Any other hawaiians out there?

[elisajp]

Hi Everyone - I'm on Big Island (for the past 21 years) wet side Waimea. Got one hen now and looking to adopt another soon. Plenty of them running around town

Mine is only free range part of the day when we can keep half an eye on her (loose dogs in the neighborhood). Loves the clovers that grow in my yard.

All our cats and dogs have learned to accept her as part of the family so we all play outside together -- when it's not pouring rain!

Aloha

 

[TropicalBabies]

Hi Everyone - I'm on Big Island (for the past 21 years) wet side Waimea. Got one hen now and looking to adopt another soon. Plenty of them running around town

Mine is only free range part of the day when we can keep half an eye on her (loose dogs in the neighborhood). Loves the clovers that grow in my yard.

All our cats and dogs have learned to accept her as part of the family so we all play outside together -- when it's not pouring rain!

Aloha

Aloha from Kauai @elisajp welcome to BYC
Cute little gal and congrats on the start of your flock. ALWAYS good to have more than 1 chicken as they are prey animals and need to be with others of their own- even if you think that they think they are human, a dog or a cat. Always fabulous to have AT LEAST 1 more I'm sure you know that and you probably know that BI craigslist has some good breeders advertising on it. Makes me a lot jealous and I am positive I am on the wrong island lol- Though coming down from Koke'e was pretty fabulous today.
Does your little pretty have a name?

I hope you intro yourself to the BYC gang. Lots of useful info on this site as many have been doing this for a long time and really know their stuff. Photos are always a big hit so share and ask away. Good you joined!!! See ya around- a hui hou!

 

[elisajp]

Aloha from Kauai @elisajp welcome to BYC
Cute little gal and congrats on the start of your flock. ALWAYS good to have more than 1 chicken as they are prey animals and need to be with others of their own- even if you think that they think they are human, a dog or a cat. Always fabulous to have AT LEAST 1 more I'm sure you know that and you probably know that BI craigslist has some good breeders advertising on it. Makes me a lot jealous and I am positive I am on the wrong island lol- Though coming down from Koke'e was pretty fabulous today.
Does your little pretty have a name?

I hope you intro yourself to the BYC gang. Lots of useful info on this site as many have been doing this for a long time and really know their stuff. Photos are always a big hit so share and ask away. Good you joined!!! See ya around- a hui hou!

Many mahalos @TropicalBabies -- cute name you have there!

Yes Craigslist is great for so many things in Hawai'i. My mainland friends are always shocked that legitimate jobs, housing, items and pets can be found there! lucky us

Kauai is gorgeous. Only got to go there once so far, and yes of course we noted the chickens even back in 2008

Thanks for the encouragement to get another hen friend. There is a loner small hen at my workplace building, who is very healthy looking, and I've been slowly gaining her trust. She ate out of my hand yesterday -> I really want to bring her home and give her love and nutrients and make sure she's healthy. Perfect size for my current little bantam 'Kurka'.

The only reason we have 1 hen is because the cat brought her home in the middle of the night (to eat) and I quickly swatted the cat and grabbed the "bird" from him... little did I know it was a hardy little chicken who would then become part of the family LOL

I've learned SO much already for this website. Much appreciated <3

 

[TropicalBabies]

Good plan! AND I am sure that little work hen will love taking advantage of your good nature lol. Welcome to chicken world lol. I chat with a gal a few towns away who loves and photographs the ferals. Does a fabulous job of it too!! They tend to be to flighty for me but I did rescue a couple of chicks years back who were fathered by the roo who got me into this mess hobby. I have their daughters and grand daughters as I put the rescues back at the pasture after getting tired of chasing hem down lol. They get 2 sqs and all the water and trees they will ever need. But even their daughters are flighty (1/4 Kauai chix). I moved my main flock up Koke'e for the summer, actually i moved me and they are part of my package. It is an Easter egg hunt with those two as they hop the run fence no problem. Stinkers

Kind of fun actually lol. Must have too much time on my hands....

 

[elisajp]

@TropicalBabies hahha yes what a lovely mess hobby we fell into Great pictures! You've got so many eggs to hunt! It definitely inspires me to get more chickens, I would love to continue sharing eggs with friends and coworkers...

Going to look through Craigslist today as you suggested! Might take me a while to cozy up to this little feral-ish hen at work and I think my baby deserves a friend (you know along with organic feed, grubs, fresh human food, insulated coop and tons of attention LOL).

Here's some pics of the coop (we already had all the scrap lumber and silver insulating plastic roll - in Hawaii LOL):

And picture of Kurka the morning after the cat brought her to me versus now:

Be well new friend! Aloha

 

[TropicalBabies]

So pretty! and Bravo on the coop
I love to share the eggs. Seems like the best part... well, eating them is pretty darn awesome too.
I often check out other islands cl because I do some hatching and selling myself and I like to see who is doing what and the BI has it going on. I think I have only seen one sketchy post and that is because of cramped and dirtier conditions than I would like to buy from myself. At that point consider it a rescue lol. I do spot a most posts with good conditions and knowledgeable sounding so I think you may be spoiled for choice.
When and if you do- ask about the mongoose and their experience with them. We don't have but if we did I would use a 1/2 welded wire on my coop to keep my girls and their eggs and future chicks safe. I think Waimea gets plenty mongoose right?

 

[elisajp]

So pretty! and Bravo on the coop
I love to share the eggs. Seems like the best part... well, eating them is pretty darn awesome too.
I often check out other islands cl because I do some hatching and selling myself and I like to see who is doing what and the BI has it going on. I think I have only seen one sketchy post and that is because of cramped and dirtier conditions than I would like to buy from myself. At that point consider it a rescue lol. I do spot a most posts with good conditions and knowledgeable sounding so I think you may be spoiled for choice.
When and if you do- ask about the mongoose and their experience with them. We don't have but if we did I would use a 1/2 welded wire on my coop to keep my girls and their eggs and future chicks safe. I think Waimea gets plenty mongoose right?

Thanks, I found someone in Kona I might go visit in a couple weeks - they've got 4 different chicken breeds at least. Definitely going a little chicken crazy now guess that's a thing.

If you can bring dogs and cats on a plane - you can bring a couple chickens? hmmm

We have mice and rats, but I have not once seen a single mongoose around my neighborhood for the 7 years we've lived there - perhaps it's too wet? too many dogs? or I'm just mongoose-blind!!

My coworker 15 miles away has plenty mongoose on his farm land, and I'm sure they are here....

I close the cat carrier that my Kurka sleeps in at night with its metal grate / tiny holes - she's been safe. I can't wait to see if hen #2 will try to cuddle with her at night or if we need to build her another little bucket thing lol

 

[TropicalBabies]

Hmmm. I thought your carrier was for nesting. Chickens love to roost when they sleep. I don't mean to get into the unsolicited advice thing cuz you know your bird and all and in Hawaii our conditions are different than the mainland for sure. BUT! I go find me a nice stick the size of my forearm, sand any pokey things off, find a place to install it (higher than the box) and see what she has to say about it. She at least will enjoy during the day ♡
I mention the welded wire because that looks like a plastic mesh? I would hate for you to be heartbroken by a predator easily breaking in. Mending chickens is no fun.
K. You coop looks solid and you are no dummy so just sharing my thoughts and experience ♡♡♡

 

[TropicalBabies]

And by the way... ! Congrats on the potential future chickens! That is waaaay awesome. And yes, that is how it all starts. Chicken jedi mind tricks

 

[elisajp]

I love advice @TropicalBabies ! I'm so green! Pictures are there for your judgment very much appreciated.

Yeah, when Kurka was a city chicken (before the coop was built outside) she used to perch and roost at night, in the nice warm / dry house.

But ever since she moved outside she loves jumping into the nesting box to sleep - even before she got broody - maybe since she's small she is cold? it can get kinda cold here and it is very very wet side waimea. So whatever, I figure if she loves the nesting box then she is double protected at night so we just close the metal grate in when she's asleep.

And yes, it is plastic netting. We also fold down a thick plastic shower curtain over it at night that is velcro-ed to the sides (crazy people I tell ya).

They are both relatively strong - but I know a mongoose or rat may be able to break through if it is desperate. We used this plastic netting in Kona to build a catio - and my indoor cats didn't break it even though it got blasted / weakened by hot sun over the years and they were always trying to climb up / out of their faux cage LOL

Made the plastic choice because everything corrodes here in the 90% humidity in like a month and I have doubts we will attract predators since we've also got all the prowling outdoor cats, thoroughly clean the coop at night, shut all the food bowls, take all the eggs, and don't even have any flies or buggies yet.

Definitely don't want to be foolish, as I know billions of other humans thought they had a safe coop too!

Never thought a chicken would be such a cool friend. I'll post pics when I get her a playmate.