Virginia

[canesisters]

Best bait for coons is marshmallows - lots of them - stufed into the wire mesh and flatened under the bottom. They'll take a few from the outside and then get careless when they go inside to clean up what they couldn't reach.

 

[settingdusk]

I use two things for coons. Shiny objects and sardines. If you use a shiny object, you put it in a container with nails pointed inwards around the only opening. You set it up so the tin or shiny object can be seen but the coon has to reach in. It will grab the shiny object and won't let go. When he pulls it his arm will be stuck. I also like the food traps like this, they are dog proof.

 

[cubalaya]

sardines always worked here. must be the smell that drew them to the trap.

 

[ki4got]

Math lesson for the day... Weeble X Blitz = Mohawk.

HUH? you don't get it? ok here it is spelled out. LOL


Weeble (EE Roo)
X
Blitz (Dark Dorking hen)
=
Mohawk

 

[HaplessRunner]

Nice looking bird. It will be interesting to see how it grows out.

 

[ki4got]

Nice looking bird. It will be interesting to see how it grows out.

well she's sticking around. LOL (as long as the coons don' get her...)

she seems to be an even split between dorking and weeble. totally strange. she's got his dark skin, crest and coloring, but the dorking's 5 toes, growth rate and stance.

 

[ki4got]

well, cross fingers... I trapped a coon yesterday afternoon (something wrong there!) and hubby shot 2 more at dusk. I left a few eggs on the ground (where they were deposited by silly hens) to see if anything else came by over night. eggs are still there this morning. (well, were, dog ate them LOL) that says to me that maybe we kicked the coon problem for now...

but the cochins are STAYING locked up. I did turn butthead smee (bantam blrw) loose tho, and his girl who refuses to lay. think she's moulting tho. LOL I grabbed her and she left my hand filled with feathers and took off running. LOL

so now my latest 'gimp' is in that pen with the broody partridge cochin. I spilled some food on the ground and it's kind of soggy in that pen (seems to hold more water than all the rest combined!) so she'll get to eat her fill this morning and i'll put her loose again this afternoon. gives her a break from the rest.

and on ANOTHER good note, the pens i'm building are progressing rapidly. I've got one wire wall up, the houses are coming together (need to notch one side piece I forgot to yesterday) and once I have hinges the doors are going on. then it's just a matter of cutting 2 more 6' sections of wire to staple up, and wire the doors.

oh and cut the roofing material to go on there too. can't forget a roof. LOL otherwise they'd get soggy sitting on the roosts. i'll try to get some pics this afternoon hopefully.

 

[naightengale]

winterizing my coops??
ok so i got my chickens kinda short notice and just slapped up some pallet framed leanto type coops..how inclosed do i need to make them by winter??
i plan on putting up 4 walls and doors on all of them but just want to know just how "tight" i need to go??

 

[ki4got]

winterizing my coops??
ok so i got my chickens kinda short notice and just slapped up some pallet framed leanto type coops..how inclosed do i need to make them by winter??
i plan on putting up 4 walls and doors on all of them but just want to know just how "tight" i need to go??

with the exception of the 'baby pens' all my houses have raised wire floors and wire vents at the top too...

in the winter I put a layer of hay on top of the wire, and any poops dry out quickly reducing any moisture in the coop. it's moisture in the house that leads to frostbite on combs in the winter.

the important thing is to be dry and draft free.

 

[pysankigirl]

well, cross fingers... I trapped a coon yesterday afternoon (something wrong there!) and hubby shot 2 more at dusk. I left a few eggs on the ground (where they were deposited by silly hens) to see if anything else came by over night. eggs are still there this morning. (well, were, dog ate them LOL) that says to me that maybe we kicked the coon problem for now...

but the cochins are STAYING locked up. I did turn butthead smee (bantam blrw) loose tho, and his girl who refuses to lay. think she's moulting tho. LOL I grabbed her and she left my hand filled with feathers and took off running. LOL

so now my latest 'gimp' is in that pen with the broody partridge cochin. I spilled some food on the ground and it's kind of soggy in that pen (seems to hold more water than all the rest combined!) so she'll get to eat her fill this morning and i'll put her loose again this afternoon. gives her a break from the rest.

and on ANOTHER good note, the pens i'm building are progressing rapidly. I've got one wire wall up, the houses are coming together (need to notch one side piece I forgot to yesterday) and once I have hinges the doors are going on. then it's just a matter of cutting 2 more 6' sections of wire to staple up, and wire the doors.

oh and cut the roofing material to go on there too. can't forget a roof. LOL otherwise they'd get soggy sitting on the roosts. i'll try to get some pics this afternoon hopefully.

we had a racoon a few years ago in our front yard after the cat food. it was rabid. be careful with raccoons in VA, many are carriers even though they might not show signs yet. it is an epidemic in the raccoon population here, we found out. (and yes, tested by the state. it was not acting right and the husband wanted to make sure, but our animals were up-to-date on their shots so wasn't a problem)