Ok. So, perhaps you all know about this, already. But, I had no freaking idea that ground squirrels would try to steal my chicks!!!! What next? Must I guard against caterpillars also? Killer bunnies, wilding around in packs?
I was sitting outside with my 11 chicks today. I do not let them out, unsupervised, because the hawks, geese, and even other chickens, will get them if they can. I am armed with a large, deep sea fishing net, in case a hawk grabs one right in front of me, as has happened before. And, I sit there. I do not wander off to pull weeds, or go grab some tea. I stay there, and they wander around, but never more than about ten feet from me.
Today, I was watching the antics of one set of babies, when one began to scream behind me. I whipped around in time to see a ground squirrel, running for all he was worth, with a chick dangling from his mouth! I was flabbergasted! I shouted, and went after them. He dragged the baby into a blackberry thicket, and, I was so panicked, because my imagination kindly supplied me with an image of the horror the chick would go through, if it was taken underground. I could hardly stand it!
I began yelling louder, and beating on the bushes with my net, like a madwoman, and suddenly, out ran the chick! I was so relieved! She ran, and hid in an old feeder that was nearby. She looked, and still looks, so frightened! I held her, with no resistance, for a couple of hours. Then, I put her back with her gang.
She has two scrapes, or punctures, on her thigh. There was almost no blood, and she can walk, although it is clearly painful. I smeared some topical antibacterial stuff on it, and it does not seem inflamed. But, she is really traumatized!
She just huddles, off by herself, all puffed out, as though she were cold. She won't take food or water now, though she did, at first. I am so afraid that the experience will cause her to give up, and die!
What does anyone think of that? Any suggestions about the chick, or dealing with the squirrels I used to think were cute?
.Thank you so very much for any input!
I was sitting outside with my 11 chicks today. I do not let them out, unsupervised, because the hawks, geese, and even other chickens, will get them if they can. I am armed with a large, deep sea fishing net, in case a hawk grabs one right in front of me, as has happened before. And, I sit there. I do not wander off to pull weeds, or go grab some tea. I stay there, and they wander around, but never more than about ten feet from me.
Today, I was watching the antics of one set of babies, when one began to scream behind me. I whipped around in time to see a ground squirrel, running for all he was worth, with a chick dangling from his mouth! I was flabbergasted! I shouted, and went after them. He dragged the baby into a blackberry thicket, and, I was so panicked, because my imagination kindly supplied me with an image of the horror the chick would go through, if it was taken underground. I could hardly stand it!
I began yelling louder, and beating on the bushes with my net, like a madwoman, and suddenly, out ran the chick! I was so relieved! She ran, and hid in an old feeder that was nearby. She looked, and still looks, so frightened! I held her, with no resistance, for a couple of hours. Then, I put her back with her gang.
She has two scrapes, or punctures, on her thigh. There was almost no blood, and she can walk, although it is clearly painful. I smeared some topical antibacterial stuff on it, and it does not seem inflamed. But, she is really traumatized!
She just huddles, off by herself, all puffed out, as though she were cold. She won't take food or water now, though she did, at first. I am so afraid that the experience will cause her to give up, and die!
What does anyone think of that? Any suggestions about the chick, or dealing with the squirrels I used to think were cute?
.Thank you so very much for any input!
