AL - Recording baby steps: Newest Addition

[ohiofarmgirl]

go shake some noodles at Big Poppy!

one of our roo's killed one of my favorite hens... he went into the pot and no one felt bad at all.

isnt it sad when the ladies run to you to be saved?!?!

i cant help it - i love my hens!

 

[AL]

I am so angry I can't even type. I had my chickens out in the garden lot and THREE Cooper's hawks attacked them. I lost one of my big fat fluffy Buff Orpingtons (had 3).
I heard them all cackling and screaming, saw Big Poppy running flat out for the cedar trees with his ladies alongside.... all but the one who was attacked in the shade of the privacy fence. Started up that way and one hawk flew up and 2 more lighted in the pine tree at the fence line.

So now, it is war. I have the chickens back in my backyard. Poor things were all huddled under the cedar tree, came when I called but stayed right with me every step... even carrying the dead BO. In fact, my little BO, the psycho one, followed along the fenceline as I carried the dead one away.


Stupid &*#$^ hawks!!

 

[Wifezilla]

Hawks are a federally protected bird (unless coopers hawks have a different status). Your war can be defensive only.

 

[AL]

Nope, Cooper's have the same protection.. all raptors do ... no killing, no harassing. Game commission says you can string fishing line across your acre field to keep them from landing .

 

[Chickenkitty]

I actually don't know what kind of 'gold' potatoes.... they just have on their sign "red, white and gold potatoes". I may get some just for kicks though.

SO.... I never made it back to the garden, didn't want to push things on the knee. Of course, I helped my dad unload a truckload of firewood and then trim a big pecan limb.

I also made bread!!!
Now granted, it is just a very basic white bread, but it is BREAD and I made it!

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/uploads/1857_bread2.jpg

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/uploads/1857_breada.jpg


I might get adventurous and add dried fruit or something next time!

how about putting the recipe for the bread on here!! Ihave tried so many recipes and still can't find the one quite right for us.

 

[i_am2bz]

I'm sorry about your hen, AL.

 

[TanksHill]

Sorry about your hen, Do the hawks have any natural habitat in your area to hunt? Maybe you could stock it with rabbits for them.

 

[SKR8PN]

This is where the SSS rule comes into play.

 

[AL]

Thanks. She wasn't a favorite or anything, just infuriating to have no recourse against a predator like that....
Believe me SSS crossed my mind over and over again, but I live in a neighborhood with a game warden about 1/2 mile away and a crazy neighbor with various local government agencies on speed dial (current fave is calling code enforcement on Mr. Old neighbor for having buckets of rain water).
There are plenty of rabbits, etc but we also have coyotes and fox, I guess the hawks just figure chickens are an easier buffet. Evidently there is a pair of hawks nesting in another neighbor's wooded lot. *sigh*

Today started out ok.... beautiful about 64*. I had put Pat on the roost with the others last night but left the chicken yard gate open so they could all get out. This morning I couldn't find her at first, she had crawled up into a loosely rolled bit of hardware cloth to get away from the others. I put her back in her own run and gave her some boiled egg, pellets and scratch/BOSS. Her neck looks wretched.

Mr. ON has 8-9 little bantam mutt chicks that he is keeping with their mama on his back porch. He wants to incubate some eggs from my hens for his spring chicks. I might keep a couple of them myself too.

Friday is the day to plow and plant my garden peas. Also have my containers mostly ready for my onions. Feb 4 I have a doctor's appt and then it is potato planting day!

 

[AL]

Oh how I wish....
http://pensacola.craigslist.org/grd/2166420382.html


eta
http://pensacola.craigslist.org/grd/2165988627.html