I posted this on my FB ranch page, but thought I would share it here, since it's chicken related:
One of the worst things about having this ranch is that I always have to be here at dusk, to close up the chicken coops. Daytime predators are not usually a problem, any chickens out at night are likely to be dinner for nocturnal critters.
Made a trip to drop off a birthday gift for my grandson, yesterday, headed home as the sun set. Wishing that I could have a Saturday night like a normal person. Pitch dark by the time we drove up our road, a skunk darted out of the pasture into the glare of the truck headlights, headed toward the house. I was instantly convinced that the evil creature had wiped out the inhabitants of the mobile coop and was on it's way to finish off the juveniles kept next to the house. Heard cows bellowing when I jumped out of the truck and realized that I'd have to make my way through ten hungry cattle to get to the pasture coop. It would be best to take along their feed... except (due to the high cost of hay) we are trying out hay cubes. This has added almost a half hour to feeding time due to having to shovel the cubes - out a large trailer into the quad trailer, then shoveling the appropriate measured amount back out to each horse, sheep and bovine.
First, I ran to close up the coop that houses the youngsters. The interior had been ransacked. A trash can that had been full of feed looked as if it had been thrown across the coop. Feeders and waterer overturned, everything floor level scattered. Some terrified chickens were huddled into nest boxes. The youngest group- my last hatch of the year- were missing. DH joined me in the search, commented that it was way more destruction than a skunk could do. I found one cockerel hiding nearby in tall grass, but the rest were nowhere to be found. I was so sad and wanted to keep looking, but decided I'd better get back to checking on the rest. Found my sow in the pumpkin patch, surmised she must have been the perpetrator! No time to fix her electric netting, locked her up in an another pen. In the garden coops, a Delaware pullet was missing, yet everything else was in place. Found her, back in the juvenile's coop, wedged down behind a cage. Had no idea how she got there, just wanted the night to be over at this point. Finally, loaded up the cubes to get on out to the pasture coop. Figured I'd need both dogs to make my way through the gate from the sound of the now VERY hungry cattle. Doling out feed to black cattle in total darkness can be hazardous without a good cow dog watching your back. I was so relieved to find those chickens safe, sound and sleeping!
Back at the house, called the dogs to join me as I went in for the night. Bailey was sitting, nose to the sky. I thought there must be a cat up the tree, although it was odd that he wasn't wagging his tail with a big grin, as usual when he's convinced a cat to play that game. Skye went in the house, Bailey didn't budge from his sit. Nose still up, focused on something. Told him again to come in the house. His eyes turn to me with a look of annoyance, then back to the direction of his nose. I know there can't be a bad critter up there or he'd be barking, so I shine my flashlight up and tell him there's nothing in the tree. The light illuminates all the missing chicks, lined up on top of the swing frame! Bailey had been trying to tell me that they were there without scaring them by barking! His tail wagged as I put them, safely into their coop. And my mood changed to grateful, thanks to my dog.
