- Thread starter
- #11
Svyetii
Chirping
Well, tragedy has struck. Two days ago a bobcat caught two of my chickens. The chase happened a little after 6am. I didn’t see the kill, but saw the chase on the camera and the feather aftermath. I had come outside not five minutes after it happened. I suppose it’s possible the girls got away and are hiding somewhere, but it’s been two days with no sign of them and it’s pretty cold. If they are hiding, It’s not on our property and I’m not sure they’d know how to get back. So, now my flock of five is a flock of three. I had planned to rehome the rooster, but now I can’t bring myself to do it. I don’t know how the remaining two girls would take it being left alone, now missing three of their flock mates. I also just moved them into their permanent coop, which I’m sure has added more stress - although I think they feel safer in it than the tractor.
What do you guys think I should do? I can try and keep the rooster for a couple more months until I get chicks this spring, and then rehome him, but I don’t know how long my neighbors will tolerate his crowing (right now it’s fairly limited). I also don’t know really what to expect from him as he moves through adolescence and into adulthood (he’s about 15-16 weeks now). Or, I could rehome him soon and bring in birds of roughly the same age as my current girls, quarantine them, and then add them to the flock. I’m leaning towards just waiting and getting chicks, but two hens seems like too few, especially in the winter when they huddle more to keep warm.
So sad. Our free range time will be limited moving forward.
Thanks for any advice you can share!
What do you guys think I should do? I can try and keep the rooster for a couple more months until I get chicks this spring, and then rehome him, but I don’t know how long my neighbors will tolerate his crowing (right now it’s fairly limited). I also don’t know really what to expect from him as he moves through adolescence and into adulthood (he’s about 15-16 weeks now). Or, I could rehome him soon and bring in birds of roughly the same age as my current girls, quarantine them, and then add them to the flock. I’m leaning towards just waiting and getting chicks, but two hens seems like too few, especially in the winter when they huddle more to keep warm.
So sad. Our free range time will be limited moving forward.
Thanks for any advice you can share!