Hello BYC community! I've been using this site for a few years now, although I'm not super active with it. I started with 8 chickens in 2009 I believe, and have gone through many changes. I had to put them in "foster care" for a while with a friend after I had a knee surgery. Lost a couple of hens on her farm due to a weasel. Got a few new babies, and they struggled to integrate, but eventually worked it out. Most recently (2015) I had to give my girls to another farm friend when I went in for back surgery. She had a problem with skunks and foxes, so I left my remaining 3 hens with her. I started fresh with 8 new babies - my best flock yet! Buffs, PBR, Golden Laced Wyandottes and Auracanas. I was thrilled - everyone grew up together and they were laying huge eggs. Then in Nov 2016, something got into the run and killed 5 of the girls for sport. No blood, no missing - I attributed it to a weasel, not wanting to think of the more obvious culprit. I got 4 new laying hens to replace them. Then in March this year the critter came back. My neighbor noticed something going on since one hen (Emme) flew into his yard - he got a picture of a husky in the run and he killed another 4 hens and seriously injured a 5th (Sansa). I notified police. I had to get another couple of hens to keep Emme warm (it was going to be sub-zero), plus she was alone and seemed depressed (wasn't eating). In the meantime, I had Sansa in a dog crate in a warm room. I don't know how she survived! I had to give her penicillin injections because of the deep flesh wounds. After about 5 weeks, she was healing pretty well, and was sick of the crate. I wasn't ready to reintegrate her because she was still missing lots of feathers. Well, the damn dog came back again and killed the 2 hens I got in April. ARGH!!! Emme flew over the fence again, so she survived, but was alone again. I had to let Sansa join her - the weather was now warm and the survivor was so lonely and stressed and depressed. That was the right choice. They've done GREAT! Sansa still doesn't have back feathers, but she's laying like crazy! Emme seems to have stopped laying - at least for the past month. I recently bought 6 layers to complete my flock, and the two groups are currently separated, but are able to see each other. The new girls are big and healthy, and my 2 girls look thin and sickly - trying to figure out what to do to help them gain some weight. It has been a spring filled with rain, and the run is very muddy and poopy. I pulled all the straw/hay out of the coop and scattered it about the run, but I have been wondering if they got parasites. Hoping the rain lets up soon so I can redistribute the straw and add some sand. Also going to give them some natural anti-parasite foods to see if that helps. I'd like them to fatten up a bit. And hopefully Emme will start laying again (she's less than 2 yrs old). *update, she might be molting...
Aside from this long tale of woe, I have a dog and a cat, 3 grown children and one adorable 5-year old granddaughter. I am currently working with a friend to start up a raw dog food business. In my free time (HA - what is that??) I like to brew craft beer.
Aside from this long tale of woe, I have a dog and a cat, 3 grown children and one adorable 5-year old granddaughter. I am currently working with a friend to start up a raw dog food business. In my free time (HA - what is that??) I like to brew craft beer.
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