Republic of gnash

gnash · **Posted:** Mon Oct 04, 2010 1:12 pm

Simo, the actual roost is behind the brush screening and the roosting sticks are set higher than the nest boxes, I've put the nest boxes where thay are so I can cut access holes on the outside for egg collection

I'll see how it goes

Simo · **Posted:** Mon Oct 04, 2010 7:40 pm

Cool, I'm going to change mine to a similar system when I fit out the new chook shed, I'm sick of poo filled nests :yuck:

gnash · **Posted:** Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:18 pm

You could always line the nests with straw and change it out once a week, it's a bit painful but you can run the old straw through the mulcher and use it in your dirt gardens, the plants will :hug:

you for it

dufflight · **Posted:** Wed Oct 06, 2010 9:19 am

My ckooks all go to sleep in a 200ltr olive drum. They lay eggs in a 20ltr one. It does fill up after a while. Will have to change things around soon as I'm getting another 10 hens. Worked out that they do a better job at clearing the yard and are more motivated than me. :joy:

Simo · **Posted:** Wed Oct 06, 2010 11:48 am

work smarter not harder :thumb:

gnash · **Posted:** Wed Oct 06, 2010 12:03 pm

dufflight wrote:

Worked out that they do a better job at clearing the yard and are more motivated than me. :joy:

I would love to let them out in the yard when I get them......but the animal in my avatar pic would also love it :dont:

dufflight · **Posted:** Wed Oct 06, 2010 12:09 pm

Put the dog in the chook pen while they are out in the yard. :wink:

gnash · **Posted:** Wed Oct 06, 2010 3:33 pm

great idea, I'll give it a shot but may just have to sit him down with a chook and teach him the hard way :bash:

.
Bullies will learn but it takes a bit :crazy:

Big_Dave · **Posted:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 11:40 am

I just got fed up with the chooks crapping all over my patio. 5 Acres to explore and they just mill around the house ready to sh*t on everything.
My chooks are permanently locked up in a 50m2 pen - massive amount of room!

You will probaly find you can train your dog to be good with the chooks while your on guard! Don't turn your back though, I lost 5 birds to my male staffy who we were convinced was good with the birds! It's in their blood, they are predators after all!
It's like dangling a beer in front of our faces after a long hard day then telling us we cant have it. :scared2:

Simo · **Posted:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 1:04 pm

yep, my Bullarab has very strong natural hunting instincts and will chase any thing that runs, even the horse :bash:

and has the scars to prove it. I trained him with the chooks from a puppy and I can let the chooks out while I am around and he behaves him self. I do go out frequently with only a 900mm high farm fence between the two (which he can easily clear) and have not lost a single bird. I was just getting to trust him when I saw him display some obvious stalking behaviour with a chook 3m away :bat:

I don't think you can ever fully trust a dog around chickens, especially a baiting bog like the staffy or bully.

gnash · **Posted:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 5:41 pm

The last one (Spud) i trained with a kitten....well lets face it, they are disposable right? and he was very good with it even to the point of sleeping on the same mat together....

Anyway I'll see what happens and show the evidence of the aftermath I guess :devil:

earthbound · **Posted:** Thu Oct 07, 2010 6:43 pm

My kelpie cross got used to the chickens and ducks from a young age, he got one or two when he was still a pup and he wanted to play with them. He was then locked in the toilet with the dead chook stuck on the toilet seat, left him there for half an hour or more and since then he hasn't killed another one, now he has no problems with them..

Might just be because he matured a bit and got out of his puppy phase though.

gnash · **Posted:** Fri Oct 08, 2010 10:03 am

Another good idea :wink:

mantis · **Joined:** Mon Sep 13, 2010 2:07 pm **Posts:** 24

My Jack Russell has killed any chook that has escaped there run. Tried the dead chook around the neck thing, belted him when finding him in the act etc etc but he is a lost cause. He has also killed dozens of blue tounge lizards in the yard. If the youngest daughter didnt love him so much , I would give him back to the bloke I got him from. He would soon find one of his fox hunting mates that would take him

gnash · **Posted:** Fri Oct 08, 2010 9:38 pm

It's the breed...it is in their blood to hunt.

Sometimes it is best to realize that some dogs are going to hunt and kill whatever is moving and leave it at that.

ps....I have a soft spot for Jacks.....Small dog but BIG BALLS :wink:

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