Friday, August 19, 2011

the Z4c

 Sometimes, to get a job done right, you need the right equipment. Other times, you make due with whatever you have on hand. Changing an angry chicken's mind or thwarting a mob of feather pulling guinea fowl from a distance is not easy. 

  I find this situation often as 2/3rds of my flock are rather randy males bent on being the "Commander-in-Peep"... I am not a fan of their prison style attempts at adoration with my under aged chicks. 

 Being a chicken chaser on dew slicked grass while wearing crocs is dangerous to say the least. More than a few times I have found myself flailing with limbs somehow all able to head in opposite directions. Flat on my back.. wind knocked out of me.. I stared at the happy fluffy clouds and wondered how many turds I managed to slide across while trying to save Doink.

 Doink is a black and white Americauna hen who has been desperately trying to save her namesake, the lone feather on her tail that curls to the side. She's rather skittish unless oatmeal is involved, at which time she will risk anything to have some. 

 Which brings me back to needing to be properly armed while attending the feathered deviants. Squirt guns no longer effective.. I needed to find another non-lethal "mind changer" and in a hurry.  This brings me to the happy chance of discovering a new talent.. and a new arsenal. I am an amazing shot (up to 20+ feet) with my trusty Z4c.

   Yep.. the Ziplock 4 cup container flies like a dream. I am able to bean a bird from what once was "too far away." Able to stop the mental mob of 6 guineas bent on beating up someone in seconds with a rump shot.. I am no longer defenseless. I've become adept at "issuing the warning shot" by bouncing the container over the offender.

  I am.. Ziplocked and loaded and ready to go.


 We are as well starting to look into actual means of protection. The clincher happened the other night when we had an issue of my husband being in the new chicken coop.. and coyotes just outside of it. Yelling did not deter them. He did get them to leave by turning on his saw as he cut the poles for the roosts.

 That situation is not cool. In rural areas you tend to be reminded that you too.. are potential prey. I think my husband may ask DV (the neighbor) for some guidance. Land owners here can also get a permit that allows them to get 4 deer per year. 


 My thoughts are.. my Z4c may need to be upgraded should the obnoxious neighbors at the big farm keep up their antics. We fixed more of the fencing.. and boy will I be mad if they cut our fences and tear through our fields on their 4 wheelers... again.


 I suddenly have.. a lot of neighbors. Of which one in town has asked my husband to fix his porch after he took a peek at the coop. Although not exactly a steady job.. it is work. Any work in a town this tiny is hard to find and no luck in the surrounding towns either so far. A chance to get some bills paid is a happy thing!

 

11 comments:

  1. Maybe paint pellets? Some sort of rubber BB?

    Exactly my problem with keeping livestock of the bird variety the coyotes and the raccoons.

    Four wheelers are instruments of the devil IMO. Why these idiots who run around on those things think they can go anywhere is beyond me.

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  2. I've thrown a watering can at a deer in the garden before but never have tried a loaded Z4c...careful with that thing:)

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  3. I use smoke canisters to run off obnoxious animals I don't want around. I get them at a fireworks place in Tennessee that is open year round. You can also use Roman candles. Of course, you can't do either of these things if fire is a hazard.

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  4. Boys will be boys... or in this case, roosters & guineas.

    There are a lot of coyotes.. a lot. They've been taking down deer galore and thriving. They also are getting too brave for my liking.

    The 4 wheeler neighbors will be talked to and special cameras will be put up if needed. We'll be around, so that alone should mitigate their antics. Just what a pain to have to do it.. ya know?!

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  5. @ PP.. they use them to round up the deer for their "hunt" and as well to drive to their tree stands.

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  6. Regarding crocs and slick ground, I TOTALLY get it. I like to wear crocs for the their comfort but all too often, the nights I wear the crocs are the nights the floor team buffs the tile floors here at the hospital. Freshly waxed floors and crocs do NOT mix. (Ouch, my pancreas...he says as he lands with a thud).

    Quads, I rank them as one of the top reasons people end up in my emergency room. And more times than not, the riders have not just broken bones, but ugly, ugly twisted and mangled broken limbs. Half the time alcohol is involved which REALLY blows my mind. But the people that ride these are taking risks that I won't, nor will my children.

    Scare tactics, I wonder what an industrial strenth air horn would do (you know, if you don't want to just shoot them). I know the horns scare the crap out of me when anybody sneaks up on me with them. You've heard of Code Red in the ER shows? After being snuck up on with an air horn, I experience a Code Brown. ;-)

    Thanks for making me laugh on my night shift, once again.

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  7. BTW, your beautiful sunset/sunrise picture at the top of your blog is now the desktop background image in my Radiology department for all to enjoy.

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  8. Appears to me your husband could use a 12 gauge shotgun...with buckshot.
    You cracked me up with the ziplock...

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  9. @ OJD crocs and wet cement on the patio seems even slicker! LOL @ code brown. Me wearing crocs.. ensures detergent companies will never go out of business. Glad you like the picture. I wish I could get more sunset pics.. but that is prime guinea chasing time as I try to get them "put to bed."

    @ Stephen.. that is on his list! We are hoping to have some time to look around. Pointers are appreciated!

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  10. Anne, this is just for picture purposes....http://world.guns.ru/shotgun/usa/mossberg-500-e.html hope it helps. Wal-mart, best prices.

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  11. Thank you Stephen! I'll show this to my husband.. the site looks quite informative and just what we needed!

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