I think I've lost all my chickens....

[Mountain trapper]

Well, i did it. Didn't realize the rooster woyld be so pissed though.

I guess that means he's growing into the job.

The hens are all in the coops yelling at me. I'm not their favorite person right now.

Sorry to hear about that Robin. But that's one of the responsibility's that go along with owning livestock. At least now you get to eat some fresh chicken.
The wife comes home on Monday and she's going to have to make a decision on her crippled hen. The only difference is that I'll be the one doing the deed.

 

[user 7704]

Sorry to hear about that Robin. But that's one of the responsibility's that go along with owning livestock. At least now you get to eat some fresh chicken.
The wife comes home on Monday and she's going to have to make a decision on her crippled hen. The only difference is that I'll be the one doing the deed.

This one was over 5 years old so I just disposed of her

 

[Psalm7]

Every type of predator or scavenger eats chickens. A constant varmit control system is about all that works . I set traps on any trail coming towards My chicken yard , and We have 3 dogs that alert when something stirrs up the chickens . And live traps close to the chicken house . I have to keep any steel traps away from the yard and use live traps baited with a whole egg because My Wife feeds cats outside and would be pissed if I hurt one . These are descendants of where Neighbors have passed away and Others have moved and left Their cats . They are near wild . But come up to eat and will hang out while We are working outside if We dont get to close . They are several Genarations without owners and act like wild cats but We never see rodents around Our chicken feed .

 

[user 7704]

Every type of predator or scavenger eats chickens. A constant varmit control system is about all that works . I set traps on any trail coming towards My chicken yard , and We have 3 dogs that alert when something stirrs up the chickens . And live traps close to the chicken house . I have to keep any steel traps away from the yard and use live traps baited with a whole egg because My Wife feeds cats outside and would be pissed if I hurt one . These are descendants of where Neighbors have passed away and Others have moved and left Their cats . They are near wild . But come up to eat and will hang out while We are working outside if We dont get to close . They are several Genarations without owners and act like wild cats but We never see rodents around Our chicken feed .

Last year I caught a Racoon after he killed 3 and I also caught a possum. I have 2 trap cages

 

[Gazrok]

Well, I do see Raccoons out there. Just never figured they'd attack chickens. I still think it's a bobcat though. Sorry you had to put one of yours down. Wife won't let me kill and butcher the last one. She's like that. If it was like a post SHTF thing, she'd be OK with it, but otherwise....

We're getting a bunch of new ones next week, and keeping them in the coop vs. free-ranging. Still has to be separate from the last hen (as she'll kill them no doubt).

 

[user 7704]

Well, I do see Raccoons out there. Just never figured they'd attack chickens. I still think it's a bobcat though. Sorry you had to put one of yours down. Wife won't let me kill and butcher the last one. She's like that. If it was like a post SHTF thing, she'd be OK with it, but otherwise....

We're getting a bunch of new ones next week, and keeping them in the coop vs. free-ranging. Still has to be separate from the last hen (as she'll kill them no doubt).

gazrok. The raccoons can get into a hole so small the only part of the chicken they can get out is the head. I had to put wire over every small crack I had. I was amazed.

 

[Psalm7]

Iv had racoons rip 2×4 welded wire open and kill every bird in the pen . Just eating the neck and moving to the next one .

 

[user 7704]

Iv had racoons rip 2×4 welded wire open and kill every bird in the pen . Just eating the neck and moving to the next one .

I didn't have any qualms about killing the racoon. Vicious little critter

 

[Gazrok]

We have half inch grid wire on the coop. Not even a snake is getting in there. We originally wanted to free range the older birds, to use the coop for some new chicks....Since I need to do a repair to the door anyhow, seemed a good a time as any to try it out. But, obviously, just too many predators in our area for it. I guess that's why I don't see any of my neighbors doing it anymore (they used to).

So now, just fixing the door, and going with new chicks in the coop. I guess the lone survivor is fine in that unused stall for now.

 

[user 7704]

The racoon came into my locked coop. I have chicken wire and 2 layers of deer netting. He just happened to find a VERY small hole in fence and came into the coop where the tin roof has a ridge. Had to wire all of the spaces. I don't see predators during the day because of dogs. I got the roosters to help in case of a critter attack.

 

[Gazrok]

Yeah, just don't want any baby chicks yet, so I get all hens. In 6 years, never had an issue with predators before here. Judging from the carcass of one, I'm still thinking it was a bobcat. He's probably moved on, but I'm still taking precautions. My wife thinks I should go out to the barn armed each night, but I seriously doubt that's necessary (and normally, I'm just wearing shorts without pockets, to go out there, so really no place for a pistol. I'll take my walking staff though, I guess. If I can't fend off a bobcat with that, I should probably turn in my redneck card.

 

[user 7704]

We had a bobcat when we first moved here.

It sounded just like a woman or child being tortured. He took 15 lbs of cat food out of my garage and drug it to the woods and ate like a king.

He was gone after about 3 days.

 

[brandx]

Sorry about losing the birds. The problem is that everything likes to each chicken. You have to close them up in the coop every evening around dusk/dark and open every morning. Forget one night, and the predators find it. It's the hardest part of keeping chickens. And I'm not sure a donkey would help with a bobcat problem.

And it's always the same... they get a nice taste on 1 bird... and in a matter of days the predator (bobcat, raccoon, etc) invite their entire family for a thanksgiving feast on your flock. A lesson to learn... we've all been there.

Oh, a buddy of mine used to raise mini donkeys. Cute little things. A few years back they were $5-700. Not sure where they are now.

that is a lot of money for an animal for a pet. I'd rather spend 1400.00 on security and have something physical that increases my property value than an animal that you have to keep putting funds into for vets, food, hoof trimming, etc, etc.

 

[brandx]

Yeah, just don't want any baby chicks yet, so I get all hens. In 6 years, never had an issue with predators before here. Judging from the carcass of one, I'm still thinking it was a bobcat. He's probably moved on, but I'm still taking precautions. My wife thinks I should go out to the barn armed each night, but I seriously doubt that's necessary (and normally, I'm just wearing shorts without pockets, to go out there, so really no place for a pistol. I'll take my walking staff though, I guess. If I can't fend off a bobcat with that, I should probably turn in my redneck card.

Wear IWB holster.

 

[Gazrok]

that would work....again though, just not seeing the need.

If I'm going out due to a threat though, I've usually got my pistol in a belt holster, and the shotgun in my hands (and tactical light on it (though I would rarely need to use it...I know the shadows, etc. of my property), and shell belt around the stock). Any prowler is in for a bad night.

 

[Mountain trapper]

In my opinion we've got about 50 chickens too many. Of course I've been told that my opinion doesn't count. Same goes for her pet donkey's.

 

[brandx]

In my opinion we've got about 50 chickens too many. Of course I've been told that my opinion doesn't count. Same goes for her pet donkey's.

Are we henpecked?

 

[brandx]

We had a bobcat when we first moved here.

It sounded just like a woman or child being tortured. He took 15 lbs of cat food out of my garage and drug it to the woods and ate like a king.

He was gone after about 3 days.

What the heck did you put in it?

 

[user 7704]

What the heck did you put in it?

It was in an opened bag. He just drug it away.

 

[brandx]

It was in an opened bag. He just drug it away.

Though there are some bobcats around here, I think the biggest chicken taker would be raccoons or hawks. I heard a story about someone finding chick bodies in the coop all the time and were headless. They couldn't figure it out, then it dawned on them that raccoons were grabbing the chicks through the wire, they couldn't get the bodies through, just could eat the head off and then the body would fall to the floor of the coop. Never forgot that one. Kind of gruesome.

 

[Gazrok]

That is gruesome. These were full grown chickens though. The carcass looked as if it was raked apart by claws or teeth. I suppose raccoons aren't out of consideration, but the paw prints I found in the mud were bobcat. (though I see a lot of raccoon tracks too, often enough). (they look like little hands, hehe).

 

[brandx]

That is gruesome. These were full grown chickens though. The carcass looked as if it was raked apart by claws or teeth. I suppose raccoons aren't out of consideration, but the paw prints I found in the mud were bobcat. (though I see a lot of raccoon tracks too, often enough). (they look like little hands, hehe).

After the soft innards I guess. And they are little hands unless you have gnomes. But I think a gnomes hands are more chubby.

 

[user 7704]

So I had to kill the chicken last weekend and today I see a chicken that looks really fat. I picked her up and her stomach was really hard and distended.

Looked up and found 6 possible diagnoses. All end in death. I can't imagine swelling so much and suffocating because your lungs can't function.

I don't want to have to put another lady down but can't let her suffer.

 

[Dani]

You are just not getting a break. . . I am sorry. I know those ladies mean a lot to you.

 

[user 7704]

You are just not getting a break. . . I am sorry. I know those ladies mean a lot to you.

I opened the coops this morning and since she is slow, both roosters went for a ride. I had to set up the infirmary to keep her from being harassed. MEN!!!!!!!

 

[Mountain trapper]

It was in an opened bag. He just drug it away.

We keep our dogs food in a Rubbermaid container on the front porch. Twice now a bear has dragged it off. I found one of the containers out in the woods full of bite marks. Never have found the other one.

Update: I finally found the second dog food container. I was riding along the east fence line a couple days ago and found it in some timber. Couldn't find the lid though.

 

[brandx]

So I had to kill the chicken last weekend and today I see a chicken that looks really fat. I picked her up and her stomach was really hard and distended.

Looked up and found 6 possible diagnoses. All end in death. I can't imagine swelling so much and suffocating because your lungs can't function.

I don't want to have to put another lady down but can't let her suffer.

 

[brandx]

I opened the coops this morning and since she is slow, both roosters went for a ride. I had to set up the infirmary to keep her from being harassed. MEN!!!!!!!

 

[Gazrok]

Sorry to hear about your chickens too.

I keep dry cat food in a steel trash can in the barn aisle (for the barn kitties). I had to start putting a hand truck on top of it to keep the raccoons from tipping it and feasting on cat food. Caught them at it a couple times before using the handtruck solution.

I'd keep it in our tack room, but the boarders like feeding and petting the cats, so want to keep it out for them.

 

[user 7704]

Geez, I was checking on the ill chicken and now she has "fly strike".

I bathed her and I know I got at least 1000 maggots off her butt. I'm guessing they have made it inside her body and that why she is so swollen.

Watch your flocks in the Summer. Even a small injury can attract flies.

I'm going to check the rest of the flock now. I don't want to see any more poopy butts.