There are some things about chickens I don't tell my city friends

[featherfriendlyinIowa52]

I love these stories and although I don't have chickens yet, am looking forward to their controlling the mouse population. My cat does a good job but she also goes after my songbirds and chipmunks. I had a Yorkie that walked into the house with a "string" hanging out of her mouth...wasn't a string...you have probably figured that out.

 

[9Catsz]

Quote:
Copperheads don't hatch. They give birth to live young, 2-5 at a time once a year......so if you truly have baby copperheads showing up in your house then mama ain't far away. A baby copperhead has the normal copperhead pattern with about an inch of greenish-yellow color band at the end of the tail. If the snakes you're seeing don't have that greenish-yellow colored band on the tip of the tail, then they're not copperheads.

In relation to venom....You can eat venom and, as long as you don't have something like an ulcer that could allow your body to absorb it into your bloodstream, you're fine. Venom has to be injected, like insulin, to be of harm you or animals. That's why venomous snakes have a very nice delivery system called fangs.

 

[vclark321]

That is so funny! I have never laughed so hard as when I see one chicken get something the others just 'have to have'! The chase is on! Some days I just sit and narrate the whole scene. Some days its horse racing...'and their off' or football... 'she got the package and she is going up the middle, but wait...a hand off, no a fumble'... Yes, I am sure my neighbors and my SO think I am crazy, but I smile a lot and that is much better than an angry crazy person.

I am thinking if my eggs taste really good, then who cares. Still waiting for my first. I just know it will be when I am out of town...

 

[vclark321]

That is so funny! I have never laughed so hard as when I see one chicken get something the others just 'have to have'! The chase is on! Some days I just sit and narrate the whole scene. Some days its horse racing...'and their off' or football... 'she got the package and she is going up the middle, but wait...a hand off, no a fumble'... Yes, I am sure my neighbors and my SO think I am crazy, but I smile a lot and that is much better than an angry crazy person.

I am thinking if my eggs taste really good, then who cares. Still waiting for my first. I just know it will be when I am out of town...

 

[Gerry2011]

Quote:
What a hoot!!!

 

[yinepu]

7&8 :

Quote:
I wonder how many people know what this means. I know I do and about pee'd myself when I read it. Nice quote.

:

Tee-hee...you got it! In my original post, I hot linked to the You-Tube Honey Badger video, but decided to edit; there are folks who might find it a bit much!

(I, however, think it's one of the funniest things out there, and watching it always reminds me of my BO hen - she don't care!

)

Yinepu, if BYC had an "increase reputation" feature, I would rep you!

lol... i aim to please!

 

[Noble Rooster]

Hee hee, it's nice to see how this thread took off! I love everyone's stories and the velociraptor pics. The whole keepaway with a prized catch thing is hysterical and I'm never wielding my phone's video camera in time to capture it. As for getting them to "drop," to me it just seems like they think I'm joining in the keepaway!

It's also interesting how certain types of pests seem to be an acquired taste. My girls wouldn't touch slugs or snails during their first year, and now scarf them down just fine (the same girl who ate the mouse particularly loves her escargots

). Once one of them decides something is tasty, everyone else seems to come around to the idea.

Oh, and my father can't even deal with the fact that chickens love earthworms, let alone all these other delicacies...

 

[9Catsz]

So far mine have completely ignored earthworms.

 

[ChickInDelight]

Quote:
Nope doesnt harm the chickens or their laid eggs. Its what chickens to. They will protect themselves the best they can. And in the process they get a nice meaty meal

Excellent!~ They do seem to like bugs and crawly things. Thanks!

 

[ChickInDelight]

Quote:
Copperheads don't hatch. They give birth to live young, 2-5 at a time once a year......so if you truly have baby copperheads showing up in your house then mama ain't far away. A baby copperhead has the normal copperhead pattern with about an inch of greenish-yellow color band at the end of the tail. If the snakes you're seeing don't have that greenish-yellow colored band on the tip of the tail, then they're not copperheads.

In relation to venom....You can eat venom and, as long as you don't have something like an ulcer that could allow your body to absorb it into your bloodstream, you're fine. Venom has to be injected, like insulin, to be of harm you or animals. That's why venomous snakes have a very nice delivery system called fangs.

Thanks! Apparently baby rat snakes look very similar to copperheads, so perhaps I am mistaken. I know we have 4 - 6 foot rat snakes in the basement. We know to knock on doors before opening them. I don't mind a snake so much, but I cannot live with mice!