I thought I had troubles with my first group of pullets. My mini dachshund got 3, and a feral cat got 1.
So I designed a greenhouse with a chick raising pen in it, secured from predators, and that worked out last winter.
But when my Black australorp chicks came in mid-may, it was hot in the greenhouse and I needed to leave the windows open to keep a breeze moving through. I siliconed white plastic on top, but with 14 chicks I didn't feel I could keep the space in the secure run sanitary enough for them, so I just kept them in the greenhouse loose. That changed last weekend.
On Saturday I left 14 pullets loose in the greenhouse at 2 pm, and had 12 left alive at 6 pm. One was flayed open but not really eaten, another bird was totally missing. I closed the window that faces the fence on the lot, and spent last saturday night screening 3 of the 4 windows. The 4th, the big one I was pretty sure my guest had used, I left closed til I could get to it. And on Sunday, I got out and screened it.
Monday morning I had 6 dead pullets all over the greenhouse. Only one had even been partially eaten.
I found a black and white hair on the screen where the animal had pushed in. Thought it was a possum, but possums don't do this. Thought maybe someone turned a ferret loose. This is still maybe a possibility, but I'm thinking weasel. And so is my uncle who grew up on the farm.
6 birds will fit in the secure run. All has been quiet since Monday. I have a large live trap in the greenhouse, baited with dry cat chow. The weasel came back Wednesday, and managed to get the food without being trapped. Trap was sprung, just nothing in it.
I have a fairly secure run with 5 adult hens in it. And my uncle thinks this is a female with a family to feed. Or not? She only took 1 bird with her on Sunday. Hit between 1:30 am Monday and 8 am Monday (I was haunting the greenhouse area and checking on birds until 1:30.)
I require sleep. I'd like my birds to live. Ideas? (can post pictures tomorrow. Don't mind the mess, I work most everyday in the spring, which now starts in January and hasn't quite ended yet.)
Gypsi
So I designed a greenhouse with a chick raising pen in it, secured from predators, and that worked out last winter.
But when my Black australorp chicks came in mid-may, it was hot in the greenhouse and I needed to leave the windows open to keep a breeze moving through. I siliconed white plastic on top, but with 14 chicks I didn't feel I could keep the space in the secure run sanitary enough for them, so I just kept them in the greenhouse loose. That changed last weekend.
On Saturday I left 14 pullets loose in the greenhouse at 2 pm, and had 12 left alive at 6 pm. One was flayed open but not really eaten, another bird was totally missing. I closed the window that faces the fence on the lot, and spent last saturday night screening 3 of the 4 windows. The 4th, the big one I was pretty sure my guest had used, I left closed til I could get to it. And on Sunday, I got out and screened it.
Monday morning I had 6 dead pullets all over the greenhouse. Only one had even been partially eaten.
I found a black and white hair on the screen where the animal had pushed in. Thought it was a possum, but possums don't do this. Thought maybe someone turned a ferret loose. This is still maybe a possibility, but I'm thinking weasel. And so is my uncle who grew up on the farm.
6 birds will fit in the secure run. All has been quiet since Monday. I have a large live trap in the greenhouse, baited with dry cat chow. The weasel came back Wednesday, and managed to get the food without being trapped. Trap was sprung, just nothing in it.
I have a fairly secure run with 5 adult hens in it. And my uncle thinks this is a female with a family to feed. Or not? She only took 1 bird with her on Sunday. Hit between 1:30 am Monday and 8 am Monday (I was haunting the greenhouse area and checking on birds until 1:30.)
I require sleep. I'd like my birds to live. Ideas? (can post pictures tomorrow. Don't mind the mess, I work most everyday in the spring, which now starts in January and hasn't quite ended yet.)
Gypsi
