R.I.P most of my coop R.I.P Cheepers 11/28/10

[WriterofWords]

Thank you Cynthia. This is the first for me, and the fact that I'm still losing them to the injuries they got is just killing me. I finally got Cheepers to let me pick him up and examine him. I can't find any signs of wounds but he limps badly and just sits around with his head tucked down on his shoulders. Silkie Roo put his wing down at him and usually they would have danced around each other, this time Cheeps just turned away and went to the baby house to be alone. Quack got in the water for the first time and it seems to have helped him some. He has a neck injury but it's loosening up some I think.

 

[Shai]

So sorry for your loss. Hope you can figure out what's doing this, or better yet figure out a way to make it stop.

I don't know about the door hinges, but a large and determined dog can go through hardware cloth...I lost several rabbits to a "pack" of feral dogs several years ago, and the hardware cloth was just torn to pieces.


Are the survivors doing well now? Still skittish around you or not so much?

 

[can you hear me now?]

Quote:
I feel so bad for you. I know what it is like to lose a lot of birds at once. Had a racoon getting in and I didn't know where. Found it to be a baby racoon and found where finally. Hope you get that predator.

 

[WriterofWords]

Thank you all. I appreciate all the offers that have come my way also. I won't try to hatch until warmer weather though, and probably will do it in the classroom. I'm trying to make sure my survivors are safe.

 

[dreamcatcherarabians]

I'm so sorry to hear of the raid on your chicken coop and the devastation to your pets. I can empathize with you, this summer I ordered 28 more chicks and was letting them grow up in the garage in a big stock tank. My husband left the door just slightly open and all 3 of my Jack Russells got in there and wreaked havoc. I ended up losing about 10 of my chicks, more to crush injuries from the dogs landing on them, than due to bites. I was out there so fast grabbing and throwing dogs, I don't think a single chick got bitten. I cried and cried and carried on for hours. To come home and find adult birds that I'd raised or rescued....I can't even imagine that kind of pain.

and prayers for you and all of your flock.

 

[kathyinmo]

Oh Kate, I am sooooo sorry to hear of your losses. I wish I could do more than give you a cyber hug.

When you want eggs or chicks, please contact me.

 

[OrloffTom]

That does stink

. My neighbors dogs have found my chickens but I don't think they've done anything to get to them yet. Hopefully they won't or my neighbors will have a very unhappy neighbor. They are the only ones in the neighborhood that have free-roaming dogs. Good luck in hatching a new brood whenever you decide to.

 

[Camelot Farms]

Kate, just found this thread. I am so sorry for you and your birds.

I hope that you are able to get rid of whatever it is. My vote goes to Mountain Lion.

If I can help on the Spring rehatch, just let me know. Mi Pollo es su Pollo. ((hugs))

 

[Rozzie]

Sounds similar to damage we had years back at a former residence. We didn't really live in bear country, but on occasion one would move through the area. We were pretty sure the damage we had was done by a bear -- wire was torn up too high to be anything but bear or human (or Sasquatch...if you're a believer...). A human would have opened the door and stole the birds (or done whatever to them). A coyote or dog would have done damage closer to the ground. Something literally peeled wire off the door frame up high - only thing that ever made sense to us was a bear.

You sure bear aren't moving into your neighborhood, or maybe passing through? In our case, when bear passed through did so briefly in the spring or early winter -- headed to their winter holing up place or leaving it in the early spring.

 

[WriterofWords]

The chance of a bear in this area is about 99.999999999 percent no unless someone has a pet that escaped. We are not in nor anywhere near bear country, I feel I can say with all confidence it was not a bear. Mountain Lion yes, dog yes, Bobcat yes, Coyote yes.
Cheepers is not making progress but I have gotten a little smashed pear, some mashed banana, a little yogurt and now a couple of bites of scrambled egg in him. Very little of each, but more than he's had in the last week I think. I did find blood on one of his wattles, I hadn't seen it before because it was folded over on it.