5 White Silkies Stolen

[destiny_56085]

I think Katharina is totally correct. We've had alot of birds stolen even from shows up here and there are the usual suspects of course. Its the ones that try to buy/steal their way to a championship and not put the work into years of breeding and conditioning that you have to watch for. When they find a line of birds that are consistently winning and the best are not for sale, they will find a way to get their mitts on them anyway. The mistake this theif made in mine was that he/she didn't totally destroy my whole breeding flock. I have young stock held back that wasn't out in the barn and at least 300 eggs in the incubator. Instead of making some of those youngsters available to other breeders and 4-H kids, I am now holding them back for myself to replace my losses. The lack of older birds means less eggs right now, which also means less good young stock to put out there. This person now only screwed me over, but every single person on my waiting list and the other breeders I work with.

No news from the sheriff yet. I'm supposed to be getting sent a copy of the report at least. No sign of them at the local swaps this weekend (which didn't surprise me).
Amy

 

[tinychicky]

oh that's so terrible!

i hope you find them soon!

they're so beautiful!

 

[katharinad]

Make sure you have a copy of this report with you at all times. Next when you see those men get everyone round up to have them secured until police will come and arrest them. The sad news is that I think they have taken the birds out of state for breeding purpose. Most of those people work in theft rings. This means some will scout, others will steal, and others will take over from there. You may catch one end, but you may also run into the ground because there is no further connection. It stinks, but you have to keep your hopes up. One screw up on their end can help you.

On another note about marking the birds. You can ring, tattoo, microchip them, or what ever else you can think off. The reality is none of them are effective, if the birds are stolen for breeding. They will only work if the thieves are trying to show them or sell them.

I hope you will have all the luck in the world. Meaning they find the thieves, and most important return your birds unharmed.

We had a case in town with two sisters raising 2 turkeys for H4. The day before the show someone broke into their backyard and stole the birds. Everyone thinks is was for food, because we live in a poor county. Plus is was right before Thanksgiving. The most heartbreaking part was that the two girls were poor too and they worked hard to provide for the birds that were donated to them. The proceed of the sale after the show was supposed to help their family. It was heartbreaking seeing them on local TV crying. On the upside one local breeder donated to them 4 show quality turkeys to be sold at an auction. They ended up with 2000 dollars at the auction. People were pooling money together just to help these girls. So there is some justice out there and there are also more good people out there then bad ones.
Katharina

 

[lorieMN]

Hey Amy.dont know why your email to me went into my spam filter,,,I get everything else from you..yes,,it for sure was someone that new exactly wht they where looking for..what jerks,you are the most helpful person with chickens I have met.I doubt they will ever be seen again,but if people you know start coming up with that quality of birds next year,people that never had that quality before,you will know where they came from.Maybe a trained personal protection dog, I am bringing my sable GSD for training,,and I know the guy has a young male,with a lot of training a person could buy.I will keep an eye out up here,the only problem is I am starting to see silkies at sales from people that bought chicks from me out of the chicks I bought from you, and the quality is still there,.but I will start bringing my camara,and if I come across anything that looks like yours I will take pics and get contact info if I can.

 

[Majestic Lane Poultry]

Quote:
I agree totally. They knew exactly which birds to take. That is something learned and not random.

 

[katharinad]

This starts me to think I should invest the money into a wireless security cam system. Wireless is good, because the thieves cannot cut a wire nor do they know there the recorder is. I have wireless Internet on my entire property, so this would just tie into it. I see a wireless system on costco that my do the trick . It's about 300 dollars, but I'm sure I can find something similar on ebay for less. At least we now have technology that doesn't cost the world and my be worse it when it comes to protecting your long term investment.
I'm also thinking off putting up some signs about security cams in action. Plus my 4 dogs that run free. On my fenced in 22 acres that is. No free roaming beyond that. They know that, and they do not walk along the driveway to the street. We have the driveway fenced on both sides so it is like a long channel they have to walk along. They just don't do it.
Katharina

 

[mistyfeather]

if the police wont help you try contacting you local animal control , i had someone steal an animal from me once and the police wouldnt do anything, give the name and adress to the animal controll they can and will go there and investigate they can also help you prosicute, the police wont waist their time but the animal controll has the abillity to get the ball rolling and they will take maters in their own hands and have the police step in.

 

[silkieluver_07]

Quote:
Amy,

I am so sorry to hear about your missing birds! My silkies are no where near the quality yours are, but I was on your waiting list for chicks to help improve my lines for 4H showing. The thief had to know the specifics on type because they took your best birds. I'll keep my eye out if I see any birds advertised in PA that look like yours. With express shipping it may be possible that they taveled across the country.

Game cameras work great especially the digital ones. I hope you find your birds

 

[Super Admin]

I'm so sorry for your loss.I get really angry when people ignore " no trespasing signs" on my land and just come walking on in. I've had so much stuff stolen from my property, it makes me see red..! Some come by day, others by night.I have
biligual signs as well, useless.
People are so bold these day, and don't respect your private space and property. Whats really sickening is how in many cases the courts side with the crooks,and one gets sued for trying to protect your own stuff.This is often true in cases where the crook gets hurt by a land/homeowner/farmer trying to protect their belongings.
Many crooks know this, and aren't detered by fear of arrest,etc.
I recently had a nasty face off with a guy calling himself a Jehovah Witness. He came to my house three times,the first time I told him i wasn't interested in his religion and asked him to leave.He came back two more times, alone..I know that Johovah Witnesses never travel and solict solo, they always travel in two's or three's...
We argued the last time he was on my land, he cursed me in spanish, i called the police, nothing was done by the police,because he did't steal nothing, " he only was trespassing ". I know the guy was casing my place.
I hate having to fight for what i own, and people disrespecting my space...
I try to keep a low profile, i have honey bees, chickens, big stash of firewood,nice garden machinery..A local woman recently had 3 hives of bees stolen at night.
Sometimes i feel i'm living in a war zone.It really sucks, your beautiful Slikies were stolen.
I would likely really lose it if i caught someone in the act of stealing my hens or bees.To bad, i can't give the trash his just deserve for fear of violating the crooks rights, on my land..!The theives know this very well, so their fearless and brazing...Why are hard working, honest people always ending up on the dirty end of the stick..?
I'm sorry for the ranting folk, i just get so mad when i think about this stuff going on.
I sure hope you find the dirty trash who took your Silkies....

 

[destiny_56085]

Ok...just about 2 weeks later. No sign of the police report yet. I called last friday to check on the progress and they sent me to the deputy's voicemail that handled my case. 3 days later and no phone call returned or copy of the report yet. Cops are very worthless! They told me that if I ever do find my birds that I have to prove that they are legally mine. Well if they cut the bands off I have nothing to go on. I've got a loaded rifle with a scope out there now. If I can't legally shoot the bugger that took my birds, I can at least blow the tires off their vehicles if I see someone else snooping around my barn when they aren't supposed to be. The game cam's are nice. Don't get the ones that flash or the robber will just see that and destroy it. Get the night vision ones with infared.

Thusday I'm going to pick up a 1 year old male Burnese Mountain Dog. He's already grown up on a farm with poultry and cattle. In the previous owner's words, "He's very protective!" The neighbors are on high alert. One of our family or the landlord is leaving a vehicle in the yard at all times no matter if we are out there or not. The whole poultry community in the area and silkie clubs nationwide are on the lookout at shows/swaps. Got all the birds including the young stock wing and leg banded now.

Hannah....yes I still have you on the waiting list. Its finally getting warm enough to ship now and I'm getting to the out of state people. The ones before you where I had to ship have been cleaning me out of entire batches when they can get them. Some are taking 30 to 50+ chicks at once which is why that waiting list hardly seems to go down. This whole week's hatch are heading to IL and FL. I will have lots of blacks and buffs in the upcoming batches. Maybe some dark blues if I get some for myself to hold back. All the whites, light blue, and splash (very few now) chicks are going into my own growout pens and replacements for my breeding pens will have to be chosen out of there. The people wanting just white or splash may be waiting til next spring unless they are willing to take the PQ culls. I am still getting those oddball pastel/porcelain ones too...3 out of this last hatch.
Amy