Bragging on the girls

[kyratshooter]

This post if partly done to get the freakish "cats and rats" thread off the headline, but also because I need to brag on my hens.

We have endured cold weather here for the better part of 2 months. Some of the temps have been into the single digets and we have had several days where the high temp never got above freezing. I have a heat bulb in their hen house but still their water freezes, so it is cold out there.

The girls are still giving me one egg each almost every day. If I knew what I was doing I would be pleased. Since I do not know a thing about raising chickens I am thrilled! I keep water in their dish, I keep food in their container, I shoot he varmits that try to eat them, no other fancy knowledge or care.

If anyone wants to go into chickens and wants excellent layers I will attest that the black Austrolops are one group of egg laying maniacs. If I had 12 of them I would be giving eggs away to the neighbors. As it is I am staying ahead of my own use with only 4 hens, and I eat some eggs.

[Wildthang]

So did you get that coyote that was trying to eat all of your chickens? I am really going to try to build a chicken coup this spring and I think I will start with 2 hens because we normally only eat eggs on the weekends.
Sounds like you have got some good chickens there buddy!

[1stimestar]

Awesome. How many were they laying this summer?

[kyratshooter]

They are laying better now than they did when they first started 1ts. I got them as hatchlingsin April and they just started laying in mid-September. Oddly, when I had 5 birds I was getting 3-4 eggseach day and now that I only have 4 hens I am getting 3-4 eggs daily.

I think the coyote put the fear of God in them; Lay or he feeds you to the big dog!

As for killing the coyote, that is going to be another story. I have at least 4 running in a pack now. I see fleeting glimpses of them in the dusk and I heard them huning the other night. It sounded like there were a dozen of them running through my bedroom!

With a pack involved I am going to need to be carefull calling them in.

They get real brave and hungry during these long cold snaps where the small game in holed up and come looking for the easy pickings when the weather breaks. We are supposed to have slight warmup on Thursday and I may try to get them in to the electronic predator call.

I am at the point that I do not step out the door unarmed. I do not want them to catch me helpless and i definately do not want to see them and miss a good shot.

Score one point for .357 accuracy and reach. I turned one about inside out when I shot him in the butt with a 150 gn, half jaketed SWC hollow point running close to 1400fps back about 30 years ago. Wish I still had some of those loads. I think I used them up on deer shoot6ing them out of a Blackhawk.

[finallyME]

All mine did real well the first winter. It is the second one where they really slow down. My have stopped for a month or two. But, my new pullets are just starting to lay, so last week I killed half of the old birds, and this week I will finish them off and move the pullets into the fancy coop.

But, like you said, chickens are easy. Almost anyone can do it.

[crashdive123]

Does killing half of the "crew" motivate the rest?

[Wildthang]

They are laying better now than they did when they first started 1ts. I got them as hatchlingsin April and they just started laying in mid-September. Oddly, when I had 5 birds I was getting 3-4 eggseach day and now that I only have 4 hens I am getting 3-4 eggs daily.

I think the coyote put the fear of God in them; Lay or he feeds you to the big dog!

As for killing the coyote, that is going to be another story. I have at least 4 running in a pack now. I see fleeting glimpses of them in the dusk and I heard them huning the other night. It sounded like there were a dozen of them running through my bedroom!

With a pack involved I am going to need to be carefull calling them in.

They get real brave and hungry during these long cold snaps where the small game in holed up and come looking for the easy pickings when the weather breaks. We are supposed to have slight warmup on Thursday and I may try to get them in to the electronic predator call.

I am at the point that I do not step out the door unarmed. I do not want them to catch me helpless and i definately do not want to see them and miss a good shot.

Score one point for .357 accuracy and reach. I turned one about inside out when I shot him in the butt with a 150 gn, half jaketed SWC hollow point running close to 1400fps back about 30 years ago. Wish I still had some of those loads. I think I used them up on deer shoot6ing them out of a Blackhawk.

Get yourself a big chicken suit and a shotgun, then go running around at dusk with a recording of a chicken. You should be able to bag at least 2 of those yotes. Oh, and be sure to have this filmed so we can see the action

[kyratshooter]

Get yourself a big chicken suit and a shotgun, then go running around at dusk with a recording of a chicken. You should be able to bag at least 2 of those yotes. Oh, and be sure to have this filmed so we can see the action

Hey! I'm already on several "watch lists" in this community and I am sure that stunt would get me held for 72 hour observation! The judge lives just around the corner and probably already has the papers filled out and is waiting for the inevitable.

He was not impressed with the ghillie suit and was pretty sure I had gone over the edge when I came home from camping dressed like a "minute man".

Come to think about it the chicken suit would be easier to explain.

[Mischief]

What does your wife say about you being a"minute man" ?

[kyratshooter]

My wife and I met in a reenactment camp.

We spent about 18-20 weekends a year in camp.

She passed away in 2009, on the way home from a camping trip.

[natertot]

Hey Kyrat, feel free to give me a yell if you need help with the yotes. You should still have my number. PM me if you need it.

[Mischief]

Kyrat
Please accept my apology,I did not know.