Raising our 1st set of CX meaties

Congrats on the new chicks, Angelicisi. And sorry about the lost one. They do look nice and clean!

I just ordered 15 more, but the hatchery needs to contact me as to when they will arrive--I have at least 2 weeks to get everything ready. I'm trudging on, going to shore up the meat run and prevent whatever it was from digging in again. Whatever it was dug a small hole (the coop was already buried 6") and took all 8 without a trace. Literally. Craziest thing I've ever seen. There's not a single white feather in my yard. The coop looks perfectly undisturbed, no feathers, no blood, litter completely in place and not disturbed. We've actually had a bunch of rain of Friday/Saturday, and the tracks were obliterated. I have a natural area behind my yard--I found 2 areas with a few white feathers, but no entrails or anything else. Of course, there's a lot of cover and I can't search everything, but there wasn't anything in the vicinity. I'm pretty sure it was a pack of coyotes (we have a ton), because I can't see a single animal eating every single piece of chicken (2 were about 6lbs, and the other 6 were getting up there--a lot of meat, a single predator would have started to get picky about what it wanted to eat).

After I fix the deficiencies of the meat coop, I have a bit of time to build a new brooder--these guys won't be able to go out at 1.5 weeks like this last batch. Too cold.

Here they were 2 weeks ago, enjoying the fresh winter rye coming up in the garden.

Angelicisi said:

Well bullpoo, I lost one this morning. By the looks of it last night. It was flattened
There were 2 runts that I didn't think would make it, so I thought one of them had passed but theyre still alive and kicking and the dead one was of decent size, full crop, nothing leaking from anywhere
We did have a bad cold front come thru and them huddling too close to the light may have caused it.
I lowered the light and am checking temps now. The colds gonna stick around for a week or so, they'll stay downstairs from us where its semi temp controlled.

52 still eating, peeping & pooping.

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Sorry to hear about the 1 you lost. Glad to hear that the others are doing well.

pipemum said:

Here they were 2 weeks ago, enjoying the fresh winter rye coming up in the garden.

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Looking good!

I'm on top of the world! Says a nugget...



Doh! And the greedy nugget falls

52 still kicking. Daily fresh water. 3x's daily filled food troughs. Every other day changing paper poo liners under wire.

One chick has mucky knickers...nothing clogged (took a nice big Crap in my hand while examining it lol)
Wiped its bum off and let it back loose. It's the only dirty one lol can't miss it if I need to check again.

They looked awesome! I love that you let them forage!

Maaaan that sux, no trace whatsoever? I'd be heart broken. So much work and care.

pipemum said:

Here they were 2 weeks ago, enjoying the fresh winter rye coming up in the garden.

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Cute Pics! I love the babies!!

I know, it really sucks. I don't know why, but for some reason I'd feel like I'd have closure if I found body parts or something. Well, probably not. That would probably be more disturbing.

Anyway, super major lesson learned. Even in my "safe" fully enclosed, suburban backyard, in an almost completely secure coop, something was still able to get in. In a sec, I'll post pictures of the small entrance hole, and the eerily mellowness of the coop (after the attack).

Aww, I didn't see the baby pictures! So cute!