I went out to my chicken coop this morning to feed my meat birds and young silkie chicks and white orpington chicks. I looked in the coop and ALL were dead. At least 30 of them or so. A lowely raccoon sat huddled in the corner. I assume he climbed on top of the coop and fell through, finding himself with an easy dinner and no way out afterwards. What a horrible, devastating mess.
I gathered up my kids and locked them in the house. Then proceeded to grab my shotgun(which I have never successfully killed anything with as of yet) and unloaded on the raccoon. I am still beyond livid.
Two questions for all or anyone that has experience:
1. He only bit the heads off of some of these meat birds. Since they were close to butchering, can I try and save the meat if I just remove anything his mouth might have touched?
2. Once I secure my coop with hot wire and more paneling, I will someday be in the market for chicks. Does anyone know of a website to order chickens off of that doesn't require a minimum of 25 chicks? I am still upset, I just dont know if I will recover from this
Thanks for the input. What a tragic mess.
I gathered up my kids and locked them in the house. Then proceeded to grab my shotgun(which I have never successfully killed anything with as of yet) and unloaded on the raccoon. I am still beyond livid.
Two questions for all or anyone that has experience:
1. He only bit the heads off of some of these meat birds. Since they were close to butchering, can I try and save the meat if I just remove anything his mouth might have touched?
2. Once I secure my coop with hot wire and more paneling, I will someday be in the market for chicks. Does anyone know of a website to order chickens off of that doesn't require a minimum of 25 chicks? I am still upset, I just dont know if I will recover from this
Thanks for the input. What a tragic mess.