First, quick background. The coop is in a chainlink run that is buried about 6 inches. Our property is fenced by a 6' wooden fence all around and the gate is wrought iron. So, already, if something comes it, it has to get through two fences. OH!! And we live in the mojave desert....no possums, weasels, raccoons, etc. We have hawks, but that is balanced by a HUGE population of enormous ravens. Anyway, we are in a development and the houses to the side and rear are foreclosures...empty. The other house has no dogs...just 2 chickens.
I will start by noting that I checked on the chickens at about 1 am and all 30 were there..place, happy, healthy...all is well. The run is closed up...all will be fine for the night.
At around 2:30, I one of my dogs starts barking. I figure there must be someone with fireworks or something off in the distance as that usually gets her going. I don't go outside to check though since she usually runs to the fence in the direction of the nose and I get to freeze my behind off just so she can see that it is nothing...nope...not doing that tonight.
About 10-ish minutes later, I hear a hen scream. Alright, I'm up. DH is not feeling well and is on the couch feeling miserable, so I can't count on him to help. By the back door, I keep a huge flashlight that uses the same battery as our 18V cordless drill. I grab it and before stepping out the door, I can see a delaware hen in the run. NOT good! I am in cotton capri shorts, t-shirt and barefoot. It rained a few days ago, so the ground is still wet and the weather is near freezing, so there is frost on the dirt. It's COLD (and feet are half numb..half burning from the cold. I get to the run...there are three hens outside, but all are fine. There are feathers on the ground (which I had already expected). I can immediately tell by the feathers that one of my welsummers is either injured or dead. I put the hens back in the coop and shut their door to lock them in (figuring I didn't hear commotion in there, so it must be safe). I go in the coop and do a head count. Sure enough...29.
Now that those 29 are safe, I go back out to the run and follow the trail of feathers. They lead to a small wire door that DH put in the chainlink. It is about 18" tall by about 15" wide or so and leads to the garden, so the chickens can rummage through between seasons. The wire flap had been closed, but it was bent all wacky and something definitely got in!
This is what caught me off guard. This gate leads to our garden. The garden is in the rear of the yard. The only way to get in via the fence is to break in through the neighbors fences, then our fence, then through this gate to get to the run. I go the garden and see a hole in the back fence. WHAT! The vacant house in the back has a wire fence around their pool and it uses our property fence (full width) as one of the sides.
This dog (had to be smaller...beagle-ish size given the holes, etc) went through the fence in that yard, through the wire fence around the pool, through our wood fence (including digging the ground in addition to the hole in the fence!) and then ripped open flap before getting to the coop!
No feathers in the garden and no sign of the dog Luckily, DH has a project going on so there are cinder blocks back there. I covered all holes and the wire gate flap with cinder blocks (after I fixed the flap and secured it). So, where's my hen? The feathers end at the flap, so I figure she must be in the run somewhere.
Sure, enough she is hiding under the coop. The dog got a hold of her back (puncture wounds and skin ripped open (4"x4" area at least...probably larger), but no injuries that I'd suspect could cause organ damage. Serious injury, but I think she will heal up fine being in the house for a couple weeks. I think the dog couldn't keep his grip on her and get back through the fence...especially with all the commotion going on. I am glad she got away.
Oh! And what's up with my two roosters still sleeping on the perch?
Three of my more assertive hens go out to save my injured hen (they were mad and definitely being protective! They weren't hiding like everyone else!) and my two roos do nothing...stupid roos.
So, this morning I check on her. She is covered in ants! Apparently, ants quickly found her in the dog kennel that we have in the back room. I immediately stick her in the tub, turn on the shower (we have a hand-held sprayer thanfully) and get them off quickly. I was surprised she didn't fight it too much. I can't imagine a hard sprayer on an open wound would feel to good.
Meanwhile, DH dumped all bedding, made sure the kennel was ant-free, new bedding and moved the kennel to a new area. I then treated for ants in the room (once I was done with my hen).
I'm beat! 4 hours of sleep and too much excitement! I'm gonna go have lunch with my friend, Debi (fellow BYC'er DebiRaymond). I may need to order a beer with lunch.
I will start by noting that I checked on the chickens at about 1 am and all 30 were there..place, happy, healthy...all is well. The run is closed up...all will be fine for the night.
At around 2:30, I one of my dogs starts barking. I figure there must be someone with fireworks or something off in the distance as that usually gets her going. I don't go outside to check though since she usually runs to the fence in the direction of the nose and I get to freeze my behind off just so she can see that it is nothing...nope...not doing that tonight.
About 10-ish minutes later, I hear a hen scream. Alright, I'm up. DH is not feeling well and is on the couch feeling miserable, so I can't count on him to help. By the back door, I keep a huge flashlight that uses the same battery as our 18V cordless drill. I grab it and before stepping out the door, I can see a delaware hen in the run. NOT good! I am in cotton capri shorts, t-shirt and barefoot. It rained a few days ago, so the ground is still wet and the weather is near freezing, so there is frost on the dirt. It's COLD (and feet are half numb..half burning from the cold. I get to the run...there are three hens outside, but all are fine. There are feathers on the ground (which I had already expected). I can immediately tell by the feathers that one of my welsummers is either injured or dead. I put the hens back in the coop and shut their door to lock them in (figuring I didn't hear commotion in there, so it must be safe). I go in the coop and do a head count. Sure enough...29.
Now that those 29 are safe, I go back out to the run and follow the trail of feathers. They lead to a small wire door that DH put in the chainlink. It is about 18" tall by about 15" wide or so and leads to the garden, so the chickens can rummage through between seasons. The wire flap had been closed, but it was bent all wacky and something definitely got in!
This is what caught me off guard. This gate leads to our garden. The garden is in the rear of the yard. The only way to get in via the fence is to break in through the neighbors fences, then our fence, then through this gate to get to the run. I go the garden and see a hole in the back fence. WHAT! The vacant house in the back has a wire fence around their pool and it uses our property fence (full width) as one of the sides.
This dog (had to be smaller...beagle-ish size given the holes, etc) went through the fence in that yard, through the wire fence around the pool, through our wood fence (including digging the ground in addition to the hole in the fence!) and then ripped open flap before getting to the coop!
No feathers in the garden and no sign of the dog Luckily, DH has a project going on so there are cinder blocks back there. I covered all holes and the wire gate flap with cinder blocks (after I fixed the flap and secured it). So, where's my hen? The feathers end at the flap, so I figure she must be in the run somewhere.
Sure, enough she is hiding under the coop. The dog got a hold of her back (puncture wounds and skin ripped open (4"x4" area at least...probably larger), but no injuries that I'd suspect could cause organ damage. Serious injury, but I think she will heal up fine being in the house for a couple weeks. I think the dog couldn't keep his grip on her and get back through the fence...especially with all the commotion going on. I am glad she got away.
Oh! And what's up with my two roosters still sleeping on the perch?
So, this morning I check on her. She is covered in ants! Apparently, ants quickly found her in the dog kennel that we have in the back room. I immediately stick her in the tub, turn on the shower (we have a hand-held sprayer thanfully) and get them off quickly. I was surprised she didn't fight it too much. I can't imagine a hard sprayer on an open wound would feel to good.
