How far would you go to save a chicken?

[cluckmecoop7]

I saw muddy raccoon prints on my prefab coop (my first year of keeping/ a lot has changed) I called my mother immediately and got her live trap. Set it up that evening with old pizza as bait, In the morning as I was on my way to work, I saw him in the trap, BIG RACCOON. I called my mom, she came over and shot him (took 4 shots to the head) , 40lb Buck, she said it was the biggest raccoon she's seen. Glad I took action. I since built a sturdy, predator proof coop with attached run. I'm right outside the city so my predators are raccoons, fox, hawks, and coyotes, there are Bald Eagles that have been sighted recently. I have lots of cover for the girls, so I'm not that worried of arial attacks. There is a lot of human activity, so predators usually come out at night when my girls are locked up.View attachment 2022424View attachment 2022425

Glad you saved your girls!

 

[Matilda Belle]

I've stood with a long wooden stick between my chickens and my neighbor's growling golden retriever. Had the dog got one of my chickens I would've open up a can of crazy on him. So, yes, I'm willing to put my life out there to some extent. It is my responsibility to keep them safe.

When I was a kid, I had three baby bunnies that escaped into the woods. There was giant rattlesnake eyeing them up the entire time i was trying to catch them. I didn't let that stop me from rescuing all three.

I've always put animals needs before my own. It's just in me to be this way I guess.

 

[MGG]

Well, as much as I like my chickens, I don't think I would. If it were my dog, I would. If it were my gander I would, he's my buddy. I love my chickens and they're beautiful, but I have had way closer relationships with my gander and a few of my ducks than any of my chickens. Waterfowl are much more personable I think. I wouldn't put myself into danger to a certain extent though.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

At least you'd do something, @SueT!

 

[R2elk]

That sucks! How did you fight the flame? Regular garden hoses?

Regular garden hose until the power went out and shut the pump off. Then I switched to a shovel. Fortunately the worst of the fire was on the north side of the road. I put out two incursions where the fire jumped the road right in front of me. During the worst of it the only way I could breathe was by spraying a mist of water in front of my face to disperse the smoke.

A fellow with a big front end loader cut a fire lane on the south side. Again fortunately the fire was blown to the south and burned my field back against the wind. I was able to go along with the shovel and put the fire out as it reached the fire lane. After everything calmed down, I went around to the neighbors and put out the last bits of fire. It is entirely possible that I may have saved a couple of houses by putting out encroaching flames. Meanwhile the fire fighters were all hanging out down at the mailboxes instead of doing any of the mop up.

It was really sad to watch them stand around and make no effort to save a house once it caught on fire. The neighbor across the road to the north of me had fire fighters watch his house burn when they could have stopped the fire at his garage instead of letting the whole house burn. They did make sure that they saved his trash can.

 

[nuthatched]

Depends what it is, if it's coyotes, I'm chasing -for all the good that does- with a walking stick. but there's a point if you know it's too late

 

[Soy Milano]

I would do everything I possibly could. That means taking him to several vets if need be.