First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[raisinemright]

Oh, that's horrible. I'm really sorry that happened.   I doubt it's a weasel, they usually just want to eat the neck.  It would have to be something that likes to carry things off.  A pack of coyotes?  An owl?   How big an an opening the coop was there?  

It's a shed converted, the only opening was the chickens door. But I'm thinking these pullets stayed outside last night. They were killed in front of the big/human door that was closed. It's on the opposite side of the chicken door! I'm not new to chickens but am to attacks like this. We have had a hawk attack here and there but nothing to this extent!

 

[duluthralphie]

I doubt coyote would eat 10 complete chickens in one sitting. Unless it was ***** with pups, she would carry that many off. It seems to early to have pups hunting and have had the whole pack there. Interesting sad turn of events. condolences!

 

[raisinemright]

I doubt  coyote would eat 10 complete chickens in one sitting. Unless it was  ***** with pups, she would carry that many off. It seems to early to have pups hunting and have had the whole pack there.  Interesting sad turn of events. condolences!

Thank you, what gets me is the rooster who was just killed and not eaten. The more I think about it I'm thinking opossum's. Or skunks. It's time to set some traps out tonight and see what we can come up with.

 

[duluthralphie]

Thank you, what gets me is the rooster who was just killed and not eaten. The more I think about it I'm thinking opossum's. Or skunks. It's time to set some traps out tonight and see what we can come up with.

And a game camera to see what prowls outside the coop at night.

 

[duluthralphie]

I have a chick that is not doing well, very weak. Yesterdays hatch.

I just fed her some egg yolk from an eye dropper. Have any of you ever tried that? I figured it is like mothers milk to a newborn mammal.

 

[JessicaThistle]

That's terrible raisinem!! I sure hope you catch whatever did it and get due revenge.

Ralph: I've scrambled eggs and served them but never just yolk through an eyedropper.

Morrigan: We are hoping that the fodder works well for us. We are starting small to see how it goes and learn the ropes. If it works well we will ramp it up and try pushing the limits to see how far it will go to replace the feed.

 

[easyvilleacres]

we had planned to make breakfast sausage out of some this year, so its good that we will have plenty of meat.

Hello - can you please share your recipe for chicken sausage?

 

[Morrigan]

Hello - can you please share your recipe for chicken sausage?

I've never made it before, but I was going to try the "poultry breakfast sausage" and techniques on this site: http://www.lets-make-sausage.com/chicken-sausage-recipes.html. Except that I'm going to use chicken (the recipe calls for turkey) and I may omit the liquid smoke too, I'm not sure yet. I've used recipes on this site to make venison sausage before and it turned out pretty good. If you use it, let me know how it is.

 

[duluthralphie]

Thanks Morrigan, I bookmarked that page too.

Jessica, so far I would say "do not feed raw yolk to a chick". It failed and died. One of my Creamettes gone. It was weak from the beginning, Some chicks you just cannot save.

 

[LindaB220]

I have two more age groups coming up. The next will be 8-9 weeks and the last set will be 12-13 weeks.
Bad news my kids went to do their morning chores and found a huge pile of feathers and 10 missing pullets! I have no idea what animal did this. I'm thinking weasel or coon??
Just feathers left no body's anywhere?!?!
They must not have gotten inside the coop last night. Makes me sick. Anyone have attacks with no body's left over?

So sorry about this. Coons will carry them off go a water source. They like to wasb them and if still alive to drown them. One got our large adult cat, but he managed to escape.

I'm going out to feed my 21 new babies. Ralph, most look like your jrs. Black with a white belly. I won Black Australorps but obviously he put the breeding pen together before the sperm was out.. It sometimes takes up to 4 or 5 weeks. I think I'll just sell them and start over.