Don't want to give up but is it best for the chicken?

[Redhead Hen]

Sorry for your loss ..... I feel your pain!

I just lost 4 the other night! I thought it was 5 but one of my pullets came wandering back. Don't give up. Just take the advise here about how to strengthen your run/coop. Also, lock up the chickens at night! I knew whatever got my chickens was gonna come back last night! I had to put a door on my coop to lock my girls up and keep them safe. Yeah it was not fun getting up super early to let them out, but they are all alive this morning!

We all have lost chickens. I know the ones that I lost I was attached to. Two of them were lap chicks too. But you can get more! We all end up getting more! Hahaha!

 

[Cock-L-Doodle Garoo]

Sorry for the loss. I know how it feels to learn the hard way. But I determine to fight fire with fire. It's my fire/firing part that's working.

 

[Whirlwind]

Almost everyone has felt the guilt of losing a chicken or more to predators you learn to make better choices and reinforce your coop and run. I always lock mine in the coop at night or I would lose some every night untill they were gone. You can even loose one when you are watching them free range. Had a bob cat run out and get one not 5 min after I let them out. Had only went back in the house to get them a treat. It will happen if you let them free range and you are near wildlife or even dogs. But the rewards are so great. I personally think they should prescribe chickens for every one with high blood pressure. Don't give up!! Most of us couldn't even if we wanted to. It is a good Addiction

 

[nnbreeder]

This year I lost close to 100 chicks in a single brooder. While I was at work the waterer started leaking getting them wet. In order to warm themselves they piled up and that is how I found them when I got home.

This year for me it has been one thing after another but I have had a lot of years of very good times raising birds. I'm not about to let this year sour me on birds.

 

[ArizonaNessa]

I am so sorry you lost your friends but for goodness sake don't give up. We all learn from our mistakes. I call it paying for your education. It happens and you can't beat yourself up. You are not a horrible person that does not care or else you would not be here trying to find solutions and support. I agree with Mahonri on this. Take a deep breath, secure your coop very well and get yourself some more feathery friends. It will only get better.

 

[007Dawn]

Don't blame yourself! It happens. We started off about six months ago with 20 hens and now we are down to 12! I want to cry!

But use something heavier than chicken wire, we do! You can't stop nature from happening though.

Luckily even though we live in the woods we have a cat that likes our chickens, sleeps with them and defends them. Strange I know but so far they have died from strange stuff.

Like pecking, lost 2 that way.

Mostiqoes lost my Roo Roo from a virus he got from one and I think I have 1 more that has it now! URGGGG

Then we lost 4 or 5 from what? I have no idea just woke up and they would be dead. Then one died from getting to wet! The little guy kept standing in the rain. We even blew dry him and kept him in the house. After a couple of days we put him back outside it rained again while we were gone and some how he got wet again. He was four months old and he would just stand in the rain.

I'm starting to think chickens committ sucidie! URGGGG.

But don't blame yourself.

 

[valereee]

A friend of mine is using this on her coop. I don't think there's much that will get through it, and as a side benefit it provides some screening from neighboring yards:

http://www.mckey.com/docs/products/perfstock.htm

 

[Fredster]

We have a fairly inexpensive system for protecting our 100+ chickens that semi-free-range on about 2.5 fenced acres:

In the pictures above, the predator deterrents have noticed a dangerous bunny rabbit outside the fence and are making sure it stays out.

Haven't lost a chicken since we got 'em.

 

[meags163]

Thanks everyone for your advice and words of encouragement! I thought for sure people were going to tell me that I should quit the chicken business. We have been securing our coop and run with hardware cloth and now I'm able to lock them up at night, so I'm going to get some RIR pullets tonight! My poor little hen needs some friends (and a name, something that reflects her survival skills

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Great news! I'm so glad things are getting better in your situation.