Texas

[Aphrael]

Question for group. I haven't seen anything but little rattlesnakes at my house (so far all under 2' length). If/when you kill a snake would/do any of you leave the lifeless carcass in the run or where your flock forages? I wonder if it would be good to let them peck at it and possibly get a taste for snake. Then next time a snake comes to visit the chickens may attack it as food. Same question about little rodents like field mice that I see around my beehives sometimes. Toss any carcasses into the run?

Just a thought, interested in ideas/experiences.

I toss dead mices out in my "compost pile" (the chickens never seem to let it become an actual pile

). The chickens will sometimes peck at them some but usually the stray kittens get them. However, if I call the girls and toss a LIVE mouse to them they go insane and a rousing game of chicken mouseball begins. I almost feel sorry for the mouse sometimes ... almost.

 

[TammyTX]

Remember to remove the head and bury it. The poison is still very much alive after the snake is long dead.

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Remember to remove the head and bury it. The poison is still very much alive after the snake is long dead.

Rat snakes aren't poisonous. Just big. My friend's boys got a 6 foot rat snake that had been frequenting their coop eating eggs. You could see something like 6 eggs in his body. The boys were going to make a belt out him.

I killed a big (over 3') Yellow bellied toad snake this spring - he was enjoying my toads , and a I found a young rat snake that I let go in the park - I hope he grows up to eat lots of squirrels.

That is why my coop and small run will be enclosed in hardware cloth. Can I put the hardware cloth on the floor of the coop too?

 

[TexasLisa]

Good News! I opened my door and there is my missing Australorp!!!

I spent most of the morning looking and there she is. I am going to try to keep a close eye on her and see if she isn't sneaking off to a hidden nest.

Lisa

 

[Aphrael]

Good News! I opened my door and there is my missing Australorp!!!

I spent most of the morning looking and there she is. I am going to try to keep a close eye on her and see if she isn't sneaking off to a hidden nest.

Lisa

That is great news!

So glad she came back safe and sound.

 

[Teri Metcalf]

Good News! I opened my door and there is my missing Australorp!!!

I spent most of the morning looking and there she is. I am going to try to keep a close eye on her and see if she isn't sneaking off to a hidden nest.

Lisa

That's wonderful! Glad she's safe.

 

[kkidsmom]

So during our trapping of our chicken killer, we put all our chickens into the same coop. I little snugger that the big ones were used to, but still plenty of roosting space for all. Then we notice one of our red hens (either a RIR or production red - I don't know the difference) had taken up residence in one of the nesting boxes. The first night I shooed her out only to have her enter another box. Concerned she might be sick, I gave her a once over in the poor lighting and decided if she didn't come out in the morning I would catch her and look at her more closely.

Next morning she ran out with all the others eager for some food. Full of energy and looking healthy. Late afternoon came and I noticed she was back in the nest box. This time guarding an egg. Humm, could she possibly be broody. She has never liked being disturbed while on the nest, so the evil eye and growling are normal for her. Now she freely pecks my hand.

So I have set seven eggs under her and will see what happens. If she abandons the nest I have an incubator on hand. but I really hope she doesn't since I don't want to raise them indoors during the winter.

 

[kkidsmom]

That's wonderful! Glad she's safe.

x2

 

[jajeanpierre]

Good News! I opened my door and there is my missing Australorp!!!

I spent most of the morning looking and there she is. I am going to try to keep a close eye on her and see if she isn't sneaking off to a hidden nest.

Lisa

That's wonderful news!

 

[Teri Metcalf]

I could use some advice. Yesterday, we acquired three peeps (two barred rocks and one easter egger) who are about 3 weeks old. A friend had purchased them at the local feed store, and after two weeks was told by her landlord that she could not have chickens. Right now we have them in an outdoor coop, and they're as happy as clams. But the outdoor temperature is still in the 60s and 70s. We can bring them into the garage when the cold front hits tomorrow night.

But in early December we're going out of town for several days. By then the peeps will be about 4 1/2 weeks old, probably too young to be left in an outdoor coop. Our other chickens are all adults and cold hardy. But suspect that these peeps will still be too young to be outside when the temp gets into the 30s and 40s.