A Journey Through a Different Way - Funny Story Pg. 69

[ruth]

This evening the second little Ameracauna hatched (thanks Dipsy). Two of the six eggs Lisa sent me to put under Ms Broody survived her death. I think the peacock egg is still viable (only one out of six) but haven't seen it move in last two days but it is pretty dark in shell and hard to see. If it's still alive it should hatch May 4th.

Got 9 Blue Orp eggs from Speckledhen (thanks Cyn) and they went in bator as soon as I took out Little Ms. America.

And finally Mergmet will be sending me a dozen BC Maran eggs soon so they can join the family.

We'll be needing those new roosts we built in hen house yesterday.

Finally, here's one of the two BR Roos from the Valentine Day hatch that started this thread. They are both gorgeous and I can't tell them apart.

We also have some interesting "mixes" in that hatch thanks to Lisa's wayward Roos.

Here's a bearded Barred Rock:

And here's a Barred Blue Ameracauna:

Here's some of the rest of the Valentines Day Gang:

 

[ruth]

Today's update is a sad one. Our dog Lucy killed 6 or my ducks this evening in a matter of a minute flat. Just chased them down and killed each one quickly and silently on the spot and left it. With DH, and I, and Rex right there. I post all the good about free ranging so need to post the bad as well. I always expected predators to get something eventually but I never expected the predator would be our own dog.

Here's the thread with all the info.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=51552

I'm feeling kind of numb right now and don't really know what to do. The ducks had gotten big and feathered and I was planning on having them live on our pond when they were fully grown.

Now I'm afraid if Lucy has gotten the killer instinct with ducks will she get the chicks and chickens next? She did kill one tiny Araucana that was tufted and rumpless but didn't seem to be getting big but it was sort of squished with a duck so it might have just gotten in the way.

Odd thing is last night I awoke with a disturbing dream. My daughter was visiting with her dog and her dog killed chicks and ducks and my dog Rex killed her dog and everyone was upset. I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep it was so real. They are coming Sunday for Mother's Day, also my birthday, and I've been worried what to do about all my free ranging flock with her crazy, wild, uncontrollable black lab coming but never did it occur to me that my own dog would be the source of the killings.

I had just taken photos of how big and feathered the ducks had gotten and how flooded the run was from the storm yesterday so the ducks were swimming in a recessed area but don't think I'll post that now. Hopefully tomorrow morning I can inspect the 5 survivors and make sure they are o.k. They wouldn't come out from under a pen they were hiding under in hen house. I'm guessing they were scared to death. Poor things.

 

[nccountrygirl]

Aww, I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[hcammack]

I am sorry you lost the duck I posted on the other topic about my dogs behavior. I just wanted to say that I agree with your way of raising animals and my chicks were out in their tractor in november at 4 weeks old. I also understand that in this way of raising animals accidents happen. My campamine hen got taken by the neighbors dog a few months ago. I agree that free ranging or atleast pasture raising is a healthier way of raising chickens and I have never had a sick hen so far!

Best wishes,
Henry

 

[Frizzledhen]

Sorry for your loss.
I hope you can still have a happy birthday.

 

[beefy]

well that sucks. i had a bit of drama today too. but mine involved a dog attacking a calf while i was bottle feeding it and me consequently almost getting stampeded by 500 cows.

inquiring minds wanna know about the peacock?

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Hi Beefy - as a matter of fact I just came from bator room candling the peacock egg. It's not looking good. Today is day 28 and no sign of life - no movement in egg that I can tell for past two days. But, it is pretty dark in egg so maybe it's still alive and growing and will do something soon. Since they take anywhere from 28 to 31 days I'll give it a few more.

Sorry to hear about your calf attack. That's pretty scary a dog would attack with you feeding it.

And yeah, really sucks my own dog chased down and killed 6 ducks that quickly just for the heck of it. If I had only looked up from pressure washing walk I would have seen her. Maybe if I had caught her in action I could have chased/whipped her and she would have associated it with killing the ducks but since she was just laying there after it was all over there wasn't much we could do.

 

[beefy]

well i had gone to feed the calf a bottle of colostrum out in the pasture b/c the calf's mother had abandoned her ( possibly she may be a twin and there is some confusion but i think she just belongs to a first calf heifer that doesnt know what to do) and my mom had let the dog we rescued that we found starved collapsed in the ditch out of his pen for a run and he took off. she didnt know i was out in the pasture and i was like two miles from the house but anyway, so i'm feeding the calf and all of the sudden the dog shows up and comes over and bites the calf on the back legs and starts shaking it and i'm like inventing new cuss words while beating the daylights out of the dog and of course the calf bawled and the entire herd charged. finally i (stampeding cows really)was able to chase the dog off and get him back to the house and return and finish giving the calf the bottle. i think she will be ok, she seemed unphased. i cannot trust this dog around small calves. i may have to rehome him.

 

[ruth]

That's an amazing story Beefy. Maybe it's the fact that the dog had been starved at point, same with Lucy. She showed up near death, skin and bones, no pads on her feet, still lactating. And is the most needy, loving dog I've ever seen. Runs up to strangers and licks their face and climbs in their laps.

After she came to live with us she got really fat. I tell people she has Scarlett O'Hara Syndrome. "As God is my witness I'll never be hungry again. If I have to lie, cheat, steal or kill, I'll never go hungry again". Sounds like your dog has it too.

 

[12 Acres]

It's nice to run into someone else who thinks the way I do. I also believe that these birds are a lot tougher than most are willing to believe. My babies went out into the coop when they were 4 days old, one month ago. Some nights got down into the 30s and the coop is not insulated. They have their heat lamp and they all do as they please. Last week it got down to 30 degrees and I went out to see what they were doing. I thought I'd find them asleep under their light. Nope! They were up, foraging around the entire coop!

They're tougher than nails, all healthy to beat the band and are growing in leaps and bounds. They should be completely feathered out by the end of this week and then I'm taking their heat lamp away. Their fenced run will be completed by that time and they'll be free to come and go as they please during the day. I've taken them outside for "field trips" and they love to forage already.

It's fun to watch them grow and it's reassuring to see them do the things grown chickens do without me having to teach them. They really are remarkable birds and I'm thoroughly enjoying them.