What did you do with your flock today?

[Maddcatter]

That is some cat to kill a rabbit. I'm impressed... and would like to borrow it for my monster shop rat.

You'd think it'd be a big cat, but my best hunter probably weighs 6 lbs, is actually named harlot, and half the time I called her "baby kitty".
... As opposed to my 20ish lbs maine coon, which, tbf, I don't let outside as he grew up for the last 11 years inside.

 

[TropicalBabies]

@FrankieDoodle , good to see you, how you been man?!!!
We don't have hawks BUT, I like the sounds of a stretched or thicker plastic. I also recall seeing people string lines back and forth.

@PopoMyers are you home? Hope you had a good time.
Mazie passed her physical so I let her out. She is still a bit slow. I have more tricks up my sleeve

I tried to get some glam shots of my chooks last eve but almost everyone has Mango face and looks terrible. A few exceptions. Always a Joy.

Jellybeans is a photo lurker.

 

[Nominal]

I mean I technically know a lot of things. This isn’t an ideal setup. They are big enough to go into the coop (7 weeks). They’re actively not in the pen. Everything is a chaotic mess. I’m concerned that my favorite is a roo so kinda spending QT with her (I hope) - the nearer lap chicken. I was in the middle of cleaning before planning to finish homework, then had the mass pen exodus and was trapped by the birb in hand in the effort of returning them to said pen.

Upside: I have a massive list of how to brood better next batch. Downside: I have six adorable “bedroom chicken” that are way too comfortable with me and I’m a little heartbroken having to kick them out. Also the money I’m investing in cleaning supplies for after is absurd. (Don’t do this. I think they’re fine with this, you and any air purifiers you have won’t be. )

 

[TropicalBabies]

View attachment 3516865

I mean I technically know a lot of things. This isn’t an ideal setup. They are big enough to go into the coop (7 weeks). They’re actively not in the pen. Everything is a chaotic mess. I’m concerned that my favorite is a roo so kinda spending QT with her (I hope) - the nearer lap chicken. I was in the middle of cleaning before planning to finish homework, then had the mass pen exodus and was trapped by the birb in hand in the effort of returning them to said pen.

Upside: I have a massive list of how to brood better next batch. Downside: I have six adorable “bedroom chicken” that are way too comfortable with me and I’m a little heartbroken having to kick them out. Also the money I’m investing in cleaning supplies for after is absurd. (Don’t do this. I think they’re fine with this, you and any air purifiers you have won’t be. )

We all secretly want this
Have you tried chicken diapers? I have seen people successfully use face masks for their bums. Cus then what you got going could be sustainable without as much cleaning supplies. I'd personally like a big barn that I could live above. In my fantasy dream world that is.

 

[Nomadicus]

We all secretly want this
Have you tried chicken diapers? I have seen people successfully use face masks for their bums. Cus then what you got going could be sustainable without as much cleaning supplies. I'd personally like a big barn that I could live above. In my fantasy dream world that is.

A really big, big barn housing coops with outdoor runs. Like horse stalls and runs. I need to wind a lottery to spend on chickens.

 

[Nominal]

We all secretly want this
Have you tried chicken diapers? I have seen people successfully use face masks for their bums. Cus then what you got going could be sustainable without as much cleaning supplies. I'd personally like a big barn that I could live above. In my fantasy dream world that is.

So far it's just been puppy pee pads strategically placed (like all over the chair when I catch this) and a general pickup once they return to the pen. Saves a little on cleaning time, overall waste is worse. Seriously been considering the diapers esp. if any turn out to be less than hennish. Mostly wondering how that works with cecal.

 

[FrankieDoodle]

My new fruit cage came with bird netting and you're supposed to stretch it really tight to stop birds getting tangled. I'm not sure that'll work (especially as it's on the allotment and I can't check it every day) so I swapped it out with the same sort of plastic netting that came for the sides. It's more rigid and stretched tight seems to be bird tangle-proof. I've done the same on my chicken run for the summer(or until I get the permanent roof on). So far it's been fine. I don't have much of a hawk issue but get regular fly-bys from a peregrine falcon who seems intent on picking off the local pigeons. It doesn't even seem bothered that I'm in the yard. I worry about it taking Clara as she is only pigeon-sized.
Hopefully someone with more experience of the problem will have better suggestions.

Thank you, I’m looking into that now!
I wish there was a way to let all of the birds through except for hawks/falcons. I have a lot of owls in my area that hunt in my yard, and they’re really good about keeping the rodents and snakes away. :/

@FrankieDoodle , good to see you, how you been man?!!!
We don't have hawks BUT, I like the sounds of a stretched or thicker plastic. I also recall seeing people string lines back and forth.

@PopoMyers are you home? Hope you had a good time.
Mazie passed her physical so I let her out. She is still a bit slow. I have more tricks up my sleeve

I tried to get some glam shots of my chooks last eve but almost everyone has Mango face and looks terrible. A few exceptions. Always a Joy. View attachment 3516811View attachment 3516814View attachment 3516818View attachment 3516820
Jellybeans is a photo lurker.

I’ve been okay, pretty busy over here. It seems like there’s been stuff going on nonstop, which is getting a little exhausting lol.
How about you?

Beautiful birds!! I adore Jellybeans! <33

 

[ChicksnMore]

Hello! It's been a little while since I popped in, I hope everyone's doing alright. :]

I've been having trouble with hawks recently. Two really close calls in two days. I tried putting bird netting up, but in less than two hours a wild bird got caught in it. Locking the chickens up into a proper run/building a more solid roof isn't doable.
What does everyone else do? I don't want to lose any of my girls, but my area has a ton of wild birds and I'd hate to accidentally kill any of those, either. I'll take any ideas you can give me!

I don't have any better ideas either . I use roofed runs and dogs for free range time. I also like the idea of trying tight stretched etc. Just might work. Would chicken wire be an option?

We all secretly want this
Have you tried chicken diapers? I have seen people successfully use face masks for their bums. Cus then what you got going could be sustainable without as much cleaning supplies. I'd personally like a big barn that I could live above. In my fantasy dream world that is.

I remember reading that once upon a time peoples standard housing was one large room with a loft. People slept in the loft and all their livestock slept on the main floor. Straw was used as flooring and spring cleaning was the once a year when it all got raked out and replaced. I can imagine my germaphob hubby and youngest daughter in those conditions... we'd have to live next to a river and they'd spend half their time in the water trying to keep clean

 

[Smokerbill]

I remember reading that once upon a time peoples standard housing was one large room with a loft. People slept in the loft and all their livestock slept on the main floor. Straw was used as flooring and spring cleaning was the once a year when it all got raked out and replaced. I can imagine my germaphob hubby and youngest daughter in those conditions... we'd have to live next to a river and they'd spend half their time in the water trying to keep clean

Those were great conditions for creating new human/avian and human/swine flu strains!

 

[TropicalBabies]

A really big, big barn housing coops with outdoor runs. Like horse stalls and runs. I need to wind a lottery to spend on chickens.

Yes! You know my fantasy dream world! Lots of chickens, ducks, horses, a few geese... and cats.