Fugly Farm

[cavemanrich]

igorsMistress​

When I don't see any updates from you,,,, kind of worry

 

[igorsMistress]

igorsMistress​

When I don't see any updates from you,,,, kind of worry

You’re sweet Cavey, thank you. I’m still alive.

 

[N F C]

You’re sweet Cavey, thank you. I’m still alive.

Welcome back!

 

[igorsMistress]

This is a summer of change I guess. I’ve had chickens here for ten years or so and other than aerial predators I have never had any issues. Then over the course of less than a week I was down to only the three ducks. Three very traumatized ducks. DH thought raccoon but I didn’t think so. I’ve read too much about what coons do and this wasn’t it. I was pretty sure what he saw was a cat and after we put up the trail cam it was confirmed there was a cat coming through the yard, but that isn’t what was killing my chickens. They’d been partially eaten and a cat wouldn’t be able to literally tear one in half. Plus one of the bodies was completely gone and it obviously wasn’t a hawk.

We have an acquaintance that had several pullets nearing POL so we bought a bunch of them. Lockdown was first while we figured out what was going on and I put a trail cam out by the coop; it caught a coyote in our yard. I started letting the gals out later in the day and checked on them hourly and so it went for a couple of weeks. Then our neighbor knocked on the door around 0830 on morning and said she saw a coyote around the corner with one my barred rocks in its mouth. Sure enough, it had one of my girls.

We have two trail cams at this point and a few perimeter alarms so if anything comes over the wall I’ll know. But all my older girls are gone. I have five chickens left, two barred rocks, two RIRs and an EE.

Since we can’t be here ready to defend all the time the plan is to eventually put coyote rollers on top of the wall. We will see how feasible that turns out to be. For now the perimeter alarms are alerting as they should and we haven’t had more losses. I don’t have the crew in lockdown, but I am waiting until a little later in the day to let them out and then spending the first hour or so out there with them.

The ducks have been trained to go to bed though, something they haven’t ever done. They spend the night in the shade garden and we are making them a protected space to stay out wind and rain if they want.

 

[igorsMistress]

Welcome back!

Thanks

 

[N F C]

This is a summer of change I guess. I’ve had chickens here for ten years or so and other than aerial predators I have never had any issues. Then over the course of less than a week I was down to only the three ducks. Three very traumatized ducks. DH thought raccoon but I didn’t think so. I’ve read too much about what coons do and this wasn’t it. I was pretty sure what he saw was a cat and after we put up the trail cam it was confirmed there was a cat coming through the yard, but that isn’t what was killing my chickens. They’d been partially eaten and a cat wouldn’t be able to literally tear one in half. Plus one of the bodies was completely gone and it obviously wasn’t a hawk.

We have an acquaintance that had several pullets nearing POL so we bought a bunch of them. Lockdown was first while we figured out what was going on and I put a trail cam out by the coop; it caught a coyote in our yard. I started letting the gals out later in the day and checked on them hourly and so it went for a couple of weeks. Then our neighbor knocked on the door around 0830 on morning and said she saw a coyote around the corner with one my barred rocks in its mouth. Sure enough, it had one of my girls.

We have two trail cams at this point and a few perimeter alarms so if anything comes over the wall I’ll know. But all my older girls are gone. I have five chickens left, two barred rocks, two RIRs and an EE.

Since we can’t be here ready to defend all the time the plan is to eventually put coyote rollers on top of the wall. We will see how feasible that turns out to be. For now the perimeter alarms are alerting as they should and we haven’t had more losses. I don’t have the crew in lockdown, but I am waiting until a little later in the day to let them out and then spending the first hour or so out there with them.

The ducks have been trained to go to bed though, something they haven’t ever done. They spend the night in the shade garden and we are making them a protected space to stay out wind and rain if they want.

Sorry to hear of the losses Would having one of your dogs in the yard with the flock help deter a coyote?

 

[drstratton]

This is a summer of change I guess. I’ve had chickens here for ten years or so and other than aerial predators I have never had any issues. Then over the course of less than a week I was down to only the three ducks. Three very traumatized ducks. DH thought raccoon but I didn’t think so. I’ve read too much about what coons do and this wasn’t it. I was pretty sure what he saw was a cat and after we put up the trail cam it was confirmed there was a cat coming through the yard, but that isn’t what was killing my chickens. They’d been partially eaten and a cat wouldn’t be able to literally tear one in half. Plus one of the bodies was completely gone and it obviously wasn’t a hawk.

We have an acquaintance that had several pullets nearing POL so we bought a bunch of them. Lockdown was first while we figured out what was going on and I put a trail cam out by the coop; it caught a coyote in our yard. I started letting the gals out later in the day and checked on them hourly and so it went for a couple of weeks. Then our neighbor knocked on the door around 0830 on morning and said she saw a coyote around the corner with one my barred rocks in its mouth. Sure enough, it had one of my girls.

We have two trail cams at this point and a few perimeter alarms so if anything comes over the wall I’ll know. But all my older girls are gone. I have five chickens left, two barred rocks, two RIRs and an EE.

Since we can’t be here ready to defend all the time the plan is to eventually put coyote rollers on top of the wall. We will see how feasible that turns out to be. For now the perimeter alarms are alerting as they should and we haven’t had more losses. I don’t have the crew in lockdown, but I am waiting until a little later in the day to let them out and then spending the first hour or so out there with them.

The ducks have been trained to go to bed though, something they haven’t ever done. They spend the night in the shade garden and we are making them a protected space to stay out wind and rain if they want.

Good morning IM! I'm so sorry to hear about your losses. We just had some too. It's hard. I hope you don't have anymore.
Just wanted to say hi and I've missed you and everyone else here.

 

[igorsMistress]

Sorry to hear of the losses Would having one of your dogs in the yard with the flock help deter a coyote?

Thanks. Frank is certainly heavier than a coyote and so far we’ve only seen a single in the yard, but I’ve seen them around the neighborhood in pairs recently and I’m not sure he could take on two at once. Plus I don’t want him to get hurt. I would rather just not keep chickens if it came to that.

I’ve seen news reports here recently that the coyotes are becoming brave enough to follow and advance on humans. One lady was able to keep them at bay until another person came to help her but just barely. They were after her dog not her, but I feel like I could be in danger if I’m out there alone so I carry protection.

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning IM! I'm so sorry to hear about your losses. We just had some too. It's hard. I hope you don't have anymore.
Just wanted to say hi and I've missed you and everyone else here.

Thanks. So good to see you, it has been ages! We’ve missed you too. I’m sorry you’ve had some losses, hope it wasn’t too traumatic!

 

[DigMyChicks]

This is a summer of change I guess. I’ve had chickens here for ten years or so and other than aerial predators I have never had any issues. Then over the course of less than a week I was down to only the three ducks. Three very traumatized ducks. DH thought raccoon but I didn’t think so. I’ve read too much about what coons do and this wasn’t it. I was pretty sure what he saw was a cat and after we put up the trail cam it was confirmed there was a cat coming through the yard, but that isn’t what was killing my chickens. They’d been partially eaten and a cat wouldn’t be able to literally tear one in half. Plus one of the bodies was completely gone and it obviously wasn’t a hawk.

We have an acquaintance that had several pullets nearing POL so we bought a bunch of them. Lockdown was first while we figured out what was going on and I put a trail cam out by the coop; it caught a coyote in our yard. I started letting the gals out later in the day and checked on them hourly and so it went for a couple of weeks. Then our neighbor knocked on the door around 0830 on morning and said she saw a coyote around the corner with one my barred rocks in its mouth. Sure enough, it had one of my girls.

We have two trail cams at this point and a few perimeter alarms so if anything comes over the wall I’ll know. But all my older girls are gone. I have five chickens left, two barred rocks, two RIRs and an EE.

Since we can’t be here ready to defend all the time the plan is to eventually put coyote rollers on top of the wall. We will see how feasible that turns out to be. For now the perimeter alarms are alerting as they should and we haven’t had more losses. I don’t have the crew in lockdown, but I am waiting until a little later in the day to let them out and then spending the first hour or so out there with them.

The ducks have been trained to go to bed though, something they haven’t ever done. They spend the night in the shade garden and we are making them a protected space to stay out wind and rain if they want.

Sorry for all the loss IM. I am glad to see you back.