It's nice to know that should the appeal fail, there is at least a workable solution and that Ayla will be able to keep Dallas. Good luck in your continued fight. We chicken-folk can be quite passionate about our charges.
Like chicken minds thinking alike. I was just going to post this to see if some support could be drummed up for this little girl and her beautiful silkie. Wish more people would respond to help her and get her petition signed.
Over the past 5+ years I've been very lucky with my mille fleurs. These hens are from my 3rd hatching and while two of the four hens will go broody they just can't get a clue about what to do once the eggs start hatching. Last year they killed every chick as soon as they started peeping in the...
As of right now - I have one that hatched on her own that I pulled before the mama's killed her. The one I was so worried about yesterday I did end up helping her out of the egg because there was no way to keep the humidity up and she was starting to shrink wrap. She still had her cord so I...
My mille fleur's who I've let lay and set at will have never successfully hatched out chicks. I go and check on them today as they have been setting and I find one chick had started to zip out and died. Mama was on the other side of the coop and had abandoned the rest of the eggs because she...
Beautiful golden sebright bantam roo. Survivor of a bear attack last summer that took his flock. He is with full size layers and is a bit protective, but treats his ladies pretty well. Not a fan of shipping, so local pick up is preferred.
Good luck with the traps. I put two out, one with a dead rooster (he died of natural causes) and another set with stinky chicken breast from the freezer. I followed the recommendations of trappers to get it good and stinky and let it sit for a bit. All I attracted was vultures. The fox...
These are all great suggestions. Much better than Mass. Wildlife gave me the other day. His suggestion was that I act like a "bigger bear" to scare him off. Seeing as I am all of 5'2" and not a big girl, I think this might just be a bit too dangerous for my liking. Somehow picturing myself...
We had eliminated our rat problem until the foreclosed house up the road was cleaned out. Guess what - more rats! We have been using the black bait boxes and have had excellent luck. So far out of all the rats poisoned only two were in with the chickens. Both times we were able to get them...
This year was the first time we've had problems with a fox. So far he has carried off three hens over a space of about six weeks. Meanwhile we also had an issue with rats and had put out poison. One unlucky rat ended up in a chicken run, loaded up with poison. We threw the rat out where we...
I have three beautiful Roos, which is two to three too many. I would love for them to have a flock of their own since they are turning into good guardians and are slowly learning proper rooster etiquette. I'm in Western Mass, so would prefer a local source, but if necessary will ship.
I've called not only local animal control but also Mass. Wildlife. Their response - you have to do a better job of protecting your birds (d'oh - really?) They dissuade you from shooting them, unless it's a last resort. Local animal control told me to put up spike strips and bright lights. I...
@Chickenboy - Actually bears do eat chickens (and turkeys). The bear attack on Monday he tore apart and ate four bantams. A barn up the road lost six hens one night, and seven the next to the bear. And, about a half mile away the farmer lost a bunch of chickens and turkeys. What the bear...
It has been a terrible year around here for predators. Racoons, fox, and now a bear. Monday morning I went out to find the bear had taken down the tractor, killed four of the bantams but two lucky boys flew away. I moved the survivors into the barn until I can figure out a better tractor...
I'm so sorry for your loss. I feel your pain however. I had my first bear attack Monday. He took out a small coop and killed four of the six bantams in it. Two roos were able to fly into a tree to escape. Like you, I got the same pitiful response from Wildlife. And, I got blamed for not...
I've free ranged part of my flock for four years and never had a problem. Until this year. I've had a fox take a bantam, a young jersey giant and now a brahma. This has been over a span of probably five weeks. In one regard, I've been lucky and in another not so much. When he got my jersey...
I just had a bear attack which took out one of my coops. The only survivors are two roosters; a gold seebright and a mille fleur. The gold is too beautiful not to have a flock of his own, and until I can secure a new coop I don't want to continue to feed the wildlife.
I'm in Western Mass and...
Help - I'm having a terrible problem with young hens stomping their eggs when they start peeping. They have killed three babies so far and tonight I saved (possibly) a fourth. She is half out of her shell, peeping, eyes open, but the rest of the shell is crushed around her and I see vessels in...
I just opened up two of the coops for the morning and went back into the house to get another cup of coffee. Imagine my surprise when swooping ravens caught my eye in the front of the house. I looked out and sure enough, the ravens were swooping on and chasing off a fox!
By the look of...
So sorry you had to have this "lesson." No one understands when I tell them not to bring their dogs to my house. I don't care how well trained the dog is, or if it's leashed. A well trained dog who has never seen a chicken can still be a threat to my birds. That being said, this woman does...