I know some people do it on a schedule and perhaps a good idea for those in a warm moist climate. But for my part, I've only wormed one rooster and no hens in my entire life. I always have a fecal sample read before I think about worming.
I'm still dealing with huge raccoon issues. It's my fault. Last year the problems came in May. With the extreme winter, I should have expected them to be a month later and be better prepared.
I've put padlocks on all doors and nest boxes that have hasps. For those that don't have hasps, I've temporarily screwed boards across all doors till I can install hasps for padlocks. I've consolidated all the birds into 3 secure buildings until I can make adjustments to the others. I'm reinforcing the edges of doors and door surrounds as well as windows.
This is the worst predator losses I've ever had. I've been in a real funk. I had no idea what to do with so many carcasses so over the last 3 days I've kept a fire going in the fire pit and burned them all. Flies have been a problem and burning has helped. I considered harvesting some breast meat but wasn't sure bacteria from the raccoons hadn't moved into the meat. I probably should have.
I did harvest 3 eggs from some of the hens.
To have never lost a chicken in the 4 buildings that the 3 days' losses came in, is an eye opener - even for someone well aware of raccoons capabilities. Always be diligent and allow no more than a 1 inch opening at night.
Plans are for automatic doors and baby monitors on all buildings.
Does anyone have a source for good quality, weatherproof, baby monitors at wholesale prices? I need at least 6 of them.
The night before last I caught a 20 pound boar coon in a hav-a-hart trap. He was extremely vicious and kept trying to get at me as I lowered the trap into the water.
I almost lost a hen last night. She didn't put herself away at dusk(probably because the building gives her nightmares) and I couldn't catch her. I checked on her at midnight and at 4 AM and she was fine but this morning there was a pile of feathers. I found her without her tail feathers but I can't find any wounds. Then I found a raccoon with his leg in the dog proof trap I had baited with mackerel. He wasn't in there an hour before dawn. He may have been the one that pulled the feathers out of the hen. He was 15 pounds.
Now to get them skinned and grilled before I'm overwhelmed with flies again.
In all I lost 15 mature hens, 3 POL pullets and 7 breeding age cockerels and roosters.
I thought I only had 2 roosters left but I heard one crowing in a nearby grove of trees this morning but he won't come home or let me close to him. I'll have to try to catch him at dusk.
