What did you do with your flock today?

[Nomadicus]

Oh no! I'm so sorry for your loss! It's worse when you have a special bond like you clearly had with Scissors. I'm dreading the time I have to say goodbye to Ferdy. You are in my thoughts.
Are you OK after your fall?

Yes but for a few bruises (muscle and bone). If I don't fall once a month I'm amazed at myself now.

 

[Soujrnr]

I put rosemary, thyme, lavender and lemon balm in my dust bath. The girls (and boys) love it and it helps repel mites, lice and flies.

I just read last night about the efficacy of those in combating flies and other pests. I hadn't given thought to adding it to their dust bath. I was just going to plant the flowers near the coop. Do you just pulverize the stuff and add it to the bath?

 

[MaeM]

Today I became some sort of chicken therapist.

I'm not currently living with my chickens. Their caretaker called me because there had been a hawk attack and she couldn't find Bianca, my favorite hen.

We live in a suburban area where hawks are very rare. That's why we let them free roam. Nothing happened in 3 years and then, suddenly, a hawk?!

But it was true. The mother****er was still flying in circles above the yard when I arrived in the caretaker's home.

She was crying the hell out of herself, telling me what she had seen and that she was afraid that the hawk could've taken Bianca away.

Bianca is a chronically ill hen. I spent a lot of time and money to save her. She still requires special care. Her caretaker said: "She can't end up like this after all you've done to save her".

I said: "No, I don't want to think the worst either, she must be hidden somewhere".

And YES! I walked around the house calling her and then I saw her little head pop up from below the car! She had reacted to my voice but she was still too scared to come out so I picked her up myself and told her everything was fine.

She had some blood in her comb but otherwise she was fine! Just traumatized, like the others.

After a cuddle session I put her in the run and told her caretaker not to free range them for the time being. They didn't look like they wanted to be outside of the coop anyway. Poor girls!

The rooster was super nervous and some of the ladies were still trembling so I stayed a while with them and talked to them to calm them all down.

After I left, my caretaker told me that they had come out of the coop and were eating in the run. Phew.

 

[Nomadicus]

Today I became some sort of chicken therapist.

I'm not currently living with my chickens. Their caretaker called me because there had been a hawk attack and she couldn't find Bianca, my favorite hen.

We live in a suburban area where hawks are very rare. That's why we let them free roam. Nothing happened in 3 years and then, suddenly, a hawk?!

But it was true. The mother****er was still flying in circles above the yard when I arrived in the caretaker's home.

She was crying the hell out of herself, telling me what she had seen and that she was afraid that the hawk could've taken Bianca away.

Bianca is a chronically ill hen. I spent a lot of time and money to save her. She still requires special care. Her caretaker said: "She can't end up like this after all you've done to save her".

I said: "No, I don't want to think the worst either, she must be hidden somewhere".

And YES! I walked around the house calling her and then I saw her little head pop up from below the car! She had reacted to my voice but she was still too scared to come out so I picked her up myself and told her everything was fine.

She had some blood in her comb but otherwise she was fine! Just traumatized, like the others.

After a cuddle session I put her in the run and told her caretaker not to free range them for the time being. They didn't look like they wanted to be outside of the coop anyway. Poor girls!

The rooster was super nervous and some of the ladies were still trembling so I stayed a while with them and talked to them to calm them all down.

After I left, my caretaker told me that they had come out of the coop and were eating in the run. Phew.

Love Happy Endings. I once had a hawk perched on the coop that had an open top run. Scared us spitless. No loss but the chicks went back into the coop and I went and got covering materials and they never had open tops again.

 

[MaeM]

Love Happy Endings. I once had a hawk perched on the coop that had an open top run. Scared us spitless. No loss but the chicks went back into the coop and I went and got covering materials and they never had open tops again.

Oh, I never had an open top run, but I could've had had it because like I said, hawks are super rare in these suburban areas.

It's a happy ending but also a warning. I'll be fully reunited with my chickens next month if everything goes well. And I've decided that I won't let them free roam unsupervised ever again.

Their caretaker has a dog that takes care of them and we believe he interrupted the attack. But I can't have a dog where I'm going, just the chickens. So it'll be a challenge to keep them safe.

 

[Nomadicus]

Oh, I never had an open top run, but I could've had had it because like I said, hawks are super rare in these suburban areas.

It's a happy ending but also a warning. I'll be fully reunited with my chickens next month if everything goes well. And I've decided that I won't let them free roam unsupervised ever again.

Their caretaker has a dog that takes care of them and we believe he interrupted the attack. But I can't have a dog where I'm going, just the chickens. So it'll be a challenge to keep them safe.

Since we started feeding a flock of crows extra eggs the hawks have left for points unknown. Most of our adult birds free range all day long. I am going to build some more shelters that they can get under around and about for protection from aerial attack and rain storms. They will do double duty for feeders and dust baths.

 

[Smokerbill]

Since we started feeding a flock of crows extra eggs the hawks have left for points unknown. Most of our adult birds free range all day long. I am going to build some more shelters that they can get under around and about for protection from aerial attack and rain storms. They will do double duty for feeders and dust baths.

My chickens still see crows and ravens as scary predators. When one of them gets a glimpse of one in the sky, or even sees the shadow of one crossing the ground it makes its warning squawk and they all half-fly, half-run for cover. Sometimes they even jump for a second if a robin swoops by. LOL

But there are hawks around here, and one of them makes multiple passes over the pasture out back hunting for food sometimes. I've seen a couple bald eagles fly over too, but I don't know if one of them would go for a chicken.

A couple days ago my birds followed my to the edge of the woods, and they spent some time there pecking around. I kept a close eye on them because who knows what critters are hiding in the underbrush.

 

[Nomadicus]

My chickens still see crows and ravens as scary predators. When one of them gets a glimpse of one in the sky, or even sees the shadow of one crossing the ground it makes its warning squawk and they all half-fly, half-run for cover. Sometimes they even jump for a second if a robin swoops by. LOL

But there are hawks around here, and one of them makes multiple passes over the pasture out back hunting for food sometimes. I've seen a couple bald eagles fly over too, but I don't know if one of them would go for a chicken.

A couple days ago my birds followed my to the edge of the woods, and they spent some time there pecking around. I kept a close eye on them because who knows what critters are hiding in the underbrush.

Mine grew up with them and never pay any attention to them and that is not a good thing I know. I have 40 so odd 16+ week old kids running around like hoodlums all day long now. I have never had such rambunctious kids at this age before. The leave the feeders after a peck or two and head off in search of weeds and bugs.

 

[Smokerbill]

I just went to the local store and returned a 150' roll of chicken wire I decided I didn't need and bought a pound of permethrin poultry dust. Figured it would be good to have on hand.

 

[Nomadicus]

I got to take an afternoon break with a few of the healing kids after injuries put them in the chicken clinic. 2 of the 3 pullets had to have a turn sitting in my lap today including the little lap dancer. I think the 3rd one would come around to lap time but I'm returning her to her coopmates tonight while they are on the roost. She has been in the clinic long enough they may have forgot who she is but maybe in the dark when they wake up in the morning all will be well. I see my farm boy is making trouble for himself by chasing a 4 month old Dark Cornish cockerel. Little does he know that the kid will soon out weigh him and be a hard core fighter that he best give a wide berth too on the other end of the farm.