The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Scott H]

Wow, how interesting! I think a possum would have a hellofatime catching a free ranging chicken tho.....

 

[Jewelwing]

Here's my dog patiently waiting for chicken poops to gobble up, hoping no one is going to peck her. I think she secretly wishes she were a chicken - they seem to always be finding yummy things to eat!

 

[Jewelwing]

Wow, how interesting! I think a possum would have a hellofatime catching a free ranging chicken tho.....

Yeah, that's kinda what I thought, too. The chickens are so much bigger than the opossum, too! It seemed like each one was a little leery of the other, but no one seemed ready to go on the offensive. I wondered at first if the chickens would attack the opossum! It almost looked like they considered it, but then decided he wasn't a threat. But really, I have no idea what goes on inside the head of a chicken, if anything...

 

[armorfirelady]

Here's my dog patiently waiting for chicken poops to gobble up, hoping no one is going to peck her. I think she secretly wishes she were a chicken - they seem to always be finding yummy things to eat!

I love the picture

For those of you who like to enter contests saw this one on Facebook. Chance to win a free coop & you get a coupon for feed
https://www.farmteamchallenge.com/

 

[TeaChick]

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.

Good to know.
Yeah, I guess seven-year-cicada might not come around every year. lol

 

[Leahs Mom]

Was it an opossum baby...not an adult? He/she looked pretty small.

 

[Jewelwing]

Was it an opossum baby...not an adult? He/she looked pretty small.

It looked pretty small to me too, but I don't know. I would think at this time of year, the real babies are still in Mom's pouch. Could it be one of last year's babies - so a juvenile this year? I don't know how fast they mature. It didn't have any buddies with it.

 

[Leahs Mom]

The ones I've caught in my trap are pretty large. Judging from what I can figure from the photo about 2x as large.

 

[chick rookie]

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.

I'm sorry but that would either be trapped and removed or shot if it was me, I just had to cull my whole flock due to wild critters in my coop carrying incurable illnesses in with them. IMO but that's just me.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Me too. It would be gone in short order.