Connecticut!

[valerieann]

I'm so sorry to hear that.

We've had a few massacres over the years and it's sickening. I agree that it may be something bigger than a skunk. Those raccoons are crafty and they do a lot of damage, fast. We also had a problem with foxes--wiped out 12 full grown hens in about an hour, while I was out running an errand one day. I wouldn't have suspected foxes, because I'd never seen one around, but there it was, peeking out of the bushes, looking for more victims when I got home. Now we've got more of a secure compound set up, although I don't know that anything but concrete and chain link is predator proof....
Anyhow, I hope you find the missing one alive and well!
Valerie (a newbie to the group) in Trumbull
who right now has: 10 big girls (cochins, australorps and americauna), and 8-2 month old feathered bantams and americaunas (5 of whom appear to be roosters--yikes!!) along with 5 cats, a dog, and more children than I can keep track of

 

[Daphne16]

Tina I am so sorry for your losses

 

[new chick 203]

Tina, I'm so sorry. Nature is cruel sometimes. Hope the third baby shows up.

 

[Beth G.]

Hi Tina,

Sorry to hear about the chicks. This is not the work of a skunk. It's either a raccoon or weasel. Raccoon's are pretty much the only ones smart/strong enough to knock bricks off a lid and open it. Weasels can squeeze into places you can't imagine. If I had to say for sure what it was I am 98% positive it was a Raccoon. skunks are not really into chick's or chickens. They tend to go for egg's if anything and are more passive.

Hope you find the third but, not to sound negative it was probably momma raccoon bringing a snack back to babies

Best Wishes,
Beth

Luke13:34 :

Lost my three babies last night!

I guess I totally underestimated the strength of a skunk to open a lid with a few bricks on top.
The copper maran (such a sweetie) and the la fleche were found decapitated in the coop. No sign of the appenzeller. She was the flightiest of them, so my hope is that she managed to get away somehow....
Stupid skunks managed to flatten my (kiddie) pool, too.


Gotta work today, so it was a quick burial... no time to mourn.​

 

[Beth G.]

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[Beth G.]

I'm in Northern New Haven county not far from you

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[Luke13:34]

Beth G. :

Hi Tina,

Sorry to hear about the chicks. This is not the work of a skunk. It's either a raccoon or weasel. Raccoon's are pretty much the only ones smart/strong enough to knock bricks off a lid and open it. Weasels can squeeze into places you can't imagine. If I had to say for sure what it was I am 98% positive it was a Raccoon. skunks are not really into chick's or chickens. They tend to go for egg's if anything and are more passive.

Hope you find the third but, not to sound negative it was probably momma raccoon bringing a snack back to babies

Best Wishes,
Beth

Yeah.. upon further inspection now that I'm home from work.. there are a lot of white feathers on the ground, so if she did manage to get away somehow, she would have been badly injured.

You'all are probably right about it being a raccoon.. the sucker ripped apart my kids swiming pool - completely ruined it. The skunks have lived back there for so long that if they had wanted to take a midnight dip, they would have done so weeks ago or last year.

---

OK>. enough about ME!

to valerieann and mizeliza!!​

 

[new chick 203]

Well, today my little roo Bertie went to his new home, a 5 acre property in Greenwich with 30 hens, ducks, geese and gardens. I'll miss him, but I couldn't have thought up a nicer place for him. I'm actually a little jealous! The gentleman who took him said I could visit him.

 

[Daphne16]

We got our first egg today

from our production red named Giraffe laugh. We got her from Beth. Her sister should start laying any day now too wahoo.

 

[swampcat]

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So glad you found him a great home!