Texas

[magpiesing]

My son is graduating next month from UNT. M

agna cum laude! Yes, I am one proud mama. ​

I'll post his announcement in a bit.

Congratulations...it's something to be proud of. You know you've done things right when your children do well.

 

[lovingmyhens]

My son is graduating next month from UNT. M

agna cum laude! Yes, I am one proud mama. ​

I'll post his announcement in a bit.

oh my goodness! You should be!

 

[bnjrob]

I didn't know if anyone would get the reference. Most people never get any of my Doctor Who references! Every time I see my Naked Necks all I can think of is 11. Ha!

I haven't watched Dr. Who since the early 80s and don't remember many episodes from back then, so maybe that is why it went right over my head.

 

[RustedOak]

I'm sure this has been discussed a million times but I don't have the energy to go back through the thread to look for it lol.... I'm looking to buy an organic layer feed that's easily accessible. We have a Tractor Supply, an Atwoods and a small local feed store as well. Suggestions?

 

[magpiesing]

Up til now I hadn't really worried about our hawks. they just seem to ignore the chickens, but the other day one flew in behind our little barn and hung out too close. It made a different sound too. The chickens headed into the house. Two of my girls were in the woods. I guess they froze in place because when the hawk flew off here they came running to get back in the yard. I hate to deny them free range, they so love to get out, especially into the woods. The one I really worry about is my one sebright. She goes from the house straight over the fence.

I know we have a pair of red shouldered, they have lived here many years. The one that flew in was definitely red and big, but only saw it from the back. Are Cooper's bigger?

Will crows or buzzards bother the chickens? The crows sneak in to eat the scratch when the chickens aren't out.

Think we will try making a PVC hoop frame and netting as my fence is only 4ft and we need to be able to walk into the yard. Going to cover the yard somehow though. there are plenty of squirrel, rabbit etc. they don't get to eat my chickens!!!

 

[ClovisMan]

I'm sure this has been discussed a million times but I don't have the energy to go back through the thread to look for it lol.... I'm looking to buy an organic layer feed that's easily accessible. We have a Tractor Supply, an Atwoods and a small local feed store as well. Suggestions?

I personally don't like feeding the organic stuff. My chickens start to snub their beaks at me when I pull up in my black smokin Diesel truck and go goo-goo over the neighbors Prius. One even tried to put a Hilary 2016 sticker on the chicken door. Can't have that!

 

[RustedOak]

...

I personally don't like feeding the organic stuff. My chickens start to snub their beaks at me when I pull up in my black smokin Diesel truck and go goo-goo over the neighbors Prius. One even tried to put a Hilary 2016 sticker on the chicken door. Can't have that!
[/quote

Hahahaha! I catch my girls voting for that hag, they're going directly to freezer camp!

 

[henless]

Spring is here, and with it comes fire ants. Is there anything ya'll use to get rid of them that won't hurt the chickens? I usually use Amdro, but I'm sure it's not good to use around the chickens. So far there are none in the pen, but I have noticed one starting around the base.

I wish I had an anteater. *sigh*

 

[Belott]

Henless (with chicks), I read on here somewhere that the chickens will eat the ants!

David

 

[jajeanpierre]

Up til now I hadn't really worried about our hawks. they just seem to ignore the chickens, but the other day one flew in behind our little barn and hung out too close. It made a different sound too. The chickens headed into the house. Two of my girls were in the woods. I guess they froze in place because when the hawk flew off here they came running to get back in the yard. I hate to deny them free range, they so love to get out, especially into the woods. The one I really worry about is my one sebright. She goes from the house straight over the fence.

I know we have a pair of red shouldered, they have lived here many years. The one that flew in was definitely red and big, but only saw it from the back. Are Cooper's bigger?

Will crows or buzzards bother the chickens? The crows sneak in to eat the scratch when the chickens aren't out.

Think we will try making a PVC hoop frame and netting as my fence is only 4ft and we need to be able to walk into the yard. Going to cover the yard somehow though. there are plenty of squirrel, rabbit etc. they don't get to eat my chickens!!!

Identifying hawks is REALLY hard. The male and female of the same species are such different sizes (the female is about 50% larger than the male); the plumage differs from juvenile to adult, often from male to female; and worst of all, you generally just get a brown blur out of the corner of your eyes.

But, if you know what hawk is hanging around, you can get an idea of how dangerous it is. Hawks are everywhere whether you see them or not.

You are really lucky if you have crows around. I wish I did. A friend near Seattle feeds her wild crows to encourage them to stay very close to her chickens--she calls them and they come. She feeds them dog food to keep them around. Crows will mob a hawk and drive it out of the area. They will take a chick, but adult chickens should be safe with crows. (Ravens are a different story--they are very large.)

By buzzards, do you mean vultures? (Buzzards are an Old World hawk, not a vulture.) Vultures won't bother your chickens. I'm not sure about the Caracara, which hangs around with vultures, acts like a vulture but isn't one. I think they do take small animals, but don't know if a chicken is too big.

I don't think a Red Shouldered hawk is much of a problem for a large fowl chicken. I think the most common hawk to be a big risk is a Coopers and a Red Tailed. The Coopers is quite bold, too. Coopers and Red Shouldered hawks are about the same size.