I finally let me fully feathered chicks out of the shed. Five total. I have them in a small dog crate that is inside a larger dog kennel outside. Well sometime in the morning i let them out of the small dog crate so they can run around in the kennel. A raccoon decided it was hungry. Had one half pulled out by the time my dog was alerted. By the time i went up it was sill alive, but not doing well. I held it for awhile and it started peeping again and then wanted down but by the evening it was dying, so had to cull the little one. Super sad 
Then the following day I had everyone out(all the birds) in the late afternoon to get some sun, grass and one of the chicks didn't notice a horse, well it got stepped on. got the horse moved (the horse didn't even notice of course) but the chick was dying so had to cull that one too it was a pullet too..... so down to three left. One female brahama and two shetland hen cockerels.
I dont need the cockerels and bought the hatching eggs to hope for a few pullets. So i am feeling preety sad right now!
I guess the silver lining is my hen coop and run is preety raccoon proof. I haven't had an issue for two years, but this must be a new raccoon in town. I will put up the hot wire again around the run.
Then the following day I had everyone out(all the birds) in the late afternoon to get some sun, grass and one of the chicks didn't notice a horse, well it got stepped on. got the horse moved (the horse didn't even notice of course) but the chick was dying so had to cull that one too
it was a pullet too..... so down to three left. One female brahama and two shetland hen cockerels.I dont need the cockerels and bought the hatching eggs to hope for a few pullets. So i am feeling preety sad right now!
I guess the silver lining is my hen coop and run is preety raccoon proof. I haven't had an issue for two years, but this must be a new raccoon in town. I will put up the hot wire again around the run.
so sorry that happened!
