the daydream fund challenge thread

Lotus-eater

lostinrates wrote: »

They are very strong and determined. I've seen a railway embankment demolished within a working week when a cete of badgers did some home improvements. Astounding, it would have taken human workers and a mini digger at least as long.

I know, the one I had went straight through the side of a solid wooden coop, good wood about a cm thick.
I'm going to add a mesh on top this time.

choille

Man wee deters badgers - has to be man's though.
We have them on the croft - they actually dug up a dead sheep that was buried deep. I couldn't believe it until someone told me it was badgers.

Lotus-eater

choille wrote: »

Man wee deters badgers - has to be man's though.
We have them on the croft - they actually dug up a dead sheep that was buried deep. I couldn't believe it until someone told me it was badgers.

It may do sometimes, but I used to put my urine round the bottom of the garden (the only place they can get in) to deter foxes, well hopefully anyway. So it didn't work for me, although it may well do so in other areas.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

i heard the smell of dogs deters foxes, so when we shovel up the dog poo, we place it around the brambles etc that are around our chicken run..

lostinrates

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

i heard the smell of dogs deters foxes, so when we shovel up the dog poo, we place it around the brambles etc that are around our chicken run..

Good idea for dog poo.

re man's wee....DH pides out there a lot, but when you have really disproportionate numbers I think its harder. e.g. I wouldn't eat food out of a bin but if I were starving .....I cant guarantee I wouldn't.:o

choille

http://www.ascott.biz/acatalog/info_PY365.html
Sorry to be an absolute bore but is this the model you think I should get - does it do humidity proper? Owt else I'm gonna need? I know I'll need a heat lamp thing.

The preditor thing is hard esp round about now and for a few months time - when martens, foxes etc have their young too - especially when it's been hard frost. We also have otters at the bottom & they can come up the burn looking for a change of diet - chicken tonight etc.
Today on Crofters Federation face book page - great photo of a golden eagle carrying off a lamb. When one goes over the cokerel chivvies all his girlies under a bush - what a strange wrning noise he makes - quite distinct.
We have to put them in at night or we've had it, mind you worst was someone with their dog! Wiped out nearly all my chickens that were booked into a rare breed sale - lost over £600 worth & all the lovely breeding girls & their young - awful. I know who it was too but nothing said. Sickened me.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

yes choille... they are one of the best ones.....

you put the water in the 2 resivours sp? and the the didgital readling screan will give the temp and the humidity.. there is a little slider that you can control the humdity with..

basically once it is set up... it does it all itself... its the last few days where you do need to keep an eye on the humidity... to make sure they can hatch out of the egg properly...

there is a good manual with it....

I personally think they are a good investment... for the long term...

COOLTRIKERCHICK

choille...

dont know if you know about this site.... seen it advertised in my smallholder's magazine

you can advertise for free:D

http://www.croftersmart.com/

choille

Thanks CTC - I've actually given my local ( Inverness 70 miles away!) Animal Health place a shot at ordering it in if they can do the price right - gives them the trade.

I've actually advertised Scot's Grey eggs on the mart before but didn't get a phone call at all from there.
I really must look at it again & see if there's any lavender orps - I really want to get some pullets ....or maybe eggs for when I get my cooker!

lostinrates

Get the cooker and the eggs. Yes, thats the model I have and its all very easy....its when you have chicks it gets a bit more time consuming.