help....advice asap please

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klf73

klf73

Mad Scientist
16 Years
Jun 1, 2008
6,080
23
444
Maine
My son puts my chickens away, a job he has taken on when I was pregnant and dh is deployed. He is almost 12 and also has adhd. I asked him if he put the chickens away and he ran out to do it (he was watching Avatar) and came back in pretty quick so I asked if he put all the chickens away, he said yeah and ran back to his movie. I was getting ready for bed, just finished checking on all the kids, feeding the animals that needed it etc when I heard a chicken outside. I ran out in my underwear and couldn't see anything but heard the girl going through the woods/bushes and the noise stopped about 100ft away. We have a broody that is under the screen house that I blocked off and my son forgot to move the board for her to be safe for the night. I am mad at myself for not checking that he did it and I am mad that he flaked because he wanted to get back to his movie. I looked under the screen house and sure enough there is a skunk looking back at me sitting at her eggs. I went to the backside of the screenhouse and started banging so he would leave. He did and he didn't spray at all, which was good. I then went looking for my girl. I found everything but her(even a mouse in a tree) and I didn't find any feathers either. My question is what do I do now? I turned all the lights on in the back yard so she could come back. I blocked the nest off so I could come ask what to do(didn't want the skunk coming back). She was moving too fast to be being taken away by another skunk. Was she most likely just spooked? What do I do now? I have 7 kids, 2 of which need to get up at 5:30, 2 at 6:30, 2 that will get up around 7:30 and a baby who will want to be fed in an hour or so and then again in a few hours so I can't stay up and keep looking. Do I keep it blocked off? I didn't really care about the eggs, just my girl. I would take the eggs and put them in my bator but I can't get to them as they are in a tiny space. Will she try coming back? or will she wait till light? any advice is appreciated on this situation. I know how to handle my son so I am not interested in advice about that
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thanks in advance

eta- I also hope she didn't fly right into the lake
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Last edited:
should I turn out the lights? (I'm sure the neighbors would appreciate it
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)
 
I've been in this situation, and I suggest that you look around in the trees to see if she flew into one. If she is on a low branch, maybe you can grab her. If you can't find her, you will just have to hope she found a good roost and see if she shows up in the AM.

I lucked out when this happend to me, and my hen made it thru the night. I tell you what, I never let them set outside the henhouse anymore. Too dangerous and too stressful! Good Luck!
 
yeah, my poultry fence was ordered before she did this but it was back ordered
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so I am hoping it gets here this week. I actually only got it so the kids could play in the yard without tracking the poop into my house(and because I am only getting about 9 eggs a day from 20 hens).

do I keep the eggs blocked off?
 
I meant should I keep it blocked off for the night, but open it in the morning? She won't come back in the dark right?
 
Don't skunks kill chickens?? I wouldn't think that that would be the safest place for her. Right now I think she's better off in a tree. They can go pretty high.
 

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