Chickens for almost a year.. first massacre yesterday. :(

[Lorraine436]

Well.. Terrible news. Rhoda, along with all but one of my chickens, was killed today.

As WELL as our neighbor's GOAT. Neighbor says it was a big white bulldog that got his goat, so I assume that's what got my babies. Ugh. I am SO discouraged on chickens.

I am so sorry to hear this. My heart goes out to you.

 

[vickithrams]

We have had chickens for over five years. They are locked up on the pen at night. Never been a problem until a week ago. Something tried to dig in.. Tuned out it moved in UNDER the shed. It has tunneled into the coop from the shed at night. We lost about 16 birds. They have been moved to the other shed, that has a floor, until the NEW floor in the coop is finished. We have narrowed it down to either a weasel or a small badger. We have bought a trap and are using one of the dead birds that we actually found. Most of the birds have just disappeared. Not coming from outside, it is coming from under the shed. The hole is about 3-4 inches in diameter. It closes the farther end of the tunnel, where it goes under the shed. The floor is almost finished but, we want to try to get rid of this varmit first. We have a lot of expensive birds so don't want him just waiting for one to be left out. Once the floor is in, nothing will be able to get in, but the birds will be locked inside the house at night. Before they have always had the whole coop to run around in at night. The ducks don't really like being locked in, but won't be a choice as long as this thing is around. Plan on trapping or shooting it or both. It has already gotten ahold of about 300 bucks worth of birds, plus with them not laying, loss of eggs and loss of hatching and hatchable eggs. I have everything that I had in the incubator now in hopes of hatching out a blue and a wheaten maran roo like what the varmit ate.

 

[Alaskan]

I am not sure what varmint to guess it was.

Maybe repost everything you typed as a new thread, so that more people read it.

I am VERY sorry you had to go through that.

 

[Bumblefoot Bill]

Well.. Terrible news. Rhoda, along with all but one of my chickens, was killed today.

As WELL as our neighbor's GOAT. Neighbor says it was a big white bulldog that got his goat, so I assume that's what got my babies. Ugh. I am SO discouraged on chickens.

So sorry for your loss. <3

 

[aart]

I did go back later and she HAD laid an egg. The little shell was so paper-thin, the kind that feels like sandpaper. I assume that was from the stress?

Question: she's on lockdown, of course, with food and water and a light (I could only find a 60W, but I put it near her and I figure with her being black..?)

Anyway, should she be OK for a short bit alone? Or do I need to rush to get another? I have a darling friend who has offered me her own BSL hen as well as her SLW roo (which is what my sweet Steve was

).. Should I get them now? I'd like some time to figure out a plan first..

Hard call to make for someone else. See how she responds to being alone in the coop alone.
You're a smart woman, I'm sure you'll figure it out once the first bit of shock has passed.
Best Wishes as you travel down this rocky road.

 

[lovingmyhens]

The lady I bought my hens from said that chickens are flock birds and being alone stresses them. I was only getting two and if I had brought more cash I would have bought another one, however she could have just said that to get me to huy more hens!!

 

[deacons]

Knowing that you found your favorite hen is a small glimmer of hope at the end of this story. I know we don't know each other, but hearing this just made me so SAD last night. I'm sure Olive will appreciate a new flock when you build it for her, but I would think that it's fine to take a couple of days to get your plan together.

I have a lot of animals, but for some reason, I just worry about the chickens so much more than the others- I think it's because they are so small and just seem so exposed, even with the protections we've tried to create for them.

 

[carcar80]

Hmmm. Well, she seems okay alone so far. Checked on her after work and she jumped down from her roost to eat and was making soft noises. So no flat affect as of yet. Our temp Saturday and Sunday night will be >30*F, so I may try to get an actual heat lamp..

 

[carcar80]

And will she be okay day in/day out without leaving the coop, long-term? I mean, I've only free-ranged so I don't know.. It's not a space issue, she has the whole 4x8 coop to herself, but I'm wondering about sunshine & such?

 

[aart]

She'll probably be fine on her own in the coop, may not even need a heat lamp-just some good deep bedding, until you can decide whether to get her some buds or rehome her.
Use your good judgment based on observations.