Texas

[topdycke]

Great picture! Raptors are so hard to identify. I have books and books on identifying hawks. I rarely get to see them sitting still--it is usually just a two-second miscellaneous brown blur I see.

I think the bird you pictured is an adult--juveniles have a barred chest. The adults have the orange chest and belly.


I have a resident pair of Red Shouldered hawks nesting within 100 or 150 feet of my house. They defend their territory from other hawks, and with their distinctive call, I know if all is not well in the area.

I had what I think was a Red Shouldered giving chase to one of my smaller macaws (500 grams) this year. It was either a Red Shouldered or a Coopers. I was impressed at how easily the bird stuck with my bird as my bird dodged in and out of the trees--just 18 inches behind and just off my bird's hip no matter which way my bird zigged or zagged. I don't think the hawk was actually intending to catch my bird; it seemed to be just an instinctual chase or a curious bird. When my macaws first moved in, we had a lot of curious vultures that kept flying over to see the big brightly colored macaws. They were a real nuisance for the first year I flew here because they would come from miles around to have a really close look. My macaws freaked and the big Scarlet would fly off over the horizon for a few hours. She doesn't seem bothered much by the vultures now, but early on she just panicked.

I've seen one bird kill a dove this year--don't know what kind of hawk, just a brown blur and an explosion of feathers from inside the tree. I would suspect a Coopers, but I have yet to see one or hear one. I hope my Red Shouldered pair keep the Coopers out of my area. A big female Coopers is a formidable adversary for my macaws--ambush predators, incredibly fast and agile but like a Cheetah, not good for anything other than a sprint. Out in the open, my macaws are safe, but in the trees on my property? Not so sure. Hopefully, my falcon-expert friend is right that no hawk is going to be stupid enough to tangle with my macaw.

We have one, a female I think, which showed up a coupe of days ago. There was a pair around earlier in the year. I don't know if they are migratory and will come back to the same place again.

 

[TexasLisa]

Hankamer Tx., Male,41. New to the fowl life. Raising RIR's and Orpingtons. On a split two acres. Planning on doing more self sufficient farming. Anyone around let's have a meet-up.

WELCOME to the Texas forum. You tickle me with the beginning of your post. I thought I had clicked on the wrong site for a minute!

Don't hesitate to ask questions, we are a great group of people!!

"Blackland" refers to "blackland prairie". It's a black soil/clay mix that makes it impossible to work when it's wet. Then when it dries it's hard like a clay brick. Black clay is usually the land you hear about that gets DEEP cracks in the summer and causes terrible foundation problems. Half of our land is blackland, the other half is a gravely red/black mix...which is weird because we have less than 7 acres.

Yes, keep your chickens out of the cold/rain especially if their feathers can't repel the rain.

I'm about to go out and get everything ready before it gets any colder and I need to let the 16 week olds out to stretch their legs. We have had light rain all day.

Tammy, we have the same! We live on almost 7 acres and we have the 'blackland'. (I wasn't aware it had a name) UGH!! We are learning to work with it. Don't be mad at me Texans, but this is where I wish Indiana soil was here: beautiful black soil that I could grow anything in.

Lisa

 

[Ms Jellybean]

Wow, I didn't get any post updates for this thread all day. I thought it was too quiet. 17 posts to skim through over several pages!

It is so cold here! We had some freezing rain earlier, but not nothing like what I was expecting. Glad the forecast was off for today. My mom got in this afternoon. Hope the rest of the forecast is off too.

I baked the cinnamon bread today. It takes a really long time to make it. 4+ hours of raising time! I added cinnamon to the dough too. Boy is it good!! Here is a little tip. When making cinnamon bread or rolls use roasted Saigon cinnamon. It has the best flavour. This loaf won't be around very long, especially once my son tastes it. Maybe he won't like it and I can have the whole loaf. lol!




My yard is a 1/4 acre and the soil is gumbo. It isn't as bad as some of the yards I've had here. I guess almost 50 years of people living here have improved the soil some. Still bad though.


Hope everyone is nice and warm! I'm camped out with the space heater and some hot cocoa watching movies.

 

[tcmstalcup]

I finally saw what's funnier than running fat hens. My chickens are not proficient ice skaters!!

 

[lovingmyhens]

How is your chicken today?

/
Thanks for asking-she's not better...still weak and she won't stand but she's still eating and pooping. I just don't know what to think. I'm going to TSC tomorrow and see if they have some ideas. I'm also going to see if my vet does birds although I don't really have the funds for that. I personally believe she's got a few issues, including the wry neck.

 

[Aphrael]

I finally saw what's funnier than running fat hens. My chickens are not proficient ice skaters!!

This cracked me up.

/
Thanks for asking-she's not better...still weak and she won't stand but she's still eating and pooping. I just don't know what to think. I'm going to TSC tomorrow and see if they have some ideas. I'm also going to see if my vet does birds although I don't really have the funds for that. I personally believe she's got a few issues, including the wry neck.

I am sorry to hear your hen hasn't improved any.

I don't really know much about the wry neck at all. Have you looked up if there are any treatments for it that you could try, if you believe that may be what it is? Or at least partly what it is?

 

[showbarnmom]

Hey San Antonio people - My brother in law rolled his truck tonight, off Kyle Seale Parkway and loop 1604. He had his dog, Max, in the truck with him, and now Max is missing. If you are around that area, please keep a look out. Max is a rescue, and maybe hiding. Max is a tan and white cocker spaniel (picture at link below.)
http://www.helpinglostpets.com/petdetail/?id=132464

 

[Aphrael]

Hey San Antonio people - My brother in law rolled his truck tonight, off Kyle Seale Parkway and loop 1604. He had his dog, Max, in the truck with him, and now Max is missing. If you are around that area, please keep a look out. Max is a rescue, and maybe hiding. Max is a tan and white cocker spaniel (picture at link below.)
http://www.helpinglostpets.com/petdetail/?id=132464

Oh no. Is your BIL alright? I hope you find Max soon. Poor guy is probably scared.

 

[showbarnmom]

Oh no. Is your BIL alright? I hope you find Max soon. Poor guy is probably scared.

BIL is ok, according to my husband. Scratches and bruises, but they are taking x-rays right now. He was driving my husbands old Tundra, which he was driving because he wanted to get rid of his little bitty coupe sports car (can't remember what kind it was right now.) Thankfully, he was driving the truck. However, truck is totaled now The truck was a 2000 year model, and survived 170k miles from my husband, then me, and now he's brother, lol. Max is probably hiding, because he's a scardy cat. But I am hoping someone finds him. He's a rescue, and my BIL has only had him since the summer. And I worked my tail off to find my BIL a cocker spaniel

 

[Ms Jellybean]

I have family in San Antonio. I passed the info along. Glad your BIL is ok. Hope they fond the dog soon.