One of my daughters got me 5 Australorp chicks for my birthday in May. I house raised them in a bird cage like I did my last small flock(which was around 10 years ago). I fixed up a shed in my back yard, built a pen. All by myself, and I am no engineer, carpenter, or builder of any sort. I didn't even know for sure what I was doing. I just did it. 10 years ago, I was 53, and had a husband to handle this sort of stuff. Times have changed since then.
Well, I put the cage in the shed when I'd finished modifying it for my birds. I knew it wasn't perfect, so I kept them in the cage at night, in the shed. They didn't mind it, as I always let them out to free range in the yard during the day.
This worked quite well for awhile. And they even spent a few nights uncaged inside their shed. Then, last wkend, Saturday, I awoke in the night with a sense of dread. I didn't think any noises awoke me, because tbh, I am half deaf. Went back to sleep. The morning came, and first thing, as usual, I walked out to the shed noticing 1 chicken in the pen. Not a usual thing.
Opening the doors, I saw 4 dead bodies. No heads. No blood. Just lifeless bodies. I did what I had to do. I bagged the bodies, and then went inside and cried. My efforts just made the shed a death trap, apparently.
Now I am reluctant to put the survivor outside. She is only out there if I can keep an eye on her or check on her while I'm home. When I am not, she stays in her bird cage inside. I have no idea what could have killed my babies and left absolutely no traces of blood anywhere. It's almost down right spooky!
So, anyway, my eldest has stepped up to the plate and helped me reinforce the fencing, chickenwire covering the top of the pen as well.Vent windows covered and plans to reinforce those as well.
I'll get my Chickapea some friends eventually. She may not like them, at first. But, when they are big enough she will probably be running around with them eventually.
Well, I put the cage in the shed when I'd finished modifying it for my birds. I knew it wasn't perfect, so I kept them in the cage at night, in the shed. They didn't mind it, as I always let them out to free range in the yard during the day.
This worked quite well for awhile. And they even spent a few nights uncaged inside their shed. Then, last wkend, Saturday, I awoke in the night with a sense of dread. I didn't think any noises awoke me, because tbh, I am half deaf. Went back to sleep. The morning came, and first thing, as usual, I walked out to the shed noticing 1 chicken in the pen. Not a usual thing.
Opening the doors, I saw 4 dead bodies. No heads. No blood. Just lifeless bodies. I did what I had to do. I bagged the bodies, and then went inside and cried. My efforts just made the shed a death trap, apparently.
Now I am reluctant to put the survivor outside. She is only out there if I can keep an eye on her or check on her while I'm home. When I am not, she stays in her bird cage inside. I have no idea what could have killed my babies and left absolutely no traces of blood anywhere. It's almost down right spooky!
So, anyway, my eldest has stepped up to the plate and helped me reinforce the fencing, chickenwire covering the top of the pen as well.Vent windows covered and plans to reinforce those as well.
I'll get my Chickapea some friends eventually. She may not like them, at first. But, when they are big enough she will probably be running around with them eventually.
it's gut-wrenching.
So sad either way.
