Texas

[magpiesing]

Our coop floor is dirt. It's 10 x 12. Started with shavings then added hay. Been layering shavings and hay for about 3 months, Floor is now about 10in deep in shavings and hay. No real odor and is dry. We clean under the roost weekly and add more shavings. Scatterred hay in the yard plus leaves and grass clippings. So far working well.

 

[magpiesing]

Fixed plates of bananas and raisins for their breakfast today. They went nuts for the bananas...not so much on the raisins (they were pretty stale). Even the teenagers gobbled up the banana...I'll be getting them some more grocery day as well as a watermelon.

 

[ABlackDogRanch]

Last night after finishing my sweet outdoor run that will keeps dogs out (but not worried about keeping chickens in), we found this next to the house:

He was almost 5'...gorgeous, but scary. He's dead in this photo, obviously, or I wouldn't be that close!

My BF just told me he's coming home with 4-6 barn cats that someone at work is giving him...good for eating mice and keeping snakes away, but gosh darnit, not good for the chickens! Guess I need to work on fully fencing and roofing their outdoor run, now....

 

[magpiesing]

BTW...FYI...Frisbees make great chicken plates. Orange...they like the orange one...lol

 

[magpiesing]

Last night after finishing my sweet outdoor run that will keeps dogs out (but not worried about keeping chickens in), we found this next to the house:

He was almost 5'...gorgeous, but scary. He's dead in this photo, obviously, or I wouldn't be that close!

My BF just told me he's coming home with 4-6 barn cats that someone at work is giving him...good for eating mice and keeping snakes away, but gosh darnit, not good for the chickens! Guess I need to work on fully fencing and roofing their outdoor run, now....

Dang that is a big snake. Good snake...dead.
We have yard cats and they don't mess with the chickens (we have mostly big birds) but they haven't bothered the bantams even when they are out of the yard in the woods. The cats seem to know the chickens will hurt them.

 

[ABlackDogRanch]

Dang that is a big snake. Good snake...dead.
We have yard cats and they don't mess with the chickens (we have mostly big birds) but they haven't bothered the bantams even when they are out of the yard in the woods. The cats seem to know the chickens will hurt them.

I think mine are too small yet to win in a chicken/cat fight - they're about 9 weeks old. I'm not going to build an entire roof tonight, so I guess we'll see how tomorrow goes. Hopefully no losses.

 

[magpiesing]

I think mine are too small yet to win in a chicken/cat fight - they're about 9 weeks old. I'm not going to build an entire roof tonight, so I guess we'll see how tomorrow goes. Hopefully no losses.

Yeah...i wouldn't trust the cats with our 7 wk olds. Sarah, she's our former momma (now spayed) actually lies down in the grass with the hens. She didn't even pay any attention to the teenagers, but they were on the other side of the wire, she was more interested in getting petted.

 

[RustedOak]

Last night after finishing my sweet outdoor run that will keeps dogs out (but not worried about keeping chickens in), we found this next to the house:

He was almost 5'...gorgeous, but scary. He's dead in this photo, obviously, or I wouldn't be that close!

My BF just told me he's coming home with 4-6 barn cats that someone at work is giving him...good for eating mice and keeping snakes away, but gosh darnit, not good for the chickens! Guess I need to work on fully fencing and roofing their outdoor run, now....

Good thing y'all got him before he got after one of your critters or you! Eat him and get your bf a new belt made lol

 

[Brookshire11]

Dang that is a big snake. Good snake...dead.
We have yard cats and they don't mess with the chickens (we have mostly big birds) but they haven't bothered the bantams even when they are out of the yard in the woods. The cats seem to know the chickens will hurt them.

I can't vouch for chicks, but once they get bigger..the cats should leave them be.
My cat is an "ex-stray" lol, and she is sketchy of the big girls..she will run if they look at her the wrong way lol

 

[TherryChicken]

Thank you brookshire. She is on her way to be tested forparvo was also just dewormed. Eating soft food and drinking, but not drinking as much as id like to see and her gums are still so white. They almost look a little whiter.