the daydream fund challenge thread

Davesnave

Thanks for your ideas. I'm thinking it was the snow caused the daft hen behaviour. It would have been snow-free up there and probably quite pleasant in the sunshine.

On the subject of predators, I had a quick look for 'interesting' footprints this morning around the run, but saw nothing.

alfie_1

Rummer wrote: »

Alfie1 loving the animal pics! The Shetlands look as if they will soon be under the snow!

they are up to thier bellies in the snow now! bless them, the tallest is 31" to the shoulder! they had icicles hanging off thier manes.they dont seem at all bothered tho?

alfie_1

Davesnave wrote: »

Thanks for your ideas. I'm thinking it was the snow caused the daft hen behaviour. It would have been snow-free up there and probably quite pleasant in the sunshine.

On the subject of predators, I had a quick look for 'interesting' footprints this morning around the run, but saw nothing.

there was strange tracks everywhere here this morning including deer! must have come close to have a nibble at the straw bales?
iv had to shut my owl into the shed part of her house tnite, worried about the weight of the snow on the aviary wire roof!! dont want her escaping! she wouldnt survive.will get out there tmorow and get as much as poss off it.

lostinrates

Davesnave wrote: »

Thanks for your ideas. I'm thinking it was the snow caused the daft hen behaviour. It would have been snow-free up there and probably quite pleasant in the sunshine.

On the subject of predators, I had a quick look for 'interesting' footprints this morning around the run, but saw nothing.

remember to keep an eye skyward too.

lostinrates

alfie_1 wrote: »

they are up to thier bellies in the snow now! bless them, the tallest is 31" to the shoulder! they had icicles hanging off thier manes.they dont seem at all bothered tho?

Its a GOOD sign to have frosty/icey manes and snow on their backs too. It shows their fuzzy coats are insulating them and they are losing little heat.

alfie_1

lostinrates wrote: »

Its a GOOD sign to have frosty/icey manes and snow on their backs too. It shows their fuzzy coats are insulating them and they are losing little heat.

. that made me:rotfl:.they are like whales on legs [blubber]!

Davesnave

lostinrates wrote: »

remember to keep an eye skyward too.

Mr Buzzard has a regular perch on the power pole about 25m from the hen enclosure, but he's shown no interest thus far.

The hens go for cover if something spooks them. We have low flying fighter jets around here occasionally.

lostinrates

The buzzard cost us our first maran. and a few chicks. Gardeneyes type balloons work well if he gives you any trouble, though they are beautiful to see.

Haven't seen one here, a few kestrels and I think a sparrowhawk. Not brilliant at birds TBH. We do have a barn owl though.

Lethally slippery out there this morning. The compacted ice has frozen an so has the snow. Still the weather forecast suggests a thaw if not today then tomorrow...5 degrees here tomorrow. Mud. But I need the water troughs to refill now!

Lotus-eater

lostinrates wrote: »

Thats a great idea...how much are tent pegs? I'm wondering if I could use this as an ''enrichment'' idea for outside with just a couple of handfuls of stuff.

Don't know how much tent pegs are, pennies really. What you really need, is a 6"rod with a stop in the middle and a handle going up from that. Its dificult to explain, but you want a rod going into the ground and enough above ground so it's easy to pull out.

alfie_1 wrote: »

do you top up the tub or just fill it to the top? if the latter, doesnt this atract mice/rats? im trying to picture where the chooks actually feed from.

I put in the right amount of food that the chucks will eat in the day, or slightly less, if at night it's completely empty, I'll leave it out, if it's got food in it, I'll pull up the peg (see above why it would be easier to have a "handle" on the peg, it would also stop hens sitting in the middle of it) and bring it inside.

Davesnave

Walked around after doing the troughs this morning, but no footprint evidence of anything, except one rabbit or hare. We are remarkably free of larger prowlers. Even the farm cat hasn't been around.

We suspend our two feeders under the old pig ark we're using as a hen shelter. They go out in the morning and come in at dusk. Never anything left in them. Apart from that, we feed corn, particularly just before roosting time, so they go to bed with full crops and plenty to keep 'em going. On these very cold mornings, they've had warm mash.....DW's recipe, not standard, using up all the free stuff we get.