Re: New Chicks
From: ex WGS Hamm (alpha.bitchREMOVETHIS_at_virgin.net)
Date: 10/29/04
- Next message: ex WGS Hamm: "Silly chickens"
- Previous message: Mary Fisher: "Re: Mayonnaise (safety issues for whole egg home pasteuization)"
- In reply to: George Knierim: "New Chicks"
- Next in thread: nuele mersch: "Re: New Chicks"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ]
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2004 21:20:11 GMT
"George Knierim" <gknierim@starband.net> wrote in message
news:3Msgd.823$j15.675@fe25.usenetserver.com...
> We have seven new additions, but first a little background.
>
> I have two Silkie hens that are spoiled house pets. They will sit in your
> lap in the evenings and watch TV with you. They are sisters and have
always
> been close. When they want to go outside they will go to the door and
call
> you and when they are ready to come back inside they will stand by the
door
> and call until you let them in. One is black and the other is blue.
>
> They seems to become broody at the same time and I have them a cosy nest
> prepared in front of the fireplace in our living room. I use one box with
> hay and two places hollowed out for the eggs so they are sitting side by
> side. Sometimes they will steal eggs from each other and sometimes they
> will swap nests. When the chicks are born the raise them as one big
family.
>
> This time I only gave them four eggs apiece. Seven hatched. Right now
they
> are hunting and pecking on the floor in our kitchen. I will need to do a
> bit of cleaning but I feel it is worth it to provide them a warm and safe
> environment. Our local predators are hawks, wolves, coyotes, raccoons,
> opposums, skunks, domestic dogs and two pumas.
>
> I often see hawks over neighboring pastures but seldom over mine. When it
> does happen I know immediately because I think our birds, chickens,
turkeys
> and guineas, know the hawks are watching for movement because they freeze
> and all sound ceases. I have only lost one bird to a hawk in the past two
> years.
>
> A month ago we had 300 chickens. They are all allowed to free range over
a
> 30 acre pasture but are locked up at night. Over a three week period we
> lost 150 hens, only hens, to a two-legged predator. Our Sheriff said they
> know someone is stealing to supply the people that sell at the trade
fairs.
> The last time they visited I had my living lawn mowers in the yard.
That's
> five ponies. The ponies follow you around hoping for treats so I suppose
> the chicken thieves found they were chasing the chickens so when I
returned
> home I found all five ponies locked in a cabana beside the swimming pool.
> The thieves probably find our chickens easy targets because they are all
> tame and will allow you to walk up to them and pick them up. They are
also
> taken 20 adult turkeys but no guineas yet.
>
> I have security lights covering the two acres around the houses and
chicken
> houses. Now I am going to install cameras.
Get a couple of friendly rottweilers and leave them in the henhouse :0)
- Next message: ex WGS Hamm: "Silly chickens"
- Previous message: Mary Fisher: "Re: Mayonnaise (safety issues for whole egg home pasteuization)"
- In reply to: George Knierim: "New Chicks"
- Next in thread: nuele mersch: "Re: New Chicks"
- Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ]
Relevant Pages
|
