The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[lalaland]

Pine City, or Hinckley, about 75 north of twinc cities (minneapolis or st paul). Forest Lake is probably the largest town

I can help you. My dad breeds Patterdale Terriers and knows several folks in your state. Can you tell me what fairly large town (not big city) you live near?

Hinckley? North Branch? Forest Lake? Pine City is probably too small....

 

[lalaland]

If you don't want to kill it then get one of those cages. You can carry it off.

I've heard it is a little hard to trap the chucks right now as there is soooo much green food to eat. I think too that in most cases, the relocated animals don't have much of a chance of survival being dropped off - at least that is what I understand.

 

[Turk Raphael]

Pine City, or Hinckley, about 75 north of twinc cities (minneapolis or st paul). Forest Lake is probably the largest town
Hinckley? North Branch? Forest Lake? Pine City is probably too small....

Pine City is fine...I googled it. How far do you live from there? I'll contact my Brother who knows or has the addresses of all the major folks out there to see if any are reasonably close to Pine City..Assuming you live closest to Pine City??

 

[Turk Raphael]

I've heard it is a little hard to trap the chucks right now as there is soooo much green food to eat. I think too that in most cases, the relocated animals don't have much of a chance of survival being dropped off - at least that is what I understand.

They will survive just fine if they aren't little babies and they are put in an area where they can find shelter as they begin their tunneling. They can dig to a safe distance in less than a few hours...true digging machines.

The dog folks do not want dead chucks...they want them alive so they can breed and have more babies. They would likely put them off around an old deserted house or barn, where they could get under some heavy beams or concrete slab.

 

[lalaland]

They will survive just fine if they aren't little babies and they are put in an area where they can find shelter as they begin their tunneling. They can dig to a safe distance in less than a few hours...true digging machines.

The dog folks do not want dead chucks...they want them alive so they can breed and have more babies. They would likely put them off around an old deserted house or barn, where they could get under some heavy beams or concrete slab.

huh. yes pine city is about 14 miles from me.

so do dog folks want to trap them and take them home? or have their dogs work at getting the chuck?

 

[Leahs Mom]

That's a good question. I thought they'd turn the dogs loose and that would be the end of the chucks.

lala - any more eagle visits?
I had mine in the kennel until I got home today. My dad's caregiver said she saw a hawk sitting on the tower low and fly down toward the chicken shed. She went out but didn't see it. All the birds had gone inside. I didn't even tell her that there was a hawk...she just noticed it sitting on the tower (about 60- 75 ft. or less away from the hen shed) and saw it fly that way and ran out there because she was worried.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@Turk Raphael
Is daddy back from Brasil yet? Tell him to get his bottom back on here....there's more than 1 way to skin a cat.

 

[hoosiercheetah]

...there's more than 1 way to skin a cat.

I thought it was woodchucks. With cats you got a whole different set of problems.

 

[Turk Raphael]

huh. yes pine city is about 14 miles from me.

so do dog folks want to trap them and take them home? or have their dogs work at getting the chuck?

Trapping is virtually out of the question for them. Perhaps you could try that first...apples make great bait. They aren't the easiest animal to catch in a box trap but it can be done, if the trap is set using a really good pungent apple and have it set back away from the hole, about 6 or 8 feet. If it's too close to the opening, it will freak the thing. A thin trail of apple peelings leading to the trap could help entice it's movement.

They would bring YOUNG dogs...too young to be willing to really take hold of the beast but rather be far more likely to 'bay' it up. The guys would dig to it, catch it and haul it off but not before back-filling all holes and fixing any lawn they may have disturbed. Some will even seed the area and put down straw.

 

[Turk Raphael]

@Turk Raphael
Is daddy back from Brasil yet? Tell him to get his bottom back on here....there's more than 1 way to skin a cat.

I think he's burned out on the site. He's back but still in NYC. I think Jason will pick him up Sunday in Pittsburgh.