Help, I came home to a chicken massacre...

[ladyride]

I am so sorry for your loss even enclosed yards sometimes aren't enough. There is as many preds as chickens & they all think they should have chicken buffet. It just really hurts to loose them .

 

[CheekyChicky44]

Sorry for your loss, I had the same thing happen and ended up having to get company for the surviving girl. I agree with bringing her in and giving her some treats, she probably is shocked and could use some TLC. My chickens get egg yokes when they are sick. I would put gauze on her wound too to protect it from infection. I hope she gets better.

 

[fowlman33]

How about this for a massacre.....had 79 killed 3 weeks ago and my remaining hens still arent' laying again!!!!! needless to say, those dogs won't be killing again.....the White leghorns are only 9 months old and was laying daily, now I might get 1 egg out of the remaining 11......anyone know when I might expect them to lay again ??

 

[Henwillbehens@]

I am so sorry about the loss of your chickens.

I had 21 chickens a while back until 2 got eaten by a skunk digging underneath my chickens pin ,thankfuly he did not fit in the pin to get the rest .To make a long story short we still have skunks trying to get in but we have a light outback to help us keep a eye on the remaning chickens.

 

[OregonChickie]

Quote:
Oh, Fowlman, that's just awful! I am so sorry. Were they your dogs or a stray?

I bought some spray on neosporin and also some blue kote and put them both on there. She had been picking at it, probably trying to get those last feather pieces out. Hoping the blue kote will stop her. I also picked up some live mealworms and I stopped her at 10, I think she would have eaten them all. I rented a live trap and placed it right where there was a massive amount of feathers. There's an egg inside, the soft one she laid last night. LUckily, she's definitely not in shock, she threw a fit about not being allowed out of her run this morning.

I also called my local "chicken guy". He happens to have a few 2 month pullets for sale. I'm going to give my girl a few more days and then maybe try to incorporate one of them. Unfortunately, we are going out of town this weekend, bad timing to try to nurse a hen, trap a predator and/or incorporate a new chicken.

BTW, do any of you have tips to keep neighborhood cats out of your yard? I can't imagine the neighbors cats did this but when I walked around the property this morning, there were 2 cats sitting on my fence. I threw rocks at them (too bad I missed) and they took off.

 

[fowlman33]

no, it was strays....or should I say neighbors.......yes, put antifreeze out for the cats, that will solve your problem

 

[welasharon]

DO NOT put antifreeze out to kill the cats. First of all it is highly unlikely they did that. ALSO that is a horribly cruel way to die. GOOD GOD I cannot believe you wrote that fowlman.

 

[Gmsg01]

I can't agree with intentionally poisoning cats with antifreeze. What a horrible way to kill an animal, and totally non-discriminating. Any animal, be it a threat or not, will suffer death through kidney failure.

 

[welasharon]

You may try soaking her bottom in some warm epsom salts water. It is soothing, can help to ward off infection and can help remove some soreness as well. She needs not to have a red raw bottom before you put her in with new friends so that they will not peck at her bottom.

sharon

 

[NovaAman]

Quote:
Oh, Fowlman, that's just awful! I am so sorry. Were they your dogs or a stray?

I bought some spray on neosporin and also some blue kote and put them both on there. She had been picking at it, probably trying to get those last feather pieces out. Hoping the blue kote will stop her. I also picked up some live mealworms and I stopped her at 10, I think she would have eaten them all. I rented a live trap and placed it right where there was a massive amount of feathers. There's an egg inside, the soft one she laid last night. LUckily, she's definitely not in shock, she threw a fit about not being allowed out of her run this morning.

I also called my local "chicken guy". He happens to have a few 2 month pullets for sale. I'm going to give my girl a few more days and then maybe try to incorporate one of them. Unfortunately, we are going out of town this weekend, bad timing to try to nurse a hen, trap a predator and/or incorporate a new chicken.

BTW, do any of you have tips to keep neighborhood cats out of your yard? I can't imagine the neighbors cats did this but when I walked around the property this morning, there were 2 cats sitting on my fence. I threw rocks at them (too bad I missed) and they took off.

DO NOT put her with any other birds until her skin is completely healed. It doesn't need to be feathered in but it does need to be nice healthy skin first. That poor girl. Sorry for your loss.


Fowlman... all I can say is "WOW". I have cats and even stray cats here in my yard, and not one has ever tried to get any of my chickens. Have had coons, possums try... no success, but not the cats. They just kinda stare at the chickens. I am not going to say there isn't a cat that hasn't, but I haven't seen it or read it.