Disheartened.

[24279102]

It really is a crap shoot ! But when I see how much the girls enjoy being out and about - in fact they are totally mad at me if we have to leave them in for a day ! - I would never lock them up. It upsets me if we lose one but I realize that the predators are only doing what they do. I get more mad when it is a dog who should not be allowed to roam ! Having said that we do try to keep an eye out but hawks are not afraid of us it seems anyway. The other day one came and landed on the roof of the coop and we were right there !! Don't beat yourself up.

 

[HomeGrownGudLif]

Thanks everyone for your kind responses and support! This is exactly why I came to you - my chicken community. You have been a great comfort and boost to my spirits. We are upgrading the run and coop, and for now allowing them to continue to roam freely. That is one of the reasons I got them - hoping to put a little good chicken karma into the universe to make up for all the sad things that happen to them in factory farms and such. Thanks for reminding me of that. As said, although it may be short, it definitely was good. We love them so.

Thanks thanks thanks! Take care!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I've lost a younger bird to stray cat and full grown hen to skunk. Definite Other vote.

 

[miquwid]

Thanks everyone for your kind responses and support! This is exactly why I came to you - my chicken community. You have been a great comfort and boost to my spirits. We are upgrading the run and coop, and for now allowing them to continue to roam freely. That is one of the reasons I got them - hoping to put a little good chicken karma into the universe to make up for all the sad things that happen to them in factory farms and such. Thanks for reminding me of that. As said, although it may be short, it definitely was good. We love them so.

Thanks thanks thanks! Take care!

I'm glad you are starting to feel better yeah once our true spring hits I'm going to make a super large run with chicken friendly plants. Good luck with the upgrade and post some pics. And yes I agree with the factory farm and I buy my eggs from an organic farm and now I'm starting my own so I can have my own organic eggs.

 

[hrhta812]

The most recent one I lost was due to my own stupidity, which is the worst feeling of all. I rigged up a messy temporary fence configuration and I think my pullet got wedged in a spot where her head was through the fencing and the older hens pecked her to death. Talk about guilt!!! And she was one I had nursed through a bout of cocci just a couple months before her death. Yikes!!! It's so frustrating and heartbreaking. I know they're food, but I can't help loving critters - my grandma used to call me Ellie Mae when I was little. LOL

I really want a tractor thingy so I can have mine scratching in the grass and not worry about the hawks. We have big red tail hawks around here, as well as the smaller varieties. I saw a Cooper's hawk feasting on one of my visiting mourning doves in the front yard one day - very upsetting as she had just made a nest in the pine tree, right where I could see her out the window. So far, we've not lost any chickens to any of the hawks, but it's probably just a matter of time if we let them free range. They are pretty good about sticking close to the edges of our vehicles, the carport, etc. rather than being out in the wide open, and I've shoo'd away hawks flying overhead many times. I've even seen them sitting on a fence post or tree branch, eye balling the coop. I always go outside and yell at them. LOL

I'm sorry for your loss. Hang in there.

 

[Megan Amber]

I am sorry to hear that. Don't let it get you down to much. I always feel bad when one of my animals die too, but there are some things I try to remember

1.If you were raising it for meat then it would have happened anyway!

2.I have learned just how quickly poultry gives up and dies. It is a running joke in my house to say,''Well, Guess I'm Dead!'' I vave had things blown on my birds that wasn't heavy enough to kill them but as soon as they couldn't see...they died!

It is hard to deal with losses like these. I once had my entire rabbit warren killed by some neighborhood dogs. They killed my duck,too. Didn't even eat her!

Best of luck