panel and offset it so the holes were about 2 x 2. They were sleeping in my old pygmy goat shed with an open front. About 3:15 my wife woke me up and said something was in one of the pens. I go out and 4 of them were o.k. and one gone. Feathers all over the pen. One seemed to be kinda in shock, but got over it. One missing with feathers outside of the overlaid panels. Don't know how it got the chicken between the 2 x 2 hole, but did. I walked and looked and found nothing. When I went out my Australian shepherd comes from behind the house. I fuss at him for being worthless. Later I find the dead chicken in the back yard. I guess he ran down and scared off the predator and brought dinner back to the house. The neck was damaged, so my thinking was a coon. Now have to close in the front today, set a live trap and close up my other houses at night. I am just going to use the panel areas for day pens and lock up the birds at night. Pistol and light by the back door now. Wouldn't you know it got the one that I was having second thoughts culling because of his development.

:-( I am so sorry for your loss! I am trying to figure out these coons and just can't! We use to raise the babies when I was younger but we didn't have chickens! I still have a scar on my thumb where one bit me! He was playing with a screw and I went to take it from him. So that was as bad as I had seen and my brain just can't grasp how smart they really are! You mean it actually got the chicken between 2x2 wires? EEEK! I know that the ones we watch over got invaded by coons.. he ended up losing 14 before it was all said and done. I guess they would actually climb over a 6' chain link into the run then straight into the coop! We are just finished our coop and I THOUGHT it was coon proof but after hearing of how smart they really are.. think I am going hot wire, 3 high hands width apart and NOT growing corn in the fall garden! Also think it just might be time.. for the first time in my life.. to buy a gun! I sure hope you get it before it gets anyone else! Again.. I am so sorry for your loss!

 

[Jessica Lynn]

I have rain!!!! My silly chickens are standing out in it getting soaked. I think I'll have to go out and try to encourage them to go in under shelter.

It's starting to rain here again!

They know no boundaries. What personal bubble?

I posted a question about sneezing over in diseases if anyone wants to look at it for me.

The chickens think they have found dust bath heaven!

Well, had my first predator attack. Had chickens for a year and a half. No trouble. All of them have been in chain link pens. I had 5 cockerels that I was waiting for a fellow to pick up. I closed in the half of my garden area that I did not use this year and surrounded it with cattle panels. I put tin on 3 sides, but had not done the fourth side. I had taken another panel and offset it so the holes were about 2 x 2. They were sleeping in my old pygmy goat shed with an open front. About 3:15 my wife woke me up and said something was in one of the pens. I go out and 4 of them were o.k. and one gone. Feathers all over the pen. One seemed to be kinda in shock, but got over it. One missing with feathers outside of the overlaid panels. Don't know how it got the chicken between the 2 x 2 hole, but did. I walked and looked and found nothing. When I went out my Australian shepherd comes from behind the house. I fuss at him for being worthless. Later I find the dead chicken in the back yard. I guess he ran down and scared off the predator and brought dinner back to the house. The neck was damaged, so my thinking was a coon. Now have to close in the front today, set a live trap and close up my other houses at night. I am just going to use the panel areas for day pens and lock up the birds at night. Pistol and light by the back door now. Wouldn't you know it got the one that I was having second thoughts culling because of his development.

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[7acres]

Thanks folks. Ground is hard, so can't identify tracks. Gotta be a coon though. I raised a couple of orphan coon years ago. They are very smart. They will watch you close a cage or pen and then stick their paw out and try to unlock it. If they get in my pullets it will be the battle of San Jacinto all over again. I am retired and do not mind sitting up all night if it continues. Thought about making a coon skin cap but decided it would not be any good with that many holes in it! We have seen a bobcat in the area, but I think it would have gone over the fence with it and not pulled it through. Could have declared that one of the cockerels this morning did not crow but hollered save me.

 

[Raine06]

What breeds do you have? Right now I have 15 layers, but we are getting 5-9 a day. I have buff and California white leghorns.

We have a bunch of mixed breeds, oh wow....lol. Naked neck, slw, black sex link, 2 easter eggers, 4 golden sex links, cochin, lavender merans, a polish, a white leghorn, a samatura, and one of our own mixed breed is laying already we have 4 more were waiting on that are mixed breeds to start laying.