The Quack Shack

[davez]

Something tried to break into the dux fortress during the night from Saturday to Sunday. When i dug out the dux run in the past, i collected all of the rocks and placed those around the fence base. Found some of them removed and a hole dug about 30cm -almost one foot deep in one corner.
While the dux were enjoying their Sunday break at the pond something entered their fortress through the open gate and ate four of their eggs - only the eggs on the dux-shelf remained untouched...
No clue what did this. - Some of the rocks that were moved were large and heavy enough for me to struggle when i put those back.
Are giant mutated trash pandas real?
Moving a heavy rock out of a hole requires hands, which foxes or coyotes lack.
Have raccoons and coyotes teamed up?
Questions over questions…

Racoons are WAY WAY stronger than you might realize. They are like miniature bears. Also, when you said a hole was dug and rocks moved I immediately thought snapping turtle. Don't know your environment or if any of those might be around.

 

[Supercow]

I put colored velcro bands on their legs. (Typically used as computer cable ties.)

That's a great idea, thank you.

 

[davez]

"Wisdom pursues me but I run faster." -- this is great.

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

sound on

No sweeter sound

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Hey all. How is first spring? Much awaited autumn rain here early this morning. I got to feed sheep with DH the other day, don't realise how dry it is when not actively out in the paddocks View attachment 4078196View attachment 4078198View attachment 4078199

Australia IS the driest of all continents!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Oh that's really dry. How long does it stay like that?

Spring is running at full power again at our place after a couple of -6 C nights which cleared up the surplus (or maybe all) apricot flowers.

Crossing fingers, toes, legs and arms that we won't get any hard frost in the next two weeks, the peach and the plum tree are about to flower…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

For this soil which is terrible at holding water, we will get a green tinge in afew days but if theres no follow up it will die off fast. Our 2 black soil paddocks still have some feed in them, would be nice to have a farm full of black soil

What kind of soil do you have where you live?
I know about the iron-red soil in the outback…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

sound on

My bees got delayed… if i'm lucky, they will ship on April 14th. This year i really thought my bees would make it through the winter, then we dropped down to below -20°.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I put colored velcro bands on their legs. (Typically used as computer cable ties.)

I used colored zip-ties once. Don't pull too tight and check and replace when it is getting too tight.
That's how Violeta Duck got her name, she was wearing a violet zip-tie…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Racoons are WAY WAY stronger than you might realize. They are like miniature bears. Also, when you said a hole was dug and rocks moved I immediately thought snapping turtle. Don't know your environment or if any of those might be around.

I don't have any idea why a snapper should dig at the duck house, they are not actively hunting ducks, are they? - You're right, definitely trash-pandas, there are two large males roaming around here, plundering whatever they can get their thumb-less hands on.
They scare the dux to death and tried to dig into the house multiple times. So far there was no good angle to use the air-rifle - don't want to shoot a duck by accident, so it's time for the trap again…