Homestead mailing list

[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

EarthNSky wrote: (about free-ranging chickens)

> To do that, I would have to allow 100% free ranging, which I used to
> do, but can no longer do due to multiple 'neighborhood' dogs that are
>  chicken killers. But yeah, that is the best of all options, right
> there,,,it is just hard to do here and now.

I got up an hour ago after my fever broke to find 3 new hatchlings in
the incubator.  Something caught my eye at the barn as I looked out the
window at the rain(wonderful stuff, but a solid week of it gets
old-about 7 inches for the week).  I thought it was a person, but then,
a good sized white furry dog, like about the size and color of a
Maremma, came prancing out of the barn and headed for the chicken
tractor.  I grabbed the 22 and headed out the door-in my underwear and
tank top in the pouring rain(had to give you that homestead visual<g>).
 I rounded the back of the truck to see the dog look up from his
sniffing at the chicken tractor.  I should have fired in that split
second, but I don't see that well and wanted to get a better look
through the scope to make sure it wasn't a dog I knew.(good neighbor
house dog-whitish yellow lab) It wasn't, but in that split second with
the gun raised, he turned and ran up the hill into the woods.  That dog
knew what a gun was, for sure.  I fired off a shot as he rounded the
garden, but missed, and he was out of sight in a flash.  This was a new
dog to me, unknown who he belongs to, if anyone.  If I had not seen him,
I feel pretty sure that he would have gotten into my chicken tractor
this morning.  I swear the worst predators around here are dogs..then
hawks...then eagles....then coyotes, bobcats, possums raccoons etc....
If bad dog-owning neighbors weren't enough to prevent free-ranging, then
the drop-offs(from bad dog owning city dwellers) make it almost impossible.

Bev

--
The true significance of Sacajawea's involvement in the Lewis & Clark
expedition is that it was the first documented trip in history where men
asked a woman for directions and followed them, allowing them to arrive
at their destination.