Cubalaya Thread For Sharing Pics and Discussing Our Birds

[Jungleexplorer]

Hi guys, I have some bad news. That stinking predator that killed my chickens the other day, well it came back, and this time he killed two of my three Cubalaya pullets. They were protected in a steel cage and it somehow reach through the holes in the fencing and grabbed the pullets by the head, killed them and ate their heads off. I am totally heart broken. I now only have one pullet left. I have done everything I can think of to catch this predator. I have set out traps, put up four trail cams around my chicken pen, and hunted night after night until 1:00 and 2:00am, and I have not so much as seen a hair of it. My last pullet is going into protective custody in my house until this is over. My problem is, I don't think I can build the flock I wanted to build next year with just one pullet. I still have three cockerels, but that does not help me any. I need some more hens. I don't want to start over again and try to raise some more chicks, that would put me another year behind. If I could find someone who would be willing sell me a at least a couple of full grown hens by next spring, that would be the best for me. What would be the best way to find someone who would be willing to do this? They don't have to be show birds, just decent cubalayas. Thanks

 

[Oldhound]

The culprit is at least one Raccoon maybe more than one. They are one of the worst and smartest. I had the very same thing happen to bantams many years ago . If the cage is small enough and the raccoon can reach the bird they will pull a body part, usually the head, through the wire and eat it off. Sleeping quarters with solid walls will help. Trapping the raccoons is your best option in the meantime. Bill

 

[gallorojo]

Agree with Bill on it being a racoon. I had a family of them wipe out a lot of birds of mine this summer. They are very very clever and hard to catch. I never was able to kill one, but I did catch a few in traps, which they managed to escape from, but, that seemed to scare them off. Try a 55 gallon drum, put some tuna in the bottom, some logs or cinder blocks around the base to keep them from tipping it, and a plank up to the top. They jump in and can't jump out. A box type live trap also works, but STAKE it down securely, i had them get in them and roll them a quite a distance, they eventually would open up. We have a GP mix guard dog, but, she can't be in every paddock or pen or whatever all the time. Normally our geese or cats make a fuss if something like a coon comes in the yard, then the dogs take care of it permananetly, but somehow , the coons figured a way to not alert anything. I probably lost almost 30 birds to predators this year, between coons and rats. Sometimes it can be discouraging, but you just have to correct what you can to make it harder for them to get your birds, and start again the next year. It's an endless learning and adapting process.

 

[bruceha2000]

Hi guys, I have some bad news. That stinking predator that killed my chickens the other day, well it came back, and this time he killed two of my three Cubalaya pullets. They were protected in a steel cage and it somehow reach through the holes in the fencing and grabbed the pullets by the head, killed them and ate their heads off.

That sucks. What sort of fencing? Please don't say 1/2" hardware cloth as that is what most seem to use for what is expected to be a "Fort Knox" level of protection.

Bruce

 

[Jungleexplorer]

I got a 30 X 10 X 6 foot cage from a a farmer an it is covered with some kind of heavy duty fencing that I have never seen before. The cage is build out of oilfield pipe and you could house a rhino in it. I kept a wild boar I caught in it for a month. The mesh is small enough that only a sparrow could past through it.

 

[bruceha2000]

The mesh is small enough that only a sparrow could past through it.

And, apparently, a raccoon paw.

 

[cubalaya]

built a hoop pen yesterday for the shamo pullet and moved my gold duckwing cubalaya cock in with her. they seem to be getting along. also moved the zook bb red cubalaya in with my wheaton and silver wheaton cubalaya hens. the cuba/thai stag and 2 wheaton hens are still in quarantine in the greenhouse and will probably stay there for the winter.

 

[gallorojo]

I really like my hoop pens, but a bit of advice- br sure to stake them down with tent or sod stakes. That is the fastest and cheapest way to build pens!

Here's some of mine. About 3x3 square. I use these as grow out pens or for single stag pens.

 

[Jungleexplorer]

I really like my hoop pens, but a bit of advice- br sure to stake them down with tent or sod stakes. That is the fastest and cheapest way to build pens!

Here's some of mine. About 3x3 square. I use these as grow out pens or for single stag pens.

Nice!

 

[fowlsessed]

I really like my hoop pens, but a bit of advice- br sure to stake them down with tent or sod stakes. That is the fastest and cheapest way to build pens!

Here's some of mine. About 3x3 square. I use these as grow out pens or for single stag pens.

Nice, I've found that if you use the 2 x 4 welded wire (or similar) you can dispense with the pvc pipe (as long as the span is not too far, of course). Just tack it onto the Wooden base.