1st year blues

[mike harrington]

So coming up on my 1st year of having a flock there was a lot of learning processes. I originally started off with 4 what I thought were hens and 2 ducks. The 2 ducks turned out being drakes and 2 of the hens ended up being roosters. It was fun watching them grow from little chicks to where they are at now. I only have 1 of the originals left, got 2 hens from a friend, 2 drakes I had to give away, gave away 1 rooster, then foxes took 3 hens. After left with only 1 hen and 1 rooster I went and got 2 more hens while they were roosting in a pine tree 1 committed suicide by jumping in the front fenced in yard with my dog and something snatched my rooster with no signs of him vanishing. Now I am only left with 2 hens and before I get any more I will be modifying my run to enclose it with some sort of netting or fence over the top to keep them in. No more free ranging. The kiddos loved the hens until the rooster started to chase the kids around then they wanted nothing to do with them. So I'm hitting the drawing board again to come up with a better and safer way house the flock.

 

[Peckadoodle]

Mike, no more free-ranging here either since dogs (cannot determine where they came from) dug under the fence and got a few layers before our dog chased them away. It is a grand idea, but too risky for me! We have a big, safe pen close enough to the house that the pasture dog protects it.

 

[N F C]

Sounds like you definitely had a learning year! I hope this upcoming year gets easier for you.

 

[chickenmama109]

i started out with 12 hens from tsc they all grew up to be 5 months old but a dog from down the street got 2 he jumps over fences like its nothing so i only have 10 know 1 rooster and 9 hens im waiting for tsc to get more chicks so i can get 6 more i do free range but the dog comes at night so my hens are safe in there coop i hope your next year is better good luck

 

[lilmillefleur]

I'm so sorry about your first year blues, that sounds terrible! I hope you have better luck next year.

 

[sourland]

Electric fence is a great predator deterrent. Check it out.

 

[Tami Mann]

We had a similar 1st year with 24 Rhode Island Reds. My son buys the & I raise them...well this batch they actually did most of the mistakes themselves...I was gone at the time. They were free range & our dogs were in the fence not raised with chickens. We locked them in the coop at night. THEY thought the chickens should keep their featheres unclipped even if I said otherwise. Well...as you can guess chickens got over the fence. Then they got over again. Finally clipped them. Then one dog we couldn't keep in...he got a bunch. So we got more chickens. Critters got chickens. We heard if you have a Billy goat critters will stay away even snakes. That worked.we got a goose with him...male. BIG MISTAKE! LOL And this was just the 1st year & a half I would say. It's been 3 now. The drama never stopped. We have had uh...never did the math 24 & 15 RID & 12 Buff Orpingtons we are down to 3 reds & 11 buffs. Of course we only ever wanted a handful. So...its fun but ...yes learning experience. You aren't alone.

 

[twilightgecko]

i am only 1 1/2 years into being a chicken mama.. started out with 9 and i'm down to 3.. i managed to nurse my girls back to health after a couple neighbour dog attacks, but a fox has suddenly appeared.. sniff.. i understand how discouraging and heart breaking it is, but i still think getting chickens was one of the best things i've ever done.. like you .. i am learning as i go too.. cheers & here's to 2018 being a thriving year for us chicken mamas..

 

[Peckadoodle]

So sorry you lost your hens, but there is always a silver lining...that dog didn't get to all of them. I recently had a similar experience. After having free-range chickens for quite a long time, two dogs dug under the pasture fence. They killed 4 hens, but they only got to the older ones that were no longer laying. Do not know where those dogs came from. You bet I am on the lookout for them. Remaining hens went back into their pen where wire is deeply buried to keep predators from digging under and an electric fence is in order.

 

[MarySue]

I'm sorry for your losses. All my girls are named and snuggled. I lost 10 of 16 my first neighbor's dog attack. It is really hard sometimes.