Hello all, I’m a new member and Ive Been reading this site for a long time, but I’ve never posted. I appreciate all of the advice and tips I’ve learned here. I’m not sure if this should go in the tragedy section, or the coop section, but I decided to put it here.
We have 13 chickens, and we had 8 runner ducks. We have three 10X10 dog runs chain link enclosures with roofs to protect them with chicken wire on the outside of the chain link . And They get to roam our 3/4 acre when we are out there with them.
4 night ago, what I assume was a raccoon peeled back the chain link at the corner of the dog run, and after killing one of our rubber ducks, pulled her through. We saw the hole and the feathers and blood. The chicken wire was shredded and the chain link bent.
I was surprised that a raccoon could do that much damage. But I’m not sure what other predator could’ve done that. So our family spent three evenings fortifying the coop. Who put red brand welded wire fencing around the whole enclosure. We use wire ties to tie every corner, and tie the chain-link at every other link to keep it from being peelable. We put the wire fencing as an apron around the entire enclosure out about 3 feet. I’m hoping that will make it impossible for predators to dig under.
I thought there was no way anything could get in. Which was true….but they still got a duck. Last night, it appears that the raccoons either herded the chickens towards the side and was able to grab one. Or, maybe the ducks just wandered too close to the edge, and was grabbed. That predator pulled the ducks leg off as the hip joint. We found it this morning and it was sitting in the coop unable to move. We took it inside, cleaned the horrific wound, tried to disinfect it with a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution. We found a huge wound into the diaphragm. For a few hours the duck was Panting in pain. I read a number of articles here on this website and also by veterinarians talking about the right time to put down an injured bird.
I’ve never had to do this before but I’m the dad so I figured it was my job. I read on a number of ways to do it. I wasn’t sure I was skilled enough to find the spinal cord at the back of the head to sever it. And I can’t shoot a gun in my neighborhood. So after my wife and kids said goodbye, and cried, I took the duck outside and used a machete to behead it.
The duck was calm. And It was instant. But I feel sick to my stomach and sad. And angry at the Racoons and at myself for not having the coop sufficiently protected.
I went to The store and bought 100 feet of 1/4 inch hardware cloth and put it all around the coop. The squares are so small that no animal should be able to get its paw through. So now I have chain-link panels, wire fencing as an apron buried in the ground, chicken wire, wire fencing on top of the chicken wire, and quarter inch hardware cloth on top of the wire fencing.
The roof is similarly reinforced. I’m not sure if there’s anything else I can do.
I hope I did the right thing putting the duck down. But I sure feel awful about it. Any advise or correction on what I did or should have done differently or should do in the future?
We have 13 chickens, and we had 8 runner ducks. We have three 10X10 dog runs chain link enclosures with roofs to protect them with chicken wire on the outside of the chain link . And They get to roam our 3/4 acre when we are out there with them.
4 night ago, what I assume was a raccoon peeled back the chain link at the corner of the dog run, and after killing one of our rubber ducks, pulled her through. We saw the hole and the feathers and blood. The chicken wire was shredded and the chain link bent.
I was surprised that a raccoon could do that much damage. But I’m not sure what other predator could’ve done that. So our family spent three evenings fortifying the coop. Who put red brand welded wire fencing around the whole enclosure. We use wire ties to tie every corner, and tie the chain-link at every other link to keep it from being peelable. We put the wire fencing as an apron around the entire enclosure out about 3 feet. I’m hoping that will make it impossible for predators to dig under.
I thought there was no way anything could get in. Which was true….but they still got a duck. Last night, it appears that the raccoons either herded the chickens towards the side and was able to grab one. Or, maybe the ducks just wandered too close to the edge, and was grabbed. That predator pulled the ducks leg off as the hip joint. We found it this morning and it was sitting in the coop unable to move. We took it inside, cleaned the horrific wound, tried to disinfect it with a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution. We found a huge wound into the diaphragm. For a few hours the duck was Panting in pain. I read a number of articles here on this website and also by veterinarians talking about the right time to put down an injured bird.
I’ve never had to do this before but I’m the dad so I figured it was my job. I read on a number of ways to do it. I wasn’t sure I was skilled enough to find the spinal cord at the back of the head to sever it. And I can’t shoot a gun in my neighborhood. So after my wife and kids said goodbye, and cried, I took the duck outside and used a machete to behead it.
The duck was calm. And It was instant. But I feel sick to my stomach and sad. And angry at the Racoons and at myself for not having the coop sufficiently protected.
I went to The store and bought 100 feet of 1/4 inch hardware cloth and put it all around the coop. The squares are so small that no animal should be able to get its paw through. So now I have chain-link panels, wire fencing as an apron buried in the ground, chicken wire, wire fencing on top of the chicken wire, and quarter inch hardware cloth on top of the wire fencing.
The roof is similarly reinforced. I’m not sure if there’s anything else I can do.
I hope I did the right thing putting the duck down. But I sure feel awful about it. Any advise or correction on what I did or should have done differently or should do in the future?
