Chickens and all things fowl..........

[hsehntr98]

Coop mahal is open for business

The new coop is finally ready for residents. They were moved in on Monday, May 9, 2015. They seem to like their new residence. I took the smaller coop and moved it next to the Big coop and made an annex or a guest cottage or a time out space, which ever is needed at the time. There is one rooster and one hen in the guest cottage because the other rooster is picking on them, so I moved them away from him. But if he doesn't change his attitude he will be put in the time out space and the others will be put into the Big house .

[Boston_Joe]

News Update

Compost the Raccoon, who was wanted in connection with a double duck homicide was himself killed in a bloody but decidedly one sided gun battle early this morning. The manhunt culminated in Compost being trapped when he returned to the scene of the original killings. When approached he reacted violently and was fired upon resulting in his death.

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[Highlandthistle1]

Boston, what are you baiting with. I have good luck with sweet cakes i.e.; honey buns, jelly rolls , old homemade biscuits with grape jelly. I tried sardines and fishy stuf and all I caught was possums and house cats��

[redman2006]

Do you have a hot wire? One at about 4 inches high helps it is more fun with a firearm, but the charger can run 24/7

[Boston_Joe]

We'll be spending some time digging and burying a supplemental piece of fencing along the bottom of what we have now. I will do regular hex "chicken wire" because I have it already vs buying hardware wire.

Nothing in the trap this morning and the drakes are still with us. I am out for blood. I'll be sitting out for a few nights in hopes of catching something red handed and blasting it away. I also picked up a trap and have that set for when I can't be around.

While at Tractor Supply last night they had their last batch of chicks so we grabbed up some ducklings and they are now in our brooding box. Not sure what breed or sex yet. They aren't an equal replacement for what was lost but I wont give in to the predators.

[redman2006]

I have had my fair share of varmints killing my birds as well. A few years back, I went to war with the foxes, coyotes, coons and opossums. So far, so good. A serious thinning of the rotten things did wonders for my birds. The vortex scope on the 223 was a serious help since it turned down far enough to see the animal and not be washed out like the weaver did in the dark. A shotgun with a flashlight on it did a nice job as well.

During this war, we had something on the back porch making all sorts of racket. I was sure someone was breaking in. grabbed the 357 and went to investigate. A coon. I shot him twice while standing in the kitchen. My wife never even rolled over! some help she will be in a SHTF situation.

[Highlandthistle1]

Boston,
We have raccoons here where I live that are death on our chickens. I installed hog wire on my coop enclosure and turned it 90 degrees about 12" under the ground. So far so good and we have caught 3 of them in live traps for some of the local coon hunters to train their pups with! Win/Win for both parties

[Boston_Joe]

A few weeks ago my male ducks started raping everything that moved with feathers. They were particularly fond of one hen and after some reading found out that ducks can harm chickens if they try to mate them. Soooooo, the ducks got moved off to an enclosure of their own. This even got one of the hens to start setting this week. Things were fine until this morning. Both of the females were killed and partially eaten last night leaving me with two frightened drakes. I found the spot in the fence where the intruder dug a bit and went under. My thoughts are it was an opossum.

My plan is to kill the rotten duck killing vermin whatever it turns out to be.

[Boston_Joe]

We found a somewhat local hatchery. Nice people. The facility is nothing fancy but they are state inspected. They were in between hatchings so availability was all over the map. We got a bit of an assortment.
Website: http://www.eggwellfarm.com/

For chicks got one each:
Welsummer, Blue Orpington, Plymouth Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red, and a Splash Cochin

The rest are juveniles
Brahma 5 weeks old
Americauna 1 roo and a1 hen both about 2-1/2 months old
Silver Cochin roo also 2-1/2 months old

So we'll end up with quite the diverse flock.

Still thinking about the guineas. If I can find them close by I may grab a couple.

[Joyce Hoffman-Gayley]

Never found one that didn't!

[W.Lynn]

Which ones taste best, when soaked in buttermilk for a few hours, then dipped in flour and fried?

[Boston_Joe]

I know nothing about them other than they lay large eggs. My wife is the chicken keeper. She tends to pick them for their egg production first and looks second.

[Joyce Hoffman-Gayley]

Sorry, not familiar with that breed - I'm sure someone else here will be, though.

[nichevo]

I know that some of you have Guineas and was wondering how well they get along with chickens. We're thinking of getting some and they seem to be quite popular in this area.

I'm also wondering if folks have a favorite hatchery that they order from. My wife likes the heritage breeds(specifically the Wyandotts and Wellsummers at the moment) and has started to look around online for a source and has found several. As with anything I'm sure that people have had a range of experiences with some of these vendors.

What do you think about the Wellsummers? I'm thinking about getting some of them. There is someone that sells them here in TX and they have been selectively breeding them for 15 years.

[Tex]

I know that some of you have Guineas and was wondering how well they get along with chickens. We're thinking of getting some and they seem to be quite popular in this area.

I'm also wondering if folks have a favorite hatchery that they order from. My wife likes the heritage breeds(specifically the Wyandotts and Wellsummers at the moment) and has started to look around online for a source and has found several. As with anything I'm sure that people have had a range of experiences with some of these vendors.

Chickens and guineas get along fine. They will range out together, but basically ignore one another. They don't antagonize or pick on each other though, if that is what you are concerned about.



Tex