The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[FlySammyJ]

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

Figured that out as I caught up and edited my post a minute too late. Corn snakes are common little things that are bred for a wide range of colors. Was the only native constrictor I could think of that might come in yellow mottle.

 

[FlySammyJ]

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

Figured that out as I caught up and edited my post a minute too late. Corn snakes are common little things that are bred for a wide range of colors. Was the only native constrictor I could think of that might come in yellow mottle.

 

[Bulldogma]

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

Oh, Shan30 - so sorry!! Good for you for getting at least one bear for now. If you don't get the other soon, consider some electric poultry netting if you can.

 

[Shan30]

Thank you all for your compassion

It seems that when the bears were on the attack the girls ran for the usual cover of wild rose bushes. Of course the bears simply used the bushes to trap and crush them. Poor things must have been terrified. They got my two favorites too the big jerks.

I actually don't eat bear, just don't like the taste. My husband will be eating this one though. He was bigger than he looked at 275lbs. Not huge for the island black bears but not tiny.

The chickens are locked in the coop for the day.

I have always walked the woods around here alone with the dogs and have never been afraid.
Now I'm jumping at small noises just to get to my car. These guys ruined my haven.

 

[lalaland]

What is a noise string?

noise string is an alternative to an electric fence - can be temporary til you can get a fence up, or can be back up for when power is out. You just rope up anything metal that will clang together, and don't run the rope tight, keep it kind of loose so when it is snagged by a bear or even a dog, it makes a heck of a racket. tin cans, bells, pot lids, broken chimes, whatever you've got. works bet if you can run it thru one of those loops or holes in a fence post so no matter where it is triggered, the entire fence goes off. it will work as an alarm system for you too! you hear it, you get your duff out in the yard fast .

whitewashing today, messier than I thought it would be. came in for coffee and to wash my face.

 

[camilleathome]

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

Actually could knock back chickens and rabbits . We breed corn snakes and have kept burmese pythons when back in newfoundland sadly they are not legal here

 

[kian]

I am so sorry Shan for all those bears have put you through. Hope you get the other one soon!

 

[kian]

Mama hen and her "helper". The other girl has decided to help out the Mama, she isn't laying but she's not staying on the nest now either. The babies go to Mama first, but the other one is there too. They do know their Mama. However, last night, Mama took the babies into the other's nest and they slept like this:


Mama is the one in front. You can see three babies.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Thank you all for your compassion

It seems that when the bears were on the attack the girls ran for the usual cover of wild rose bushes. Of course the bears simply used the bushes to trap and crush them. Poor things must have been terrified. They got my two favorites too the big jerks.

I actually don't eat bear, just don't like the taste. My husband will be eating this one though. He was bigger than he looked at 275lbs. Not huge for the island black bears but not tiny.

The chickens are locked in the coop for the day.

I have always walked the woods around here alone with the dogs and have never been afraid.
Now I'm jumping at small noises just to get to my car. These guys ruined my haven.

You could add a little animal protein into your chicken's diet, too, with that big fella!

 

[Kassaundra]

You could add a little animal protein into your chicken's diet, too, with that big fella!

I was just thinking that, the ironic justice that would be the surviving chickens eating the bear!