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The Eclectic Garden

Making a little bit of everything look just right.


Chicken Thief Revelation

Category: Chickens | Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2016 4:35 pm

So, even though I got a look at a coyote in the back of the field I don't think that is what has been getting my chickens. I'm farly certain now that it is a fox.

The last couple of weeks I've seen him at least four times. One time I shot at him because I thought it was the coyote. The other times I've watched him in my field, cleverly waiting for the chickens to come down out of the tree.

Watching that fox has caused me to have an epiphany. I've suddenly realized that it's not the wild animal's fault for killing the chickens... it's mine! Obviously, I haven't done a good job keeping them safe. The fox simply wants to eat and has realized he can get a morning snack when the chickens come down.

I need to find a way to remove the temptation from the predators. Why should I kill a fox, coyote or any other animal simply for trying to survive? I'm still worried about coyotes snatching up our little dogs, but my views on this have certainly changed.

I'm working on ways to protect the chickens better. Hopefully that will eliminate, or at least curtail, the predator threat.

This blog entry has been viewed 422 times


Stinking Coyote

Category: Chickens | Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 2:44 pm

I am so over this coyote! I got up this morning, stepped in the back yard and spotted the chicken thief in my field enjoying a fresh kill.

I crept back in the house and got my trusty .22 rifle. I had plenty of time to line up the sights, but I must have pulled up when I shot because he ran off unhurt.

The chickens he keeps getting roost in the tree every night. I would love to lock them up, but they get so far up there's no way I could climb up and get them out of the tree.

I'm down to four of those chickens now. A friend gave me five more and I'm keeping them in the pen. I hate it, but they're not getting out until the coyote is gone.

Last edited: Mon Mar 14, 2016 2:52 am

This blog entry has been viewed 449 times


Coyotes

Category: Chickens | Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2016 11:49 pm

Well, I've lost 13 chickens since December. I think a possum got a couple of them, but the main culprits are coyotes.

I walked to the back of the property this afternoon, gun in hand, and ran right into one. I had a clean shot, but for a second I thought it might be someone's dog. Of course, by the time I was 100% sure it was a coyote he was showing me his hind end.

My egg production is way down and my chicken's lives are at stake. This is war.

This blog entry has been viewed 499 times


Transgender Chicken

Category: Chickens | Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 1:51 pm

So, here's a strange story. A couple of years ago we bought five full grown laying hens. As of right now we only have two of the original hens left. I noticed a while back that only one was laying, but since we weren't quite sure how old they really were I assumed that one was past it's prime.

Then, about a month ago my neighbor asked me when I had gotten a rooster. I explained that I hadn't. The neighbor insisted that one of my chickens was on the fence crowing. The description matched the two original hens.

I found them and, to my surprise, noticed that one was noticeably larger than the other. Also, she had spurs and her comb had gotten bigger.

Bewildered, I started reading and what I found out shocked me. It seems that only one ovary developes in a chicken and this is what gives the female characteristics. If that ovary gets damaged somehow then the other one begins to develop. If it is what they call an ovotestis then it can actually cause the chicken to start taking on male characteristics. In effect, it becomes a he/she.

So weird. I hate to get rid if her... um, him.. but he is starting to get aggressive with the other chickens.

Who knew such a thing could happen?


He/She ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )





Last edited: Sat Jan 24, 2015 1:54 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 509 times


Chickens and Compost

Category: Chickens | Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 7:18 pm

Every morning when I let the chickens out they run to the compost pile as fast as they can to see what's new. I love watching them run...heads stretched out, wings slightly out to their sides. I don't know why but I find it extremely amusing.

On this day I had put some rotten oranges on the pile. The chickens didn't really care for them, but they still spent a lot of time scratching sround.


Chickens and Compost ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )





This blog entry has been viewed 481 times


Gold Laced Wyandotte?

Category: Chickens | Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2014 12:46 am

Alright all you chicken experts. Is this a Gold Laced Wyandotte? We had two of them, but a raccoon killed one a few weeks ago. I've tried looking at pictures from the Internet. Sometimes I think it is and then I start doubting myself.


Gold Laced Wyandotte ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )


Gold Laced Wyandotte ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )


Gold Laced Wyandotte ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )





This blog entry has been viewed 479 times


Light Brahma

Category: Chickens | Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2014 12:35 am

If you've been following my last few posts you've come to realize that we have quite a diverse assortment of chicken breeds. My mom and wife just brought twelve chicks home one day back in April. I'm pretty sure they got caught up in the moment and couldn't help themselves when they saw all the different kinds.

So, along with four Silver Laced Wyandottes, two Rhode Island Reds and two Austrolorps we also have two Light Brahmas. Besides Lucy and Ethel (the Rhode Island Reds) the Brahmas are the only other ones we've named. Well, my wife named them. She says they remind her of her grandmother and aunt so she named them Sadie and "G". They are pretty birds with feathers on their feet. They were the first ones to start laying.

My next post will be about the one chicken I'm not quite sure about.


Sadie ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )


Light Brahma ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )





Last edited: Mon Nov 03, 2014 1:15 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 496 times


Australorp

Category: Chickens | Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2014 12:50 pm

I am 95% sure that we have two black Australorps. I say 95% because my wife swears they were labeled as Jersey Giants when she bought them as chicks. I've watched them grow and I took the time to read about both breeds. From what I can tell they are more like Austrolorps. I love the black color with the green sheen. They haven't gotten any bigger than the other chickens either so that also steers me away from the Jersey Giant label. It doesn't really matter what breed they are to me. I like them either way.


Australorp ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )





This blog entry has been viewed 464 times


Rhode Island Red

Category: Chickens | Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 4:59 pm

We have two Rhode Island Red hens. I affectionately named them Lucy and Ethel. Lucy is the only one of our chickens that will actually let me touch her. She can be a little aggressive if some kind of treat is offered. In fact, my wife had some bread and she flew up and snatched a piece out out of her hand. It was a spectacular sight, but my wife was not impressed.


Lucy ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )





Last edited: Thu Oct 30, 2014 8:38 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 459 times


Silver Laced Wyandotte

Category: Chickens | Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 12:25 pm

I am really liking the four Silver Laced Wyandottes that we got back in April. They have grown into very attractive birds. Their appearance is so unique and they are rather friendly.


Silver Laced Wyandotte ( photo / image / picture from eclecticgarden's Garden )





Last edited: Tue Oct 28, 2014 5:50 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 454 times




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