The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[jlynnet]

They already did come back. Fences are down, feathers everywhere, at least 4 more dead. One bear down, we stalked the other for a while but couldn't get a clean shot on it. It had one of my chickens in it's mouth as it ran away. Since my husband works away I will be having an interesting time doing all my chores while holding a shotgun for a while. Exhausted and off to bed. Rest in peace girls

That is really scary! Be safe! I would be terrified to be alone. The shotgun will be your best friend.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Egg Size Question:

2 of my 14 mo. old chickens are laying what I consider to be pullet sized eggs. One is a BR; the other a blue egg layer. Eggs are heavy with good shells.

The other BR produces what I would consider to be normal size, the other color egg layer has large eggs.

Would this possibly be a nutrition issue?

I know we usually look at an egg and say define it by large, med, small, etc. visually...but I think the standard is really by weight. I'm curious enough about this that I'd like to have an egg scale and compare weights on these eggs.

 

[lalaland]

Oh Shan, I am so sorry.

THere isn't much that is bear proof. Around here, the bee hives are fenced off with electric wire. It works 90% of the time. A guy across the river also had to put a noise string around his hive yard first, and then an interior electric fence. THat worked finally. You might try rigging the noise string up til you've gotten the other two bears.

 

[hswife]

I have six hens, and one late last year started having yellow crust along with each individual feather disintegrating from the base outward. Any thoughts? It seems to have spread to two more hens. Starting around the base of the tail and up the back. I'm wondering what causes this and if Diatomaceous Earth would help. Hoping to keep them chemical free.

 

[midnightroo]

They already did come back. Fences are down, feathers everywhere, at least 4 more dead. One bear down, we stalked the other for a while but couldn't get a clean shot on it. It had one of my chickens in it's mouth as it ran away. Since my husband works away I will be having an interesting time doing all my chores while holding a shotgun for a while. Exhausted and off to bed. Rest in peace girls

Wow very scary. I hope you got some rest and maybe the other bear learned a good lesson to stay away from people.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Oh Shan, I am so sorry.

THere isn't much that is bear proof. Around here, the bee hives are fenced off with electric wire. It works 90% of the time. A guy across the river also had to put a noise string around his hive yard first, and then an interior electric fence. THat worked finally. You might try rigging the noise string up til you've gotten the other two bears.

What is a noise string?

I have six hens, and one late last year started having yellow crust along with each individual feather disintegrating from the base outward. Any thoughts? It seems to have spread to two more hens. Starting around the base of the tail and up the back. I'm wondering what causes this and if Diatomaceous Earth would help. Hoping to keep them chemical free.

Did this start around the vent? Is there a discharge and/or smell around the vent if so?

 

[bluebirdnanny]

I'm curious where your pile of straw was. I still have some bales around the base of the hen house as a wind block but I don't use it on the floors or ground. I really hate straw..wondering if I should get the bales out of there that are blocking wind.


With this, I don't think you'd have to hang the feeder in there ... I think I'd just put it on the bottom which sounds much easier.



I had that happen one time. One of the kiddos layed really early in the morning then again later in the day.

Ok. Then it is pretty normal but rare? Whew... two of the eggs looked the same shape and degree of color (lighter than the other two) so am wondering if it is because I ran out of calcium, grit. With house repair/work going on and they require me to be here it has been hard to get out to the store over an hour away! Friday am though they won't be here. Inspector coming today.

BEARS!!!

This morning as always my husband opened the pop door at 5 am. I get up at 5:45 and the girls are just starting to come out.

6am they were all out milling around. 6:45 I got out of the shower and looked out the window to see no chickens and lots of feathers. Ran out and one bird came flying out of the brush clearly terrified. Carried her inside and saw another running around the yard.(outside the run). Went to go pick her up, dog went balistic, turned around to face 2 black bears. About 20 feet from me, I was about 30 feet from the coop and 60 from the house.

I raised my arms(yeah right I'm going to look huge with my spindly arms over my 5'2" self), yelled like heck and they did nothing but drool. Needless to say I ran for the coop, slammed my way in and tried to breathe. Waited 15 minutes and they just stared and moved a bit closer.

So I stepped onto the porch of the coop armed with a dull knife and a garbage can lid, threw everything in reach at them. Surprised myself by hitting them a few times but they still did not move.

I ended up waiting them out. Once I could see them through the opposite end of the building I ran to the house, loaded 2 buckshots and a slug and called my husband.

They never came back. Me and my FIL put the fences back up and repaired where we could. Hoping all missing birds will come back but guessing a few met their fate. The others won't let me near them

going to have to wait until they are roosting to check everyone out.

A couple things are resulting from this. Firstly, bear hunting tonight (yes they are in season and tags have been bought) these are 3 yr old cubs whose mom used to visit. I hate to kill anything but you killed my livestock and would have had me too. Secondly, we are building gun safes in each of the outbuildings and will be storing loaded shot guns in each. Turns out this is legal even without safes.

Other than removing the threat, there is nothing I can do. Bears can not be stopped by fencing or even walls. If they had decided to come in the coop they would have. I have never felt that kind of adrenaline, these guys were so close I could smell them.

Something has changed with the bears here. They don't run like they used to. I'm wondering whether they are just running out of food and hungrier or if they have gotten used to us.

Sorry for the super long story! Had to share.

Wow! Spring time and they are awakened from hibernation very hungry. You will have a problem until they are dead or there are no more chickens. Once they taste chicken they will continue to come back. Make sure nothing else is around to draw them in either. (open compost piles, feed laying out, bird feeders, hummingbird feeder, garbage, etc)

We have a game cam which has come in very handy in the chicken coop on more than one occasion.
At one point last year I developed an egg breaker...
I wanted to know who it was, so I bungeed the game cam right next to the nesting boxes and figured it out immediately.
Handy little devices... and not just for deer hunting...

I have thought of that. Always wanted one for my deer hunting anyway. Thought of baby monitors too for at night.

LOL LOL LOL LOL That is so much like me! When I see something cool I'm all about getting the camera first personal safety last. I thought my husband was going to have a heart attack when I laid on the ground and got this shot

Pardon my saying so but,.... you are crazy woman! I love wildlife for most part but .....LOL
Now he/she sure was smelling you out with that tongue out so far! Great shot but.... wow nutty woman.

They already did come back. Fences are down, feathers everywhere, at least 4 more dead. One bear down, we stalked the other for a while but couldn't get a clean shot on it. It had one of my chickens in it's mouth as it ran away. Since my husband works away I will be having an interesting time doing all my chores while holding a shotgun for a while. Exhausted and off to bed. Rest in peace girls

I'm sorry they discovered your chickens! I am hoping the bears around here never get a taste for them. I stay outside when mine are free ranging the yard. I also have a very tall walking stick I use in the yard instead of my cane. Waving it would make me pretty tall I guess. Good you got the one and know enough to wait for a clean shot. Nothing more dangerous than a wounded bear or a mad momma bear! Got to make sure that shot counts as immediate lethal one.

Wow very scary. I hope you got some rest and maybe the other bear learned a good lesson to stay away from people.

They work their way around people. Change time of day/night of roaming but if hungry enough will risk an encounter. Normally they run. These just knew food (and GREAT healthy food) was to be had. I don't let mine out very early morning because of that being a time of predator activity. And I am not alert enough from my overnight meds to properly 'shepherd' them.

 

[BlueMouse]

Yikes Bears! sheesh! and it will be interesting doing your chores with the shotgun, but well worth it, just for the peace of mind if nothing else. I split wood with the 30/30 leaned against the woodpile for a few months this winter after I had a racoon the size of my dog almost (I have lived in the country all my life and never seen a coon this big) charged me.... Never did get a clean shot at the little SOB. (and yes, I know it's overkill, but that happens to be the gun we own that I can hit anything with... lol..) That was enough of an adrenaline rush, I can hardly imagine a BEAR. Lots of our locals who keep bees do run electric fence for the bears. They can make hash of your hives in about 30 seconds flat. I haven't had a problem yet, hoping I never do!

Ah, life in the country, the peace the quiet, the beautiful wildlife....

went out this morning and got my six turkey poults. They're in the brooder, I dipped all their beaks, they have fermented game bird starter with the dry sprinkled on top. Two of them are walking around, the other four are just huddled in the corner panting. I'm hoping they're just stressed out from the trip. Still really nervous about raising turkeys.

and with that I am off for a day's work. I'm hoping the weather cooperates so I can plant my corn (late) during naptime.

 

[FlySammyJ]

LOL LOL LOL LOL That is so much like me! When I see something cool I'm all about getting the camera first personal safety last. I thought my husband was going to have a heart attack when I laid on the ground and got this shot

Pretty! She has such a sweet expression.

 

[Kassaundra]

Pretty corn snake! I bet she helps out with vermin control.

I am not familiar w/ corn snake, but she is an albino python. She isn't mine, but I would bet she can knock back a rodent or two. lol