The Front Porch Swing

[flocksalot]

My Legbars from BM6 and CPL are getting so big! I can't believe they're already about 3 months old! Should start getting eggs in late September/October! I can't wait! At first, I hated all colored eggs, then realized Legbar eggs aren't green or olive, they're blue. I just can't do olive eggs since it makes me think of a rotten egg. I know, it's all in my head.

That's funny! My hubby won't eat the white eggs because they look like grocery store eggs. How silly. We never ever buy eggs from the store and he does all the grocery shopping.

I'm so jealous. I can't wait to get some eggs to hatch! They are one of the first breeds on my sons master list.

 

[pysankigirl]

our new pup, Quigley, is the most adorable puppy ever. I wish y'all could experience him. we got him a wooba and he loves it.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Good morning everyone, we got our Juvenile Blue Columbian Brahmas this weekend they are settled into their newly cleaned and sanitized from top to bottom coop/ condo. We also picked up 2 more Augsberger juveniles (a pair).
It was a long trip.

Also built a new condo for the Augs, which is currently quarantine for them, when they pass quarantine then we will put all the others in with them.

 

[pysankigirl]

So the last chicken we lost was grabbed right next to the chicken coop INSIDE the friggin’ fence. I went around and checked and the fence had almost no juice in the area that the fox was targeting. (the feather trail went right through the fence.) I consulted with my goat breeder who brought her voltmeter over and she said we didn’t have near enough ground rod in the soil (it is rocky so DH struggled just getting 3’-0 into the ground) and we needed to run grounding wires also, which we didn’t know.

So this weekend we moved the charger down the hill to where the ground isn’t as rocky and DH got about 12’0 of ground into the much nbicer soil down there (silt all washed down from the top of the hill, which is why only rock is left up there) I moved some wires and ran a couple extra hot wires at the bottom and will be running some grounds between the hot wires at the top and now when you touch it, it will knock your socks off. But I am so tired. I came to work to rest.

We ordered another fence section from premier, a digital volt-meter and a better charger and once that comes in I am hopeful that we will be able to conquer this son-of-a-B. (is a female fox called a B?)

Things I have learned that maybe everyone else already knows and I am just “slow”:

1. All single strand wires should run independently from the box and the hot wires shouldn’t touch each other so that if one gets grounded out for some reason, it doesn’t take them all out.
2. Ground is just as important as hot. You need both to make the circuit.
3. You need a lot more ground rod in the ground than you think and you can run them in serial. So 3-4 ground rods all connected is ideal.
4. If the animal jumps through the non-net fence and none of his feet are touching the ground he won’t get a shock…you need ground wires run intermingled with the top wires of the fence (but not touching the hot wires!!!) in case he learns to jump through it that way. The bottom ones can be all hot wires because it is likely he will have his paws on the ground when encountering them.
5. I am becoming one with the round-up. I didn’t want to have to use chemicals but I really had to bite that bullet in order to keep the bottom of the fence clear. The goats wont get close enough to the fence to eat the weeds and they will ground out a fence dang fast here in this rain forest of Viginia. We were getting NOTHING by the time the charge was reaching the end of the fence.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Interesting facts, Dang fox.

 

[krazykat0373]

So the last chicken we lost was grabbed right next to the chicken coop INSIDE the friggin’ fence. I went around and checked and the fence had almost no juice in the area that the fox was targeting. (the feather trail went right through the fence.) I consulted with my goat breeder who brought her voltmeter over and she said we didn’t have near enough ground rod in the soil (it is rocky so DH struggled just getting 3’-0 into the ground) and we needed to run grounding wires also, which we didn’t know.

So this weekend we moved the charger down the hill to where the ground isn’t as rocky and DH got about 12’0 of ground into the much nbicer soil down there (silt all washed down from the top of the hill, which is why only rock is left up there) I moved some wires and ran a couple extra hot wires at the bottom and will be running some grounds between the hot wires at the top and now when you touch it, it will knock your socks off. But I am so tired. I came to work to rest.

We ordered another fence section from premier, a digital volt-meter and a better charger and once that comes in I am hopeful that we will be able to conquer this son-of-a-B. (is a female fox called a B?)

Things I have learned that maybe everyone else already knows and I am just “slow”:

1. All single strand wires should run independently from the box and the hot wires shouldn’t touch each other so that if one gets grounded out for some reason, it doesn’t take them all out.
2. Ground is just as important as hot. You need both to make the circuit.
3. You need a lot more ground rod in the ground than you think and you can run them in serial. So 3-4 ground rods all connected is ideal.
4. If the animal jumps through the non-net fence and none of his feet are touching the ground he won’t get a shock…you need ground wires run intermingled with the top wires of the fence (but not touching the hot wires!!!) in case he learns to jump through it that way. The bottom ones can be all hot wires because it is likely he will have his paws on the ground when encountering them.
5. I am becoming one with the round-up. I didn’t want to have to use chemicals but I really had to bite that bullet in order to keep the bottom of the fence clear. The goats wont get close enough to the fence to eat the weeds and they will ground out a fence dang fast here in this rain forest of Viginia. We were getting NOTHING by the time the charge was reaching the end of the fence.

I have learned, with all your might and ingenuity, you can not stop mother nature...actually received a lecture the other day from a "biologist" which of course makes it special

that things will get to your birds, do what you need to do...**** the law

 

[flocksalot]

Psanky I had to look it us as you got my curiosity. A female fox is called a vixen! A male a dog, and the babies of course are kits. So now I know.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Psanky I had to look it us as you got my curiosity. A female fox is called a vixen! A male a dog, and the babies of course are kits. So now I know.

Which all spell T R O U B L E

 

[flocksalot]

I feel so bad for you guys that the fox bother. Our fox will sit and watch, but are not brave enough to cross the rail road tracks onto our property. We have one for sure very very pretty red fox that likes to watch chicken TV. I think I scare the crap out of it though. Never had it go after a chicken. I did however have a bunch of my hens, with the dark Cornish in the lead, chase a fox up the hill and past my neighbors front porch. He called to inform me, but I had seen them go. He was like "Ann do you know your chickens are chasing a fox?" And I said "it's ok Jeff they'll eat most of it." Somehow they all made it home when it was time to count them at roost. My chickens are voracious and will eat anything that crosses their path except the stupid cats. Which I found out come from another neighbor who gets them from the human society by the dozens as barn cats. These are city strays that have been catching birds from feeders all over the city. Yet she gets them to catch mice in her horse barn. They come across the road and down a half mile or so to eat my chicks instead. Maybe we do need a dog.

 

[flocksalot]

I'm having a bad fibromyalgia day. The cooler weather brought it. I would much prefer the hot humid cant breath days to this. I seem to be having more and more flares. I sure hope they can find a cure for this along with so many other illnesses out there. Although I am sorely focused on mine I will admit. I hate feeling like I'm sick all the time.

Guess ill go pester a broody and hug a turkey or 50. That always makes me smile.