I LOST a chick...update on pg2

[gardenak]

Bird,

I'm sorry to hear of your chick-it's always hard isn't it? What sort of fence do you have around your tractor? I have read several posts about different types of predators, and I live in a predator heavy area- Bears, mink, martin, and woves, not to mention aerial predators so I put some small meshed hardware cloth, about 18" along the bottom of my run. I also enlsoed the floor in regular chicken wire, but the smaller mesh would keep anything from digging under I would think- maybe staple it down with lawn staples. Takes a bit of extra time when you move the tractor but . . . The run I built is a 2" x 2" frame that is attached with hooks to the building. When I need to clean it (just did it so haven't had to do this yet!) I unhook it and move it out of the way- rake and replace. Maybe you could fashion something like that?

 

[Bird Brain]

I CAUGHT THE POSSUM!!! Had planned on putting a tart oper the run but I had to go to work. Was gonna put the dog crate back together (using both peices as housing in run) and letting them sleep in there at night. Walked down there with the stuff...4 turkeys roosted on top of the fence and the other turkey and 5 chicks on top of one peice of the crate. Inside the other crate where the chick starter is (so it stays dry) is a baby possum. I called my husband down with the cat crate and I caught his theiving as..er butt. So right now, the villian is hanging upside down (by choice) on the side of the dog crate in my front yard. Not sure what I'm gonna do with it. Don't wanna kill it... *softhearted*

 

[SimplyForties]

Woo Hoo! Congratulations! You might call you extension agent or Fish & Game (if you have those locally) and ask them what to do with it.

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

Quote:
I am the same way!

Just don't like to kill anything I guess! A critter is a critter!

But those kind of critters we don't want around our chickies for sure!

I didn't even realize that a possum would go after a chicken. I have seen opposums around my farm alot and never lost one of mine. Thank goodness.

 

[Bird Brain]

I didnt either until someone posted a link to some info on the forst page, afterwhich I decided it was a possum. I think it only got that bird because its feathers werent sufficient to get it off the ground. I think everyone was on top of the box and it was on the ground near the food.

I am just gonna drive down the road a bit and let it out into the woods. I think I know where I can release it and it wont bother any body or get run over.

 

[DragonHatcher]

I'm sorry for your loss. I knew someone who had her chicks in a playpen. She went inside for lunch and when she came back out,there was only one chick left and hawks were circling overhead.

 

[Bird Brain]

oh no! Well I am thankful only one was gone. Not that it makes it any easier, but like I said, feathers werent coming in right and so as sad as it is, maybe it was for the better. Probably didnt need to let it breed anyway (although it was a livley chick, just not developing properly). I just couldnt do the deed.

 

[firedove]

If you found a baby possum that means that there are more in possums the area. It might not even be the one who got your chick! I would still get the trap and set it. I believe possums are territorial which means if you drive it just a few miles away it will be back to eat your chickens. Your best bet, since you want to keep it alive, is to call Fish & Game. They will know where to put it that it probably won't be back, they usually have designated areas for releasing animals.

On a more gruesome note. I know adult chickens will cannibalize a whole chicken and leave just the parts that they can't break up to swallow. I don't know if chicks ever get that hard core.