Broodies on the Homestead

[NH Homesteader]

Good luck with the hatch! Darn snakes!!

 

[Hinotori]

Stupid snake.

I hope all of the rest hatch

 

[sumi]

That really sucks, they came so close to hatching. But as was said above, better than all of them.

This reminds me, a few years ago, back in S.A. we found quite a large cobra in my MIL's coop. There were two hens in there with it and I had one of those insane protective moments... DH had to physically hold me to stop me from going in there to get the hens out… Sadly one got bit already We called a friend who was great with snakes to come catch it and take it away.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Geeze louise - nothing worse than an egg-sucking snake! Glad you got him!

 

[lcertuche]

Everyone warned us about water moccasins when we moved here but all we've seen around the house and coop are big ole rat snakes. I don't mind them as long as they stay away from the coop. DH did get a copperhead after him when he was mowing but even a copperhead can't take on a lawn mower. I am going to try the mothballs and see if it really works. I've thought about setting up dummy eggs too.

 

[Mini Horses]

Mice don't like the mothball either BUT....if you have cats be careful as I believe they are an issue for them. Poison??? Any way, if your coop is low enough that only snakes & mice can get there, put them under it!

I can tell you this, they have so many people buying for these use in a store chain I service, that I suggested they put them at the FRONT of the store! Rare that I don't have someone asking where to find them within several of these stores.

 

[NH Homesteader]

My current broody (been sitting about a week), attacked a chick today. DH scared an older chick trying to get everyone locked up, and it went off squawking, broody flew out of the coop and viciously attacked a younger chick. Mama tried to fend her off, but couldn't so DH gave attack chicken the boot (that sounds bad, he kinda lifted her and relocated her, didn't actually boot her). Then the roo attacked him.

That was fun. So anyway what's up with the attack chicken? Is she not to be trusted with chicks? Or is it a weird reaction to the squawking of the other chick?

Chickens are weird.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Geeze, louise! A chicken rodeo, lol. Maybe she was just being overprotective and thought the chick was about to attack her nest. Chickens are weird...

 

[NH Homesteader]

I know, and I missed it! Well the roo was crowing at dusk, which was weird, so I looked out and saw him running away from DH. Lol... So I saw the aftermath!

 

[Hinotori]

That was a "Not Mine! Danger to mine!" reaction. I don't put broodies that didn't hatch the chicks together because of it.