Dead. Lost. Devastated. *** FOUND RAVEN!!! Everyones home and.....!!!!

[rainplace]

Goat_Walker, I am so very sorry this happened.

 

[allaboutdemchicks]

Soooo sorry for your loss. We know how you love those ducks!

We all are hoping your others make it home!!

 

[Wifezilla]

 

[neferset]

We know how you loved them, but the important thing is that they did too. I'm

for your others to come home.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

What a disaster!!!

Of course you are devastated! People are so wrong to expect anyone to carry on like everything is normal when something terrible like this happens. That was a huge trauma! You need some time to find your feet again.

I'm so sorry Goatwalker you crazy duck lady!

 

[bargain]

I answered over on the incubation...I too am so sorry for your loss,,
Praying for your comfort and healing.

 

[chickensioux]

How truly awful....I am so sorry for your losses.

 

[goosedragon]

I have been there, had my flock completely destroyed twice and had major losses on two other occasions, I know the heartbreak and I share yours but I feel that I have to warn you that you must protect what is left! Those dogs will be back you must keep your birds out of their reach. Usually just "playing" with birds will bring them back if they happen to spot their new toys. Once they have killed they never forget. Thankfully my near neighbors had trained their dogs never to bother the birds and to stay home. The ones that got my first flock came from a half mile away. That first time I called animal control that took them to the pound and their owner kept them locked up for a while. I fenced my birds. When the dogs came back the fence held them long enough for me to get my 12 gauge and I applied all three rules of SSS (Shoot, Shovel and Silence) Silence is the most important one. When the owner came looking for his mutts I told him truthfully that they had been there but the fence kept them off and they disappeared. The other losses were caused by faults in my fences so they failed to keep out dogs and coyotes but those are long stories. Your free ranging days are over, a pond and birds that can fly can limit your losses but there will be losses. Please take steps to protect your birds.

 

[Goat_Walker]

I am. My dad is going to help me put up another big section of chain link fencing , that way they have a larger pen with grass in it. As for a pond cutting my losses im not too sure about that in this situation. The dogs are labs and love the water.

I just dont know what to do right now. I mean I cant stand to have my birds locked up all the time and not be allowed to free range... Oh this is just horrible!

 

[FenDruadin]

Hi again Goat_Walker. As your grief abates a bit, you will come up with solutions that work for you, so don't fret too much right now. Just keep them locked up until they have recovered from their shock and you have a chance to work out what you're going to do.

Some options to consider when you're ready:

Option One: Keep the dogs locked up. I know it's probably not your decision to make, but you might discuss with your family the option of fencing a play area for the dogs so that you can continue to let your ducks free range. Keep in mind that free ranging ducks will *always* have occasional losses. It's the nature of running loose. But you can significantly limit the losses by controlling your known predators (in your case, the family dogs). In my case, all of my daytime losses have been to dogs and unfortunately I am still dealing with the situation because they don't belong to me and animal control here is slow to do much unless they catch an animal in the act. But that is another story and situation for another thread (and yes, I'm still taking measures in hopes of eventually resolving the situation entirely).

Option Two: Extend the duck pen, add a swimming pool inside of it, and keep the ducks locked all the time.

Option Three: Use a triplex run as described in Holderread's Guide to Raising Ducks--the house where they sleep at night, an outdoor gravel/sand/straw/whatever run that is kept clean but bedded, and a second outdoor run that is planted with grass, shrubs, and whatever else you want in there, and where they are allowed to roam only when the weather is dry and the plants in good condition. This arrangement allows the ducks some of the benefits of free-ranging within a limited amount of highly protected space.

Bottom line is, you may still experience losses. Unfortunately, it's the nature of life and of raising poultry in particular. But I'm sure you will find ways to limit the losses.

In the mean time, take the time to grieve for your loss. Many people don't understand how much it's possible to love a bird or birds, so don't be too hard on them when they don't understand your grief. We understand.

And, by the way, I hope your others make it home. I would not be surprised if they do--a frightened waterbird will often hide in the woods or elsewhere for a couple days before returning cautiously home. They will be afraid to return to the "scene of the crime" at first, and they are VERY good at hiding when they're motivated to do so. I especially hope Monty makes it. My oldest son is named Monty.