ALERT : Silkie Theft

[featherbaby]

Cetawin just had a similar thing happen. See her post (Grrrr...) Might I suggest Posting a "Wanted Poster" with a photo of your roo and a reward for information leading to the return of him or the arrest of the thieves. In the poster list the date, time of day and road. SOMEONE knows about this besides the thief. A Reward (even a small one) is mighty tempting if they don't like the thief anyway, and can be assured anonymity. Some people, believe it or not, would turn them in just to "do the right thing". Post in grocery stores, on phone poles, in feed stores, and particularly at any local swaps or shows. If there are any shows coming up in the area, I'd be looking the entries over VERY CAREFULLY! Even if you find them, but can't prove they're yours and decide not to make a big scene (I think I would make the biggest scene I could without getting arrested) ....at least you'll then know WHO did it and word travels fast in the Silkie community. I have one lavender roo from Darling Farms that I love dearly! I would be devastated if someone stole him!

I think it's horrible that people these days think it's all right to take something that belongs to someone else. What ever happened to family values and a conscience? How would they feel if someone stole their family pet? Or their big screen TV? Or their car?????I bet they would be OUTRAGED!

May I suggest putting a wireless alarm on the coop door so that it alarms inside your house if someone opens the door? I know that would only work if you were home, but it would help your peace of mind. I think Cetawin put an audible alarm on her coop so the thief knows right away that he's busted. Each to his own. I would rather have a silent alarm so I could catch them in the act.

My coops are up on my deck next to my house but I wouldn't hear someone coming up to them in the night. I saw Harbor Freight advertise a driveway sensor for about $10. I think I'm going to set it up so that anything crossing the beam, which I'll aim across the fronts of the coops, will alert me. It's cheaper than a dog and a lot less trouble. I know I'll get a few false alarms with cats, rats and coons but maybe I can mount them just high enough to miss the 4 legged varmits but catch the 2 legged ones. I wouldn't shoot the person (which would get me in trouble), but I would shoot their tires flat. That will give the police plenty of time to get here. I want to hear them explain to the officers why they are stealing from me. Then I want to watch them ride away in the police car with handcuffs on. Press charges? You bet your arse I would!

I pray you will find him. Please let us know if you do.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

BigDaddy'sGurl :

I had something happen a little bit ago that put me on edge too and I too live in western NC. I had advertised some juvenile birds for sale on a local website and someone pm'd me wanting to know if I have laying hens for sale. I pm'd back and said "not at this time. I have three hens that lay well but I am pretty attached to them, sorry" (I know I shouldn't have said what i had if it wasn't for sale...I know this now)

A couple hours later this same person sent me back to back pm's wanting to know what area I lived in. Now why would he/she need to know since I had already said i had no chickens for sale that they were looking for? They weren't interested in the chickens I actually listed for sale...they wanted laying hens...which like an idiot, I admitted to owning but not being willing to sell. Just wonder if they figured out where I live whether or not my hens would suddenly be "victim" like your silkies....

People are stupid sometimes. And some wonder why I prefer the company of chickens...

Hope you did not respond to that question, or if you did that you led him a merry chase to the local PD, lol. And that you locked up your birds.​

 

[purplefrog]

Quote:
Yes, the dogs did destroy some of the birds.

I agree with Rammy,, why get rid of the little dogs? They never bothered the chickens before, right? I guess the predator was making it sound like a lot of fun and the dogs joined in. Dogs love fun and will join in the hunt whether chickens or squirrels.

 

[Cetawin]

I am so sorry. I just had a beautiful pair of partidge silkies stolen right out of their cage inside my coop...in broad daylight....I am on the hunt for the vehicle I saw parked on the road near my coop....

Thieves Gosh how I hate them.

 

[Cetawin]

Quote:
Yes, the dogs did destroy some of the birds.

I agree with Rammy,, why get rid of the little dogs? They never bothered the chickens before, right? I guess the predator was making it sound like a lot of fun and the dogs joined in. Dogs love fun and will join in the hunt whether chickens or squirrels.

Why keep them if they will let anyone just walk into their area and all over the property? Sounds like they are not doing their job or the thieves would have never gotten in the yard to unlatch their gate. I would get rid of them too.

 

[The Lisser]

Sandy, I am so sorry for your losses.

I will keep my eyes peeled for Frank in my area.

Have you considered a livestock guardian dog? If they are raised with their stock they learn not to kill it. A friend of mine keeps 2 pyrenees with her mini goats and those dogs guard the goats with their lives. They are very distrustful of strangers - I won't go in the fence with them even if my friend is present.

I keep locks on the pasture gates near the road, but I will be adding more locks to my coop doors now. My llamas patrol the barnyard, and are very good at keeping varmints away - although my 200 lb goat Haven is the one who goes after human varmints!

I hope the injured pullet pulls through.

 

[huckleberryfarm]

Quote:
I'm really sorry about it all. I can completely sympathize with your dog situation. We had a dog for 5 years and then got the farm and our chickens. He killed several of my silkies but my husband wanted to keep the dog. The dog ended up getting into the paste and killed 7 goats. That convinced him. I kept saying he's a good dog.... Just not a good farm dog.

I love Bat Cave! I hope everything comes to a resolution soon.

 

[Bat Cave Silkies]

UPDATE~~~
I left the hospital a little after six to come home....we live up a mountain, on a private road....long driveway to a house no one can see. We have our own private dumpster at the head of the driveway. It has rained all day....I was really tired and knew I still had a gazillion chores to do. As I approached my driveway, I noticed what appeared to be a bag of trash sitting by the dumpster... Vacationers often use our dumpster without permission....people have left bags of kittens and puppies there before. I drove closer and noticed it was a feed bag.....I save empty feed bags to put yard trash in, but they're all stored with the trash cans.....it's a Purina Layena bag......wait--I don't use Layena, I use Flock Raiser.
I got out of the van (in the pouring rain) and walked towards the bag......the bag moved.....yep--must be puppies. I picked the bag up.....the top had been turned down and stapled; long slashes had been cut into the bag. I opened the bag

"OMG....OMG.....it's Frank!!!!!"

I pulled him out of the bag---yep, that's his breeder band.....he was panicked; his feet were zip tied together; wet, dirty.......never try to drive while holding a panicked rooster in one arm.

I ran into the kitchen with him.....talking to him the whole time....cut the zip tie off of his feet and sat him on the kitchen counter. He seemed to recognize my voice and calmed down. His comb had a few bloody abrasions. Frank loves a bath, so I filled the kitchen sink with warm water and sat him in it. Checked him over thoroughly----no cuts, no broken bones, quite a few feathers missing, no parasites present, crop empty.

Towel dried him then blow dried him. Fixed him a bowl of water with Denagard which he quickly drank. I know I should have quarantined him, but he's only been gone 2 days, and I didn't have the heart to keep him away from his wives any longer.

Took him to the Lav house and he started "talking" as soon as he saw his girls....my gosh....what a reunion!! I put him down and the girls were all over him...lol...cooing, making that little "brr brr" noise that Silkies make. It was a cuddle fest....

I've had time to think about "why" he was returned..... I believe alot of it had to do with Judy's post suggesting the thief return Frank..... maybe the thief had a change of heart.....maybe the theif got scared when they heard / read how many BYC'ers were on the look out for Frank


I'll never know why----I just thank God that Frank is back home; that something good has happened in my life again; that I have such a wonderful friend in Judy. A huge "thank you" to all my fellow poultry lovers on BYC.

 

[chickencrazymamahen]

Congratulations!!!!! So glad you have a happy ending!

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Do you realize how unbelievable and absolutely wonderful your ending is? I'm sooo happy for you, and absolutely, the BYC family and your ads helped. Congrats!