Recent content by StarCreekFarm

  1. StarCreekFarm

    Duck Breed Focus - Hook Bill

    I love this breed so very much. In case anyone in the vicinity has interest, I expect to have some Dutch Hook Bill ducks available later this year. My foundation stock came from the Holderreads, sourced over the past few years. Pickup only, in Napa County.
  2. StarCreekFarm

    Is this a white-faced black Spanish?

    FWIW, my hens have much larger, floppy combs.
  3. StarCreekFarm

    Predator identification

    Confirming my predator was a giant raven. They are excluded now by virtue of devices requiring opposable thumbs. I'm leaving the game cameras in place for the time being...just in case. Again, my sincere thanks to everyone who provided their observations and ideas. It was all so very helpful.
  4. StarCreekFarm

    Predator identification

    Amazing!
  5. StarCreekFarm

    Predator identification

    Now that I saw this, I wonder if the raven might not be the problem. It's definitely not rats. I have never seen one during the day, and even at night, there weren't a plague of them :) Off to see if anything else on the wildlife cam. After I watched the raven's entrance, I came back inside...
  6. StarCreekFarm

    Predator identification

    My thanks to everyone! My adversary is a giant raven who figured out how to open one of the hatches, that is midway up the fence around the aviary enclosure, that I use to move droppings and soiled bedding out of the aviary into a wheel barrow when I clean each day. I saw them undo the loop...
  7. StarCreekFarm

    Predator identification

    thanks again for the reply. I'll let you know what I see on the cameras over the next couple of days. I didn't see any small bite marks on the necks.
  8. StarCreekFarm

    Predator identification

    CONTENT WARNING: @Barnette and @TOR thank you for your replies. I set up game cameras in their run and on the door of the coop just now and locked the chicks inside. The front of their coop is wire hog panel covered with hardware cloth, so if the predator comes back, I expect it will at...
  9. StarCreekFarm

    Predator identification

    Thanks in advance for any insights as to what predator I am likely pursuing. I have lost one 12 week old chick during the day that last two days. These are my first losses of any type in years and my other adult chickens and ducks are untouched. The carcasses were missing everything except...
  10. StarCreekFarm

    Duck bill repair

    A quick follow up, we are now nearly a year after the repairs to the duck hen's bill and she is doing great. Absolutely no different than the other hens and her bill is fully healed. For anyone reading this, I hope you have the same success with any beak or bill repairs you undertake!
  11. StarCreekFarm

    Duck bill repair

    A final post on our duck bill break and repair. We are about 20 days now from the injury date and our hen has been returned to the aviary and is living with a hen friend in an enclosure separate from the main flock. She is drinking, eating, preening and doing all manner of duck activities...
  12. StarCreekFarm

    Duck bill repair

    Editing this to add that we found what appears to be a better glue for this purpose. We are now using J-B Weld SuperWeld Light Activated Instant Glue. Read the instructions! We most definitely use protective gloves and the PPE recommended in the instructions. This glue activates quickly on...
  13. StarCreekFarm

    Duck bill repair

    I will come back to add more, edit and post photos soon, but wanted to share a duck bill repair tactic we devised that seems to be working, just in case anyone else has a similar emergency and is looking for ideas straight away. As always, this worked for us, but might not work for you, or I...
  14. StarCreekFarm

    Sick hen gurgling!?!? Help! (With pictures)

    I don't have any advice, but am sending my best wishes for you two ! She's beautiful.
  15. StarCreekFarm

    Sick rooster?

    @Wyorp Rock What do you think about the possibility of gape worm and the silent crowing is actually gasping ?
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