Your avatar is a duck! Can't help with your neighbors ducks....seems they found a cheap way to feed them.
The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!
- Thread starter Bulldogma
- Start date
LOL we refer to the cicadas and locusts here as 'crunch bugs'... even the dogs and cats like them! but we didn't get many of the locusts last year while other parts of VA had tons, so I don't know if it's because the chickens ate them all, or if they're just on a different cycle here... I remember in 04 we had them EVERYWHERE but don't remember them since. don't know which year-cycle they were either.
but YES! chickens love crunch bugs too.
Is there a bug they don't like? LOL Mine would kill for a bug right now.....6 dg with a 30 mph wind......they are out in the yard scratching around like they are going to find one!
I agree, losing birds that make themselves 'noticed' quite a bit is hard... OTOH, I have a red Dorking rooster who's going straight into the crock pot tonight. (ok not straight, he'll rest in brine first)...
a few weeks ago, I was filling feed and water and he jumped at me. I put that down to the hens being spooked by the dog.
not long after, he nailed me on the hand while I was again filling feed and water, but the girls were already eating and calm...
yesterday, the dog bumped the door to the pen (I didn't notice at the time) and the 3 (2 girls and the roo) free ranged for the day. while collecting eggs, I heard him behind me and had time to deflect his attack with my foot. 4 times he came at me, each time being 'launched' by the top of my foot. by then the dog was there and when he launched the dog pounced and pinned him (paws only) as he usually does with fighting roosters. LOL
later when I go out, the girls are being evicted from their house and the roo and the pruning shears are going to meet each other. then while he's 'resting' i'll clean out the house and move some of the silver grey Dorkings to their new breeding pen.
I hate that he's my only functional red dorking roo (the other has a crippled foot from an injury and will probably have to be AI later this summer once I have the pens/cages done)
a few weeks ago, I was filling feed and water and he jumped at me. I put that down to the hens being spooked by the dog.
not long after, he nailed me on the hand while I was again filling feed and water, but the girls were already eating and calm...
yesterday, the dog bumped the door to the pen (I didn't notice at the time) and the 3 (2 girls and the roo) free ranged for the day. while collecting eggs, I heard him behind me and had time to deflect his attack with my foot. 4 times he came at me, each time being 'launched' by the top of my foot. by then the dog was there and when he launched the dog pounced and pinned him (paws only) as he usually does with fighting roosters. LOL
later when I go out, the girls are being evicted from their house and the roo and the pruning shears are going to meet each other. then while he's 'resting' i'll clean out the house and move some of the silver grey Dorkings to their new breeding pen.
I hate that he's my only functional red dorking roo (the other has a crippled foot from an injury and will probably have to be AI later this summer once I have the pens/cages done)
LOL I use a hand vac to suck up the stink bugs that show up, and then deposit them in the yard... LOTS of happy chickens. don't remember where I saw it but if I can find it, I saw an article yesterday about the nutritional value of a variety of different insects, including the stink bug (high in protein plus also has other nutrient benefits)
last summer/fall when the stink bugs were swarming, my bigger blrw cockerel would pace along the foundation jumping up and snagging them as they landed on the house.
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have you tried asking the neighbors to restrict the ducks or to pay for food?
Is this what you're talking about Karen?
We had millions of these Western Conifer Beetles before chickens....they stink.....and the chickens don't care. It's amazing the impact having only three hens can have on the bug population. Carpenter ant hatch used to be crazy here.....think I saw three ants last year...LOL
We had millions of these Western Conifer Beetles before chickens....they stink.....and the chickens don't care. It's amazing the impact having only three hens can have on the bug population. Carpenter ant hatch used to be crazy here.....think I saw three ants last year...LOL
Cleaning out some storage in the house and found about half a bag of chick starter that's almost a year old. Anyone know if it would be safe to feed to wild birds? It's completely dry just old. If not I will just throw it away.
Yesterday my dog was inside looking out the window at the wild bird feeders and acting extremely agitated. So I took a look and saw this little guy eating the BOSS that drops down from the feeders. Usually the juncos get it, but not when this one's around:
Then, a few minutes later, who should show up but three of my chickens! I waited to see what would happen, ready to intervene, but they just eyed each other, then each went to eating as much BOSS as they could find. Went on for about 15 min, and then the chickens strolled away.
Then, a few minutes later, who should show up but three of my chickens! I waited to see what would happen, ready to intervene, but they just eyed each other, then each went to eating as much BOSS as they could find. Went on for about 15 min, and then the chickens strolled away.
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