I don't know why I thought it couldn't happen to me!!

[FingerLakesChick]

I am so stupid, stupid, stupid!! And now I'm paying for it!!

My 2 favorite girls were missing this a.m. and another is beat up pretty bad. Whatever got them, pulled them right through their pen. No sign of them anywhere, just one feather and a little bit of down from Mary Frances!! I could just be sick!!

Stupid me!! It was so hot last night that I didn't wrap their brooder up like Fort Knox (like I usually do). They're right on my porch!! I don't know why I thought I should be exempt from losing a baby!! What made me think I could leave them unprotected like that? Ugghhh!!

My heart is going to break. All I can think of is they were probably wondering where I was when they were being eaten alive!! GOD!! Do you think they suffered terribly?

I don't know if I can do this!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Sorry for your lose We all go through it . Face it chickens are dinner for everything. You build a pen a nd coop and hope its predator proof. We lost all but three of our chickens last year I know what your going through. All you can do is go over you coop and make sure theres no way a predator can get in. My DH made Fort Knox after our run in with a oppossum. But I still check on our girls every night They are locked in tight but you can never says never. It probabally happened in their sleep lets hope so anyway Take care Micki

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I'm so sorry. They are so tiny, I am sure it was over very quickly.

1/2" hardware cloth is very good at keeping predators and their paws out. It also let's air flow when it's hot. Maybe that can help you, if you need to rework your brooder design.

 

[Cheri]

You have my sympathy.

 

[Poison Ivy]

Sorry for your loss it so sad when you lose one. I think about it every time I let mine out to free range the property. Is this the day a hawk shows up? Will a stray dog come on the property or the guys dogs next door? We take chances everyday and its just the luck of the draw so please don't beat yourself up. Just add a little more protection to your brooder.
Then set and bait a trap for what ever took your babies and hopefully you will catch it tonight.

 

[chickbea]

If they were tiny then they were probably killed quickly. I'm so sorry.

 

[FingerLakesChick]

My dad thinks it might have been a snake that got them. Since there were no signs of the babies around, except for that one feather and little bit of down. Has anyone ever had this (a snake) happen to them? It makes sense as it could have actually gotten in to the brooder, I just have a hard time believing that a weasil or a raccoon could have stuck it's arm in there and pulled them out. But I don't know.

 

[FingerLakesChick]

I don't know if I'm cut out for this. I'm just such a sensitive sap. I just loved those little girls. They were so funny and full of it and now they're gone and there's such an empty hole in that brooder. They're all traumatized and one is hurt and I just can't stand it.

Thanks for the sympathy everyone.

 

[fowlweatherfriends]

Sharing in your sorrow-I know how terrible it is to lose your babies-been there myself..

 

[PurpleChicken]

Although I'm still relatively new to chickens I've lost a few and had to put one down. All I can say is it gets easier. You can do it.