Chickens eat Coqui frogs

[Wao nahele kane]

After getting our chickens and allowing them to freely forage our property front to back all day long and roost in the trees, I began to notice a substantially reduced number of cane spiders and other insect and also noticed a substantial reduction in Coqui frog and katydid sounds from our property.

I looked up the potential of coqui frog consumption by chickens on the net and found this story.

http://coquifrognews.blogspot.com/2008/1...frogs.html

[jrw]

I know coquis have increase since a dog got in are yard and kill all are chickens month and half ago.

jrw

[pahoated]

The feral chickens eat a lot of coqui frogs but they aren't one of their favorite meals. I am keeping a wandering troupe around by knocking off rotten papayas a few at a time. Used to have to pick those up fast, before they got infested. They eat papaya and bugs in the morning, go into the bush during the day, coming back in the evening for more papaya and bugs. I used to have those coqui that would croak during the day, those are gone. There are still coqui in the distance but quite a few less than last year. Another anecdotal experience, believe it or not.

"Mahalo nui Pele, 'ae noho ia moku 'aina" - kakahiaka oli

[mmbvd7]

I thought I had read that on here earlier (somewhere). We have nine hens and one rooster. Since we like to collect our eggs and not have to hunt them...we have a coop and yard for them. I had wanted to let them free range, but as mentioned, egg hunts are not what we like to do (although the dog is quite good at it)!

We recently bought some chicks. Waiting for the reveal of which will be cockerels and which ones pullets. Plan to allow the cockerels to free range, as long as they do not fight, because of this benefit alone. When the temps dropped, and wasn't raining, the quiet evenings were nice. I like the sound of the frogs, but just wish it were more so in the distance. I had forgotten how loud they could get!

Best wishes

[Wao nahele kane]

I made a hen brooding station that ours have adopted. It's just a rectangular 8' long box, 1' high and deep with 8 partitions in it and an old water tank section for the roof. The box is held up 24" off the ground by 2 simple 2x4 X members one on each end of the box with the curved roof section screwed to the top of the x members.

Until they were provided that brooding station, they laid eggs where ever. Now that problem is solved.
I'll be making a roosting station next to keep them roosted in a location that's best for everyone.
So far no real need to contain them, it appears just providing them an open alluring version of their basic needs works well and the coup becomes the entire property.

[Guest]

Here in leilani, we are not allowed to have any chickens. We are blessed with many frogs and very little say about our quality of life. Chickens would have been better than the white powdered bath my yard has been subjected to from our community association. Maybe some laws or rules need to change once in while( not that they would comply to those changes), what came first the chicken law or the invasive koke frog?

[Wao nahele kane]

Gypsy69,
Perhaps compiling information regarding the use of chickens for controlling coqui and noisy insects (katydid) and raising it at a homeowners meeting may inspire a vote for change? Even if they adopted a no roosters policy but allowed free ranging hens with the added rule of providing open brooding boxes etc?

[Wao nahele kane]

Here's the insect that's up there if not worse than Coqui depending on their location and ones earshot. It's also one of our chickens favorite meals. If you listen to this video about 30 seconds (if you can stand it that long) then stop it, you may feel the immediate relief as if the air pressure suddenly dropped around you or pressure in your head is suddenly relieved. These insect are perhaps a source of underlying stress not unlike freeway noise that induces stress.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDYPOCF0hYU

[VancouverIslander]

Given the choice between roosters crowing and cocquis, I'll take the frogs.

Just call me Mike

[Wao nahele kane]

If it were JUST roosters vs. frogs that were the tradeoff that might be the case for some. Now consider the entire scope and add crab spider, Katydid, various crop eating insects, crickets, rat lung carrier slugs/snails, etc atop the Coqui OR Rooster, hens and free range eggs. Now what?
After being surrounded by and affected by all the above mentioned critters... I'll stick with the chickens and their added protective benefits.