It is not a coyote. The cams are up and running and identified raccoons. There is no way a coyote could get into the closed run, it is situated in a larger area with electric fencing b/c we had bear problems. The run itself has no holes that big that a coyote could get in.
Thanks everyone for the help. I got my gamecams working again and it is indeed (a) raccoon(s). I installed doors to the coop building to keep the chickens safe, and installed the cameras in the run. I still have to figure out where they get in. I thought it was through a tunnel but camera...
Yes, I have some but no memory cards. I may go and get them so that I can make them functional again. I haven't had predator problems for so long that I left them to run the batteries dry and the cards damaged by frost. I like the idea of a trap but then what do I do with it? I do not want to...
Yes that was my assumption too. Maybe he had too many berries and had the runs? Anyway, it seems i have a major raccoon problem. Since I stopped all the holes above ground, I will now proceed to look for tunnels. I am pretty sure it is not trapped inside at night as I check everywhere these...
This was inside my locked up run this morning, next to a dead hen. Anyone know who poops like that? It's not like anything I've seen in the 10 years I have had chickens. I am losing 2 hens per night atm and am baffled. Your help identifying this would be appreciated so that I know what I am...
I am baffled. I patched up all tiny holes that a predator could get in and still am getting raid. This morning there was scat next to the dead hen. Anyone know who poops like this? It almost looks like deer poop except it has obvious remains of berries in it. The hens are killed in a totally...
Unfortunately, I already disposed of her. Did not think of taking a pic. The tail was gone and the soft area of the underbelly, where there are no ribs was torn away and the entire belly cavity was cleaned out. They were not interested in the meaty parts or the brains, as all of that was...
So I found one of my chickens who lost it's tail and a predator had eaten the entire contents of the body cavety. Legs, feet, breast, head were all still there. Only a gaping hole where her tail had been and between the legs. I have never seen this behavior and I have lost my fair share of...
We too have very rocky ground, being on top of a mountain. I have premier electronet and it is not so difficult to handpush the stakes into the ground, sometimes I need to move a couple of feet to avoid a large rock, but if you are at all flexible in the design of the area you want to fence in...
Thanks for the answer. I think I framed my question wrong in my OP. Sorry about that. I know that I have to give them feed in addition to the fouraging, that was not the issue.
The issue is the following: If you let them fourage on grass they get a lot of omegas, vitamins and other...
I asked a couple of years ago (I didn't check exactly when) about a rooster we butchered and which was inedible because he was so tough. I thought I'd share what I have since learned was the cause of that.
We butchered, processed and then put the bird in the crockpot over the timespan of a...
So I am just now venturing into meat chickens, having had an egg-laying flock for the last 4-5 years. I just processed the first batch of 12 freedom rangers and am pleased with the results. I kept them in a hen house with a large (20x30 ft) attached run and butchered them at about 10 weeks with...
I had the same problem with the very first rooster I had. He had 17 hens and still wasn't satisfied. In the end I got rid of him and noticed that the flock as a whole was a lot calmer after he had gone. Just my experience. Every rooster and every flock is different. The rooster I have now is...
Just to update that I found buckeye chicks at the Frederick Farmers Cooperative feedstore on South Street in Frederick. So the immediate need is resolved.
I woould try to put them under it and yhen block it off at both sides so that they can get used to it being nice and warm there. Are you sure it is on? put it with one side to the wall of the box and leave the,other side blocked for about 15 minutes. See what they do if you remove it. The dark...