What did you do with your flock today?

[PopoMyers]

Wow! Such a lot to catch up on! Take a couple of days out to deal with Clara's respiratory infection, fighting boys and a fractured clavicle/torn rotator cuff and so much happens to you all! Some good, some not so.
Congrats on the new arrivals ChicksnMore and Popo. They are sooooo cute! My friend had Chinese geese, loved their feisty character. And such a lucky survivor chick.
Ruby looks quite stunning in his professional portraits, Kurby. Such a handsome boy! Commiserations on your poorly fowl and rat problems. Not surprised you've had to resort to killing them. I had a bad experience with snap traps as a young child so your post about using them made me shiver
Popo, wishing you a speedy recoveryDon't go using that hand before you're meant to!
Everyone else seems to be ticking along nicely. Long may that continue!

Thank you! I have great help here. It reminds me if I try. Did you hurt yourself? That sounds so painful, Has it been repaired? Get well soon! Wondered where you've been. How did you do on your test?

 

[PopoMyers]

He’s less than thrilled but being a trooper!

Yep, Scott is a keeper for sure. Maybe start saving up for Vet school for Aria. She exudes joy whenever she is with animals, and they seem to love her as well.

 

[Shetland lover]

Yep, Scott is a keeper for sure. Maybe start saving up for Vet school for Aria. She exudes joy whenever she is with animals, and they seem to love her as well.

X2!

 

[Shetland lover]

Thank you! I have great help here. It reminds me if I try. Did you hurt yourself? That sounds so painful, Has it been repaired? Get well soon! Wondered where you've been. How did you do on your test?

I slipped in the mud! A very stupid and annoying accident. I tried to save myself but landed on a concrete kerbstone. I'm just in a sling for 6-8 weeks if I behave myself, surgery to pin my clavicle if I don't. It's my right arm though so I'm getting very frustrated.
I get the test results later today. Fingers crossed!

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

@Maidenwonderland
Welcome back! Time definitely flies thats for sure!

Thanks!! I’m totally getting some and trying it!! Just gonna pour it all around their happy tunnels out of chicken and dog reach. Says they should be gone in 3-5 days. Boy would that be awesome haha. We put out the snap traps tonight and when Scott went looking to see if they caught anything he found both traps missing?? So now they’re Houdini rats even!! I swear…I put one of my chicken cameras in with the quail tonight to see if anything more happens…I mean look at that sweet face How could I not try to kill the rats that are trying to eat them?!? It’s tough to see much though
View attachment 3454832
View attachment 3454835
I also found Ducky Jr acting sad, and found he had a canker like thing in his mouth…so now he’s inside with his lady and they were so cute tonight. She had her head tucked into his chest feathers—it was so sweet. Hopefully he gets better quickly
View attachment 3454833
View attachment 3454834

I don't see how you keep up with...much less your DH! Wow! Definitely a keeper!!!
My DH just told me he went down and was checking em out last night and how one was chasing another one and his eyesight is really not good (2 more surgeries comin up actually! ) but i tried to explain to him thats why i need to finish up the side coop and finally just rehome the ones i know i dont need even though family members will not be too happy. They each have their favs lol!

I went to collect eggs last night and found these two game/jungle sisters sitting on a clutch of eggs together. This will be the second time I've had a pair of hens raise chicks together

The father is a black Ameraucana so the babies should be interestingView attachment 3455009

That's is truly awesome! Tag teaming those to be babies!!!

@Shetland lover sure hope your results are A+!!! And I'm so sorry you got hurt so badly! That's a pretty bad injury!

@PopoMyers u washed a chicken one handed!?! Whoa!!! And I'm so glad you are doing well recovering!!!

I'm sorry if I missed anyone! Tried to catch up and I must think I can remember who did what and not hit the quote button...or miss the button all together!?!
But look what one of the workers brought us for free!!!
Best looking rain barrel ever! And sure beats me trying to do a trashcan!
So once the side coop (sure need a cutesy name for it) is done and grandbabies are all here and situated we'll attach the old gutter they ripped off the house to the main run and hook this bad boy up!
We hit 86° yesterday yall!!! With a "feel like" 89 for the beginning of April! I got a feeling it's gonna be a hot summer!
Gave all my babies some frozen egg bites I had made that that just seem watery when you thaw em to eat. Weird

@FBMcrazy8 saw bout the massive tornados in yalls area...you ok?!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

OMGeeze! Those rats are relentless!
I think I'd bring all my babies in and bomb it...literally! I'm so sorry! I cant imagine how frustrating this has to be for yall!
Do quail not fly? Sorry know nothing bout them though they r darlins!

I'd bring everyone in, too & then hit those nasty rats hard! Friends of mine have been dealing with rats and cannot seem to get rid of them. It's been over a year. They live in the walls of buildings, have dug numerous tunnels all over, even live under a firewood stack. Once they have established a home, it is extremely difficult to get rid of them. My friends made the bucket traps & have several cats that catch many rats, but there are simply too many rodents to deal with at this point.

Also, once you do get rid of this particular batch of rats, other roaming rats will be attracted to the smells of the previous rats, & move in. Then you'll have a whole new rat infestation even though you cleared the original batch out. My friends took all of the feed away at night, and that's when the rats started attacking the birds themselves. It is a terrible dilemma and I wish I could offer you advice. I do know smells are very potent, So wherever you move your birds to, You risk the rats chewing their way in to get to them, So you are going to have to hit them hard before they can do that.

Maybe set all birds up inside safe, then place many types of bait traps or poison so you get rid of them completely.
Then once gone you'll need to address the smells they've left behind. Saturate coop & yard with something they hate. I've read they dislike Peppermint, Cinnamon, Tea Tree & Citronella as well as vinegar & bleach. Maybe you could purchase fox pee. My local fox pees all over the place & thank goodness, I think it works.
I spray my coop with citronella to help with mosquitoes & mites, so I find it's a useful product in general.
I wish you luck in your endeavor!

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

@kurby22 yeah to the
And just a thought i.wanted to share...idk if it would work but at this point I'd try anything!
Have your DH and any other guys pee all around each of the areas. Lady that does my hair had something come up broad daylight and rip head right off her hen.
Her sons and DH did that and nothing has been back since!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I slipped in the mud! A very stupid and annoying accident. I tried to save myself but landed on a concrete kerbstone. I'm just in a sling for 6-8 weeks if I behave myself, surgery to pin my clavicle if I don't. It's my right arm though so I'm getting very frustrated.
I get the test results later today. Fingers crossed!

The Darn mud! It's as bad as ice. So sorry you slipped. I'm trying to get the large bark nuggets mulch for my muddy pens now...no one has it, all they have is the shredded mulch. They had some mini nuggets, I bought them because it's better than nothing but wow I sure hope they will get the large nuggets in stock soon. Muddy pens & too much rain...equals falling on our butts & possible bumblefoot chickens. Not good.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

@kurby22 yeah to the
And just a thought i.wanted to share...idk if it would work but at this point I'd try anything!
Have your DH and any other guys pee all around each of the areas. Lady that does my hair had something come up broad daylight and rip head right off her hen.
Her sons and DH did that and nothing has been back since!

We did the pee trick. Our neighborly resident fox then proceeded to pee where we peed...not only hilarious, but his potent pee (smells a bit skunky) is what I believe really keeps the rodents away from the coop...well, that plus he hunts them.

I know people think I'm nuts that I actually love having foxes around, but if you've ever seen a Fox tilt his head listening intently to the ground, then do a high jump pounce, and come up with a nice, fat rodent in his mouth...well, it's kinda adorable & I do appreciate the dude's rodent duty efforts. My flock is safe in predator proof pens & coop, Foxy has never even tried to dig a hole, he just hunts rodents & kinda follows me around sometimes, accompanies me to my 1/4 mile walk to the mailbox & lays down at the firepit when I have a fire going. & No I do not feed him (my neighbor does, though). When I take photos of sunsets, he sits & gazes at the sunset with me. He also chased off the coyote...now that is one mean dog there, coyote boy ran right up to the pens, was looking at my flock & licking his chops, even gave me a shiver.

My Foxy...he thinks he is my dog. I told him he's a good boy taking care of the rodents but don't get any idea about chicken dinner. Well, since I've moved here & had Pigeons since 2006 & Chickens since 2015, my neighboring fox family & their kits have been awesome, somehow we've got a lucky synergy here. Tons of wild rabbits here too, foxes have only gone after moles, mice & rats. Go figure. Now if I could only teach him to chase off hawks. The Crows do, but they don't patrol here daily.

Here's my fav boy, Foxy.

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

We did the pee trick. Our neighborly resident fox then proceeded to pee where we peed...not only hilarious, but his potent pee (smells a bit skunky) is what I believe really keeps the rodents away from the coop...well, that plus he hunts them.

I know people think I'm nuts that I actually love having foxes around, but if you've ever seen a Fox tilt his head listening intently to the ground, then do a high jump pounce, and come up with a nice, fat rodent in his mouth...well, it's kinda adorable & I do appreciate the dude's rodent duty efforts. My flock is safe in predator proof pens & coop, Foxy has never even tried to dig a hole, he just hunts rodents & kinda follows me around sometimes, accompanies me to my 1/4 mile walk to the mailbox & lays down at the firepit when I have a fire going. & No I do not feed him (my neighbor does, though). When I take photos of sunsets, he sits & gazes at the sunset with me. He also chased off the coyote...now that is one mean dog there, coyote boy ran right up to the pens, was looking at my flock & licking his chops, even gave me a shiver.

My Foxy...he thinks he is my dog. I told him he's a good boy taking care of the rodents but don't get any idea about chicken dinner. Well, since I've moved here & had Pigeons since 2006 & Chickens since 2015, my neighboring fox family & their kits have been awesome, somehow we've got a lucky synergy here. Tons of wild rabbits here too, foxes have only gone after moles, mice & rats. Go figure. Now if I could only teach him to chase off hawks. The Crows do, but they don't patrol here daily.

Here's my fav boy, Foxy.
View attachment 3456210View attachment 3456211View attachment 3456212

That is truly amazing!!! He is pretty!