Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[TerrorBird]

My favorite rooster, one that Rainwolf gave me and the only chicken in my flock that I named was taken yesterday by a dog. Today I found a pile of his saddle feathers and his tail feathers were strewn all the way up our driveway. I am so upset, I saw a pit running around on e road a few days ago, and I have seen a black lab in our yard. I know it was not a coyote because they would have headed in the opposite direction, through the woods behind us. My DH said we will go for a walk down the road to see if we can see anymore feathers.

It angers me that people cannot keep their dogs locked up. If I find his feathers in someones yard I will confront them. And I swear if they tell me "It was just a chicken" I will inform them that next time I see their dog on our property and I tell my husband to get his gun (we really don't have one) I will tell them "It was just a dog"

Luckily I haven't put our extra roo in freezer camp so I still have a rooster.

I'm very sorry for your loss. It is a shame that other people do not feel the need to keep their dogs confined. I've seen a pair of hounds running around in our field and wouldn't hesitate to shoot if they threaten my girls. Irresponsible people have no business having animals that can be considered dangerous (or any animals at all, really).

 

[Flaming Chicken]

Mostly just moving in that direction. A great book that ItsRen (I think it was her) told me about is Gia's Garden ( http://www.amazon.com/Gaias-Garden-Second-Home-Scale-Permaculture/dp/1603580298<img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=backyardchickens-20&l=ur2&o=1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px ! Egg cartons did not show up in time for me to bring them. We'll do that next time -- and I'm seriously thinking about ordering 2,200. I'd sell them for .35 ea or so. Oh -- and I really don't 'hide'. I just don't do well in groups much larger than three or four. Like when the pot-luck started -- I stood off to the side. Lines and crowds heighten my fight-or-flight.

I am kind of like that too. Maybe that's why we live on acreage with chickens for company. Glad I didn't leave you hanging with the egg cartons. In fact I managed to leave with only CR's pig. DH was pretty surprised by the pig but I think it's growing on him.

 

[Flaming Chicken]

I seem to be having some issues with BYC tonight. Disappearing posts followed by double. Oh well, must be time to log off and go to bed.

 

[chickiemomy]

My favorite rooster, one that Rainwolf gave me and the only chicken in my flock that I named was taken yesterday by a dog. Today I found a pile of his saddle feathers and his tail feathers were strewn all the way up our driveway. I am so upset, I saw a pit running around on e road a few days ago, and I have seen a black lab in our yard. I know it was not a coyote because they would have headed in the opposite direction, through the woods behind us. My DH said we will go for a walk down the road to see if we can see anymore feathers.

It angers me that people cannot keep their dogs locked up. If I find his feathers in someones yard I will confront them. And I swear if they tell me "It was just a chicken" I will inform them that next time I see their dog on our property and I tell my husband to get his gun (we really don't have one) I will tell them "It was just a dog"

Luckily I haven't put our extra roo in freezer camp so I still have a rooster.

In our part of the 'wilderness' a dog harrassing livestock on someone elses' property is punishable by whatever means you have to defend them. We have had 1/2 and 1/4 wolves in the neighborhood running free killing sheep, pygmy goats & geese - they eventually got what they deserved - and do not roam anywhere any longer. Problem is you have to catch them on your property. Best to have a witness. My dog alerted to the intruder on a neighbor's property - I called them, they called someone with a gun - 'nuff said? Only time I have ever wished I had a gun & knew how to use it. I filed a police report as an observer to the errant behavior & the corrective action taken to defend livestock.

 

[Flaming Chicken]

I had a great time at the show. My daughter was delighted at some of the unusual breeds that we saw. I managed to leave all the amazing chickens and eggs behind and in fact left only with CR's pig planter. DH was pretty surprised when I came home with this......

But I think it's starting to grow on him.

 

[Flaming Chicken]

Double post

 

[pbjls]

In our part of the 'wilderness' a dog harrassing livestock on someone elses' property is punishable by whatever means you have to defend them. We have had 1/2 and 1/4 wolves in the neighborhood running free killing sheep, pygmy goats & geese - they eventually got what they deserved - and do not roam anywhere any longer. Problem is you have to catch them on your property. Best to have a witness. My dog alerted to the intruder on a neighbor's property - I called them, they called someone with a gun - 'nuff said? Only time I have ever wished I had a gun & knew how to use it. I filed a police report as an observer to the errant behavior & the corrective action taken to defend livestock.

rather than file a report I subscribe to the three s's. shoot, shovel, shutup.

 

[HoneysuckleHills]

love this!

PS: It was nice to meet you and your wife at the show!

 

[chickiemomy]

That stupid Cooper's hawk came through today. By came through, I mean that it came through the trees behind me while I was guarding the chickens and tried to grab a Belgian. I heard an alarm call and whipped around to see it zooming out of the woods. My rage-screaming alerted the little ones and they started to run by the time the thing landed. It still tried to run after them. When it saw me barreling toward it, it shot back to the woods and landed casually in one of the outermost trees. The scary part is that I was less than ten feet from the chickens. Gonna have to start rounding the girls up earlier in the day. Now my throat is ruined.

wow -creepy -- what area of Snohomish are you? - we're over between Machias & Three Lakes -- we have a bald eagle nest next door & often see/hear red-tail hawks. Don't know that I could ID a Cooper's Hawk. I believe' our' eagles are sitting /hatching now & they are very active in the afternoon - chittering from the treetops. I had a sky full of hawks last fall - my australorps screamed the alarm which brought me outside - between myself & my German Shephard -( I was yelling & waving at the birds- like they cared- so you screaming at the hawk touched a nerve!)- the prey birds eventually sailed on to other hunting grounds. Had to pick up 6 birds, 2 at a time & carry them to the coop as they were appropriately frozen in place under the shrubs. Lost one to a coyote mid-afternoon 6 weeks, or so ago - 20 feet from the house, but we were inside, not out with the chicks. Have modified & limited their foraging appropriately for the coyotes, but was not thinking of such brazen hawk behaviour. hmm was planning to fence/cross fence - this summer - ugghh don't want to think about netting overhead.

 

[chickiemomy]

Quote: woulda - but I didn't do the first s - someone else did - was witness for the neighbors -- those dam dogs would not stop chewing on the pygmy goat even with me yelling at it from over the fence - totally didn't care - they needed to be put down - it was completely a justified/'good' kill.