The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[kian]

About the wild birds.... we have sparrows. Lots and lots of sparrows. They fit through the wire fencing and through the lattice roof top of the run. They eat the FF (with the garlic and oregano and everything)! So I figure.... we'll have the healthiest flock of wild sparrows around and my girls will stay healthy too!

 

[aoxa]

About the wild birds.... we have sparrows. Lots and lots of sparrows. They fit through the wire fencing and through the lattice roof top of the run. They eat the FF (with the garlic and oregano and everything)! So I figure.... we'll have the healthiest flock of wild sparrows around and my girls will stay healthy too!

 

[Melabella]

About the wild birds.... we have sparrows. Lots and lots of sparrows. They fit through the wire fencing and through the lattice roof top of the run. They eat the FF (with the garlic and oregano and everything)! So I figure.... we'll have the healthiest flock of wild sparrows around and my girls will stay healthy too!

I have been trying to catch a picture of this one crow, who keeps walking into my run when the door is open, and feeds at the feeder. I hope to heck he never figures out there are eggs in that small house he stands next to. I know it's the same bird because he has a damaged wing on his right side. He is a riot. When Duke sees him he goes sort of nuts, and Jack chases him out when he sees him try as well.

He is the loudest one when a hawk comes around. I guess he is growing on me a bit.

MB

 

[kian]

Thanks Aoxa

Apropos of nothing, I thought I'd share a couple photos from the other day. Today they are outside enjoying the rain (making me laugh thinking about Stonykill's rain-avoiding Runner drake). But this is from a sunnier day:

(still no eggs btw)

 

[kian]

Melabella we have lots of ravens/crows here too. They used to come into the yard all the time but they haven't since we've gotten the chickens. Not sure what's changed for them other than maybe my Great Pyrenees is more active now that he has a job to do? Anyway they're always around and on the telephone pole across the street.

 

[Melabella]

Melabella we have lots of ravens/crows here too. They used to come into the yard all the time but they haven't since we've gotten the chickens. Not sure what's changed for them other than maybe my Great Pyrenees is more active now that he has a job to do? Anyway they're always around and on the telephone pole across the street.

I actually trained my dog to chase them, then felt a bit badly after reading that that they are a great deterent to hawks, and I actually witnessed one day while washing dishes out the window of two of them running a hawk out of the sky. Hawk landed, and they dove down onto him. It was really a site to see. Now when I see them, I don't get stressed, and now think of them like those street smart birds from Dumbo

 

[jockeyeba]

Since we were talking about horses earlier- I have to show these pictures height:477px;" width="500"> [/URL]

Wow! What awesome pictures How old is the top picture??? That is a big mare - especially for a little tike Angela

That was me 60 years ago & that mare was only about 15 hands if memory serves me right, my mother had her until she died at 30 years old. I'm the one in front in the 2nd picture at Sam Houston Race Park many years ago

 

[aoxa]

I have been trying to catch a picture of this one crow, who keeps walking into my run when the door is open, and feeds at the feeder. I hope to heck he never figures out there are eggs in that small house he stands next to. I know it's the same bird because he has a damaged wing on his right side. He is a riot. When Duke sees him he goes sort of nuts, and Jack chases him out when he sees him try as well.

He is the loudest one when a hawk comes around. I guess he is growing on me a bit.

MB

I actually trained my dog to chase them, then felt a bit badly after reading that that they are a great deterent to hawks, and I actually witnessed one day while washing dishes out the window of two of them running a hawk out of the sky. Hawk landed, and they dove down onto him. It was really a site to see. Now when I see them, I don't get stressed, and now think of them like those street smart birds from Dumbo

I have seen crows deter a hawk. I encourage them here. I'd much rather feed the crows.

Looking for ways.. I've been reading and apparently the fence doesn't stop 'em. You can take a tennis racket to them. I could lock the chickens up for a few days to force the starlings to find another food source. I could trap and then kill.

All of it sounds unappealing to me.

I know it's the time of year. They have nothing to eat. Boy are they annoying!

 

[jockeyeba]

OK No one answered my chicken question

 

[aoxa]

OK No one answered my chicken question

I must have missed it. Care to repeat?