Quite Simply, Chook Chat

[shirlthegirl43]

Well, since the two rogues went it has been quieter, however, Nando still shouts at whatever time he fancies. Is there - really - a way to encourage him only to crow at sociable times?

[petal]

not really, but some people put a very noisy cockerel into a low box at night - they have to stand to crow, seems cruel to me. I ensure they can't see light until at least 7am! That includes the moon.....

[francesbean]

I've been on rat watch today - noticed some holes appearing in the chooks area - so filled them all in with soils and stones and other stuff - I've got to wait to the weekend to get some poison ! The little buggers are quite bold and scurrying around in broad daylight so watched for a bit to see where they were coming from - next doors garden which is a bit neglected to say the least! But I know its my fault as my chooks are messy little girls and throw their pellets all over the place. I need to get on top of it as i;m sure they'll be breeding ferociously from now on.

francesbean

[petal]

yep, I have put poison down ad killed 3 so far. I havn't seen evidence since but then our tabby cats are 7 months now and taking on rabbits. If i was a rat I would leave....

[jessmorris]

Luckily I have no rats (that I've seen anyway) but mice in droves, I'm trapping 3/4 week at the mo...my mum watched a rat last week climbing up her apple tree, down along a really skinny twig, down the wire to the nut feeder where he sat and helped himself to the nuts. She was hoppin'!

[petal]

Rats are smart creatures, shame they are so creepy. i have just spent the morning gardening, 'assisted' by cranberry the turkey, she followed me everywhere.

[petal]

has anyone else noticed some of the wierd threads popping up on here(which the mods remove) one was about gucci bags and the other, right now is about wedding rings, totally strange....

[Glutton4...]

That was a Spammer, Petal - now been zapped...

Cranberry! Nice one!

[frias]

Aaahh. I wondered why I couldn't view a thread and then it vanished. Not that I have any idea what a spammer is or what they do. Spam used to be something my mum used to serve it with a bit of pickle.

[Hilary B]

Frias, online Spam is time-wasting rubbish (a bit like those silly flyers they stick in with your post), the name derived from a Monty Python sketch, where (as far as I can remember it) the cafe was only serving spam.

[its hilly]

mmm, spam fritters, proper homemade ones.

Trousers (banty wyandotte) nearly turned into chicken noodle soup this week. He gets a bit protective when his girls start laying. Put some corn in for their suppers and the little illegitimate so'n'so attacked me. His spur went right into my index finger, and cos I couldn't get all the sh** out became infected. You could have cooked an egg on it, , it was so hot. My finger and two knuckles were so swollen that I struggled to bend them. It's slowly improving now, but I'm still glaring at him. At the time I grabbed him, turned him upside down and shook him, which he hates. He's being a bit more careful at the mo.
I wouldn't mind, but I've got more than 10 cockerals and he's the only one who has ever had a go at me. Even my HUGE hybrid, Russet, is a softy.

[Hilary B]

The bigger the breed, the more placid a cockerel TENDS to be. There are exceptions, but when we had a RIR, a cuckoo Marans, 2 Cochins and next door's banty kept visiting, the little %$^$&^ used to beat up all 4 of our own cockerels!

[petal]

yep, our pekin Pippin is a vicious little s*d and once beat up the buff orpington George(good)

[VirginVegGrower]

We are going to get two Marans tomorrow; a copper blue and a copper black. I am so nervous but so excited too. I didn't sleep much last night for thinking about foxes so my OH gone to get more weldmesh today to give a double skin to the house and run - would love one of those bright coloured plastic ones but too expensive for us at the moment. My question please is what gauge is foxy-proof, 16 or 19? Or do I just never sleep again and watch them all night?
Am paranoid after reading horror stories on the net.

[shirlthegirl43]

We re-homed Nando last night - he was making such a rumpus after the other two boys left!

Can anyone tell me how long after him leaving would the girls still be laying possibly fertile eggs? I have just asked on Freecycle for a broody hen or incubator as Nando was so lovely we would like to try hatching a few eggs to have some of his offspring about.