Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Sylvester017]

Nope

It’s a cruel way to die. Snap trap or those electric zap traps are the beat and most humane way to kill if one cannot use poison.

In the house I use poison, in the barn it’s the snap traps and zap trap. I can only put them out when the chickens are safely in bed though.

I like the zap trap it kills instantly, and the animal cannot escape - if it completes the circuit in the trap it instantly is zapped. And the trap continues to zap it for 30 seconds to ensure it is dead.

It is my preferred trap, but I alternate with the snap one also. It’s one of those plastic ones that the animal has to get right into before tripping it, so it’s crushed.

I do not like to have to kill them but they are a danger to my livestock, me and the barn, they carry diseases and chew on wires. Leave feces and pee everywhere.

Zap traps ~ Too expensive for my budget but I notice pro's & con's w/ any & all rodent killers.

From a search engine re zappers:
This humane trap kills rodents using a high-voltage shock and since rats are able to restart their hearts, the shock is applied for 2 minutes to ensure higher ...

Some reviews:
The original RatZapper was awesome. I had one that killed over 50 rats over many years. Then came the Agrizap v. Woodstream patent infringement lawsuit, and then I don't know what happened but the circuit boards changed completely. Maybe the originals were Agrizap and the later ones were Woodstream. Those didn't last. I wish I could find some like the original.

Zapper never worked for me. Bait stations seem to be the key.

Bought an electronic rodent zapper. Put it outside with peanut butter bait. Killed a mouse the first night. But since then, has not caught a single varmint. Getting neighborhood reports of a lot of mice and rats, there can't be just one going thru our yard.

The key to catching these buggers seems to depend on the success of the bait used.

 

[BY Bob]

Look who is sleeping in the "adult" coop.
View attachment 3959617
Cream is a nest box sleeper, there is technically room for her in there.

Good boy.

 

[BY Bob]

Hello everyone. I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend. First thing tomorrow morning I am calling a dentist for myself. Last night while playing cards I was crunching on ice. Big mistake, huge, I broke a back tooth. This morning I woke up and it feels like someone has taken a 2x4 and slammed me into the face with it. No amount of Tylenol, Motrin or Orajel can even take the edge off of it. I have never been so tempted in my life to pull my own tooth. Honestly it could not hurt any worse and it makes me feel terrible for what Rosie went through 2 months ago.

In chicken news, today the littles spent the entire day out of the coop. They did wonderfully and even put themselves to bed when it got close to being dark. They stayed really close to the coop unless they spotted me or mom and then they would come to investigate where we were sitting. It is time, they have earned their freedom now.

So sorry about the tooth. That sounds awful

 

[BY Bob]

I saw it....figured on the right one...mind focused on heading for the shower to wash off the evidence of our labors...

The fruits of our labors:
View attachment 3959655The ones standing in front need splitting before stacking. There are a few more of those off to the left too. Have enough to consider it done, but if the weather holds, have more cut up there to collect...and plenty more that could be cut.

Well done.

 

[BY Bob]

Most of our Silkies began laying between 6-7 months. The one Silkie cockerel we had started crowing between 8-9 months & then wouldn't shutup. Sadly we had to return him & that was hard since we had him since a day old .

It's hard to part with those boys.

 

[BY Bob]

The only wood that smells fresh is green wood....which needs to sit for at least 3 months to let the sap out of it. Burning the green stuff...burns more slowly but produces tons more creosote so is NOT a good idea in any kind of stove or fire place. In a fire pit outside, it works well. That wood has been dead/fallen for several years, so zero scent.

I need to differ. There is still a scent to sawdust.

 

[Ponypoor]

2fer

Spoiler: RC, this is a moulting pic

2 dark bramas
View attachment 3960470Belladonna full of pins, Primula (look at the foot fluff), with Mera nearby

Oi boy, tis the season. Poor wee chookies.

 

[Sylvester017]

Not a chicken:

 

[SimpleJenn]

Cream is so dainty.

Liara looking miserable, I think those feathers are hers. She hasn't laid an egg in a week.
butterbird keeping her company
ye olde "headless chicken" pose for a nap.

 

[rural mouse]

I need to differ. There is still a scent to sawdust.

There is, but zero compared to sap filled green stuff.