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I am absolutely beside myself...my son came to me today and said a huge bird was flapping at the hoop coop. I couldn't believe it and went down there...there were feathers everywhere and 2 chickens dead. Mrs. Patmore (family favorite) the crele orp and a white crested blue polish were killed. All the other birds managed to hide/escape. Over the course of having my mom and boys help me police them up and get them all to safety, the next door neighbor woman who is older (and has always been very nice) came on her porch and started screaming at me. This went on even as I tried to clean up the dead birds, get the living ones and was generally a complete mess. She berated me for my life choices from having 4 kids and 2 dogs and a husband to calling me the b-word and making weird insinuations about my family. She went on and on about how the chickens were in her yard. I kept explaining through tears that they were hiding and I was trying to get them to safety. She just wouldn't stop yelling at me, and as I begged her to stop screaming at me she began mocking me. It was insane. Two hours later I am still a complete mess---sad, outraged, and definitely off kilter. But I also need to take care of my kids---fearing my daughter is on the edge of appendicitis...and I'm here spilling it because I'm just sick. I can accept loss of birds from predators as an inevitability, but being verbally assaulted and called obscenities by a 75+ year old in front of my kids is just too much. :hit
 
livhatcher said:
I am absolutely beside myself...my son came to me today and said a huge bird was flapping at the hoop coop. I couldn't believe it and went down there...there were feathers everywhere and 2 chickens dead. Mrs. Patmore (family favorite) the crele orp and a white crested blue polish were killed. All the other birds managed to hide/escape. Over the course of having my mom and boys help me police them up and get them all to safety, the next door neighbor woman who is older (and has always been very nice) came on her porch and started screaming at me. This went on even as I tried to clean up the dead birds, get the living ones and was generally a complete mess. She berated me for my life choices from having 4 kids and 2 dogs and a husband to calling me the b-word and making weird insinuations about my family. She went on and on about how the chickens were in her yard. I kept explaining through tears that they were hiding and I was trying to get them to safety. She just wouldn't stop yelling at me, and as I begged her to stop screaming at me she began mocking me. It was insane. Two hours later I am still a complete mess---sad, outraged, and definitely off kilter. But I also need to take care of my kids---fearing my daughter is on the edge of appendicitis...and I'm here spilling it because I'm just sick. I can accept loss of birds from predators as an inevitability, but being verbally assaulted and called obscenities by a 75+ year old in front of my kids is just too much. :hit
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JUST REMEMBER; she doesn't even know you! She would never have said those things if she knew you, She is old and hasn't been refined so that the sweetness of life could flow from her to her good neighbors. Take care of your children and chickens and move forward: You are a good, kind and caring person, just ask me and Bruce; we'll tell you!
 
livhatcher said:
I am absolutely beside myself...my son came to me today and said a huge bird was flapping at the hoop coop. I couldn't believe it and went down there...there were feathers everywhere and 2 chickens dead. Mrs. Patmore (family favorite) the crele orp and a white crested blue polish were killed. All the other birds managed to hide/escape. Over the course of having my mom and boys help me police them up and get them all to safety, the next door neighbor woman who is older (and has always been very nice) came on her porch and started screaming at me. This went on even as I tried to clean up the dead birds, get the living ones and was generally a complete mess. She berated me for my life choices from having 4 kids and 2 dogs and a husband to calling me the b-word and making weird insinuations about my family. She went on and on about how the chickens were in her yard. I kept explaining through tears that they were hiding and I was trying to get them to safety. She just wouldn't stop yelling at me, and as I begged her to stop screaming at me she began mocking me. It was insane. Two hours later I am still a complete mess---sad, outraged, and definitely off kilter. But I also need to take care of my kids---fearing my daughter is on the edge of appendicitis...and I'm here spilling it because I'm just sick. I can accept loss of birds from predators as an inevitability, but being verbally assaulted and called obscenities by a 75+ year old in front of my kids is just too much. :hit
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OMG girl I am so sorry....hugs!!! Bunches of them with Pat's on the back! I'm sorry but I would have so put that old bat inher place...ugh let us know how your daughter is, and YOU!!
OMG girl, I am so sorry!
 
Olivia, if such cruel words came from someone who really mattered in your life, then I would say you have a problem on your hands, but that's not the case, so don't allow her anger and bitterness to get inside your head. Go on about your business, and make a concerted effort to love and enjoy your family and your chicken flock. It may be hard to see now, but there is a silver lining to all of this.

When you have any kind of livestock, things such as losing birds or animals are part of the deal. The good things more than make up for bumps in the road. As for Mrs. Patmore, she was loved while you had her, but she can be replaced. Hang in there. :hugs
 
ShadesofSable said:
@AfroChickens if you're open to other breeds, I have a pair of small Easter eggers that both recently started laying the most beautiful turquoise eggs. I don't remember their exact hatch date, but they're about 6 months old I think.
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Where are you located?

Tabasco Jack said:
Coturnix quail are pretty much feathered out at 4 weeks old. I move them out of the garage and into the shed at 2 weeks but they stay in a brooder box until 4 weeks protected from the wind and they have a heat plate they can run under.
4-5 weeks they're in a larger brooder box with lots of fresh air but still protected from teh wind. At 6 weeks, I move them into the cages that only have roofs.

There is a Quail forum here on BYC with lots of good information and some highly opinionated members. I'd be glad to answer any questions you've got.
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Thank you for all the info! I will probably show you some picks of the quail pen once I finish building it. Just picked up materials today.

brucifer said:
AC, how did things go with the breeder in Morrow?

For the small flock you have, a 30-day quarantine is way over the top IMHO, especially since you're going on location to get your birds. If the breeder's pens look dirty, and the birds look like they need care, just walk away.

I quarantine because I have a lot of birds, and I have a lot of birds to treat if infection breaks out and/or if lice are introduced. Since you only have a few birds at present, I recommend that you get a dog crate, and watch your new birds there for a week or so. Check their vent areas for lice and monitor their behavior. If they look healthy after a week, add them to the flock. However, they will sort out a new pecking order once introduced to your existing girls, so brace yourself for witnessing pecking, pinching, and kicking, and hearing some squawking. They'll all be friends before you know it. It's actually good that you're adding two or three new girls to your flock because you'll be avoiding a gang-pile situation that sometimes happens when introducing a single newbie. Also, if you think you may need three birds, get three girls now. It's usually easy to sell or give away a pullet.

BTW, I get my dog crates through WalMart online. I like the 42" OxGord crates. They're just over $42 at present; shipping is free; they fold up easily when not in use; and, they're great for transporting large chickens as well juvies and older chicks. You'll pay MUCH more if you try to buy them direct from the store. It's good to have a dog crate on hand anyway because if a chicken gets sick or injured, you will need to separate it from the rest of the flock until it recovers.
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I do need to purchase another dog crate. I have two but one is a special one for my crazy husky pit. The other I actually need for my kitten because she's uh wild when left alone. She had a field day when I borrowed her cage for the chickens last time.

I ended up chickening out of meeting the guy. Too scared of disease/getting kidnapped.

eclecktic1 said:
AfroChickens, buy your chicks from Speckledhen. She wrote the book (article really) on biosecurity, and is known as the Queen of Quarantine. She handles her chicks a lot and they are used to people by the time you get them. Her stock are hardy, healthy lines from quality breeders not hatchery. Right now she has a few Barred Rock available and some Partridge Brahma coming soon.
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Thanks for the recommendation!
 
AfroChickens said:
Not far. I know where that is. I graduated from ga state. I'm in Stockbridge.
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That is very close! I used to live down that way myself. I'm headed down that way tomorrow to drop some chicks off for someone. If you're interested I can bring the hens with. Send me a PM and we can chat. :)
 
brucifer said:
Olivia, if such cruel words came from someone who really mattered in your life, then I would say you have a problem on your hands, but that's not the case, so don't allow her anger and bitterness to get inside your head. Go on about your business, and make a concerted effort to love and enjoy your family and your chicken flock. It may be hard to see now, but there is a silver lining to all of this.

When you have any kind of livestock, things such as losing birds or animals are part of the deal. The good things more than make up for bumps in the road. As for Mrs. Patmore, she was loved while you had her, but she can be replaced. Hang in there. :hugs
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Ok. I read this last night and proceeded to have a big ugly cry. I can't express to you how terrible I feel since you entrusted this bird to my care. I spent the evening reinforcing the little coop---putting another layer of hardware cloth on, installing new hinges (hawk tore one off) and laying a tarp over the top just so the hawks don't have anything to fix on. These poor birds are so stressed out---open beaked and breathing heavily. It was all I could think of to put fresh fragrant herbs, mealworms, fresh food & water and try to reassure them.

It would not have been so bad--you know, I would've been angry about the stupid hawk, but it would not have been so awful if that woman hadn't done what she did. And to feel like it was such a betrayal---we've always had good relationships with our neighbors and she just went off the rails. Telling the kids and you was the second worst. By the evening, I was just feeling sad and paranoid that something would get them in the night. With M out of town last night and Ava being sick I was just done in. If it hadn't been for Marie talking me through it and threatening to kick some ass, I don't think I would've made it.

I'm grateful for those who have had kind words. I'm going to focus on making my home a happy place today and try to get my mind right about dealing with these neighbors. I'm going to put a hold on more birds indefinitely---I need to feel in more control of my property again.
 

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