DISASTER!!!!!!!!!!1

[WoodlandWoman]

I'm sorry for your loss. Have you been leaving the coop door open at night, then? I would start locking them in at night, right away. Can you buy or borrow a trap, also?

 

[SpottedCrow]

I'm so sorry for your losses...DONOT get chicken wire, you'll just be wasting your money.

 

[Dawn419]

Aran,

So sorry to hear of your loss! I am also going to jump on the 1/2" hardware cloth bandwagon. I regret that I even bothered with chicken wire on our main run and check it everyday, twice a day to make sure there are no tears, stretches, etc.

Dawn

 

[PeiTheCelt]

I am so sorry for your loss!! I know it's a bit of a haul, but I know that (last I heard) there were at least 2 12 week old partridge silkies (albeit roos) available just west of Albany from peepkeeper, not exactly what you are looking for, but might be a fill in for your son?

 

[aran]

firstly thanks for all the kind wishes, im cut up about it but im most sorry for my boy. He watched and tended those eggs like nothing else, and he helped hatch 3 that were stuck in their shells. He is really distraught but we have gone online and ordered replacements for all that were not sold out and he got to con me into getting him the mille fleur bantams that he has wanted so he is at least a little better tonight than he was this morning. I did as you all suggested with the hardware wire...the place looks even more like a freakin prison now! I have locked all the birds away in the coop for the night, put the glass back in the backwall window of the coop and sealed up the "chicken door" so they are all packed in there nice and snug...hopefully there are no fights overnight. I couldnt get the ducks into the coop so the 4 of them ( one of the rouen males was also killed) are in the main run. I fortified the main run all around the inside 3 feet up the sides with the hardware cloth ( all they had at home depot to do my 1200 sq foot run), and have made a sort of wrap around to cover the hinges of the gate which have maybe a 2 inch gap between the gate edge and the run stay post. I put another layer of netting over the top of the run also to further deter anything getting in the top and tensioned the 3 strands of barbed wire around the top of the coop. For those of you who have not seen the coop here is a pic of what it looked like BEFORE the fortifications today:
<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc222/willanddad/coop2copy.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

 

[aran]

hmmm dunno why that didnt attach the pic...anyways you can find my coop and run in the coop section.

 

[speckledhen]

Here Aran

 

[aran]

thanks cynthia...well i know what it was ...i just saw the jerk running around inside the run enjoying the night air...i have since moved the ducks ( the only birds not locked inside the coop) into the baby coop which is impenetrable (i think).
The culprit is a black slinky looking thing which I assume is a stoat/weasel/ferret thing, maybe even just a giant rat...it was black. I heard the roos crowing from inside the coop, went out and the ducks are running around like mad, and there is the lil son of a grump just meandering about enjoying the cool evening breeze, choosing which duck to kill. So the birds are safe for the night, how do i hunt down , trap and then kill this P.O.S?

 

[justusnak]

Oh Aran, I am so sorry...sounds like a fisher cat?? ( not sure I spelled it right) Mink maybe? Either way...I would get a have a heart trap...and probably NOT have a heart when I caught the POS!!!Good luck, I hope you get it soon!

 

[lurky]

Aran....Sorry for your loss. There is a poultry swap/sale in NY just northeast of Albany if you are interested. I can get you more info if you think you might go.

Wendy