Washingtonians

[Kaneke]

yes, it's rare I sleep this late

thank goodness DH went out, opened the coop door to the run, and fed and watered them

this hanging feeder we made, out of a 3-gallon plastic bucket and a large deviled-egg tray, is working great

slugs can't get into it, rodents have no place to land if they tried to jump to it, and there is enough lip on the tray, that the chickens can't easily spill food on the ground

originally I was going to make up one of those long PVC feeders, with holes every so often ... but this is nicer, the flock can just gather around and there is enough room for two or three more if I had them

 

[ByN8ureHomstead]

Quote:
*yaawwwn* i just woke up

so nice out, it's gonna be another beauty day!

I can almost agree. I't only suppose to get in the low 90's. We have had around 18 day with temps above 100 this year. This whole weekend the highs should be in the 90s, next week back into the 100s.

 

[ByN8ureHomstead]

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Do you have any photos?

 

[Stumpfarmer]

All you early-rising people, I am so envious. My natural sleep cycle wants me in bed at 9pm and up at 5am; my husband's and daughter's job schedules require dinner at 8:30 pm, which so very doesn't work with my needs, which include taking a fistful of pills with food and at least two hours before I lie down.

I'm going to finish, I hope, the outside walls of the Wyandotte coop today, or at least all of them that do not require leaning over or getting up and down from the ground. Probably also get the cow side of that fence finished today, too, or at least the bottom bits of it. That or rewire the orchard gate, which in its current condition keeps large dogs in and cows out, mostly, but is proof to neither cats nor chickens.

I've been pondering (a la Pinkie and the Brain) the matter of fencing requirements for different animals, and have concluded with regrets that there's no way to fence cats in or raccoons out of the west yard which would not also require getting rid of all the privacy/wind break plantings, not to mention a hundred year old Grimes Golden apple tree. So, sorry, kittens, you are going to be 100% indoors cats. And sorry, also, to the Hamburgs, who will be given tunnels and tall runs with plants inside but will not be allowed to free-range on even a limited basis.

I should have broached the concept of a livestock guard dog or possibly a llama with Michael last night, but the matter did not come up.

 

[Kaneke]

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given the preponderance of hantavirus within our smaller-rodent population, also tapeworms; it will be good for the kittens to stay indoors

otherwise they need tapeworm dosage regularly (also means they will be safe from feral dogs, coyotes, raccoons, possums, and hawks or eagles)

likewise for the Hamburgs .... you can always use your grabber to yank weeds for them, that they cannot otherwise reach

too bad they are not producing small hovercraft at a reasonable price, seems to me that's what you need on your property -- LOL

 

[Kaneke]

oh --- seems cats are reluctant to try to climb 1" x 2" field fencing --- and I bet Chickielady's "no climb" spikes would deter them even more

that might be your solution ... of course, you'd have to have someone to put it up, since it does need some sort of upright every so often, unless you are doubling another existing fence

 

[hallerlake]

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Cats are safer indoors. I'm glad that Charlie won't go outside willingly. Now that the doggy door is closed, Rosie's comings and goings are a nuisance. She'll slip out, and then come meowing at some window to be let back in. I get quite annoyed when she does it at the bedroom window in the middle of the night.

 

[cheryl98117]

Is anyone else having issues with sending messages? Every time I try to edit by clicking on the line that needs work... The entire line gets deleted...

Its getting very frustrating.

As for cat fencing. One of my neighbors is a cat sanctuary, and they have 1 1/2 acres fenced in for the cats. It's 10 foot tall 2"x4" field wire, with a 2' section that leans to the center of the yard. their property is devided by these tall fences, and then cross fenced in the same manner to make smaller play yards for the cats. They have never had any cats escape, and never had an issue with coons climbing the wall. Ive been here for 5 years, and I believe they have been running a sanctuary for the past 10-12 years...

 

[VelvettFog]

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That sounds like a very target-rich environment

 

[cheryl98117]

Ok Velvettfog, you'd better draw me a map, cause Im completely lost.

What do you mean by target rich enviroment? lol