So, I ran home today at lunch to grab a sandwich that I forgot this morning. I have 1 hr so I decided I would walk around and check on a few things. The chicken coop/runs are out a bit from the house. As I walked out to the big pen I stood there basking in the sunshine sipping my sweet-iced ted. Adjacent to the run is one of my grow off pens that is currently housing 25 4-week-old bobwhite quail and 9 d'uccle chicks that I am selling tomorrow.
So all of the sudden I hear a quail call, but it sounded like it was coming from the ground and this pen is raised. I look down and all of the sudden I realize there are quail on the ground and one d'uccle chick!
I try not to freak out and grab the net to try and round up as many as possible. I looked, and the back latch and not be latched so they just pushed the door open.
So, I calmly captured all of the quail in sight. By this time the d'uccle chick is running around everywhere and the dog is beginning to catch on that something is up at the coop. All of the sudden, the little chick jumps through the chain-link of the chicken run. I watch him for a moment and think that he will stay in there. So, I join him in the pen and try and dip him in the net. All of the sudden he jumps back through the fence and I see the dog running for him. I could do nothing but scream and watch the dog grab him.
I began whaling and chasing the dog with the net.
I know that the dog was just being a dog and that it is the human's fault for leaving the latch open(not me BTW), but I am just heartbroken.
I am pretty sure it was a pullet and now I have to tell my customer that he is going to be short one hen/chicken.
Then, I went to check on the chicks in the brooder and one has what appears to be pasty-butt, so I cleaned him up and put him in his own space. No one will answer my post on the Emergency thread and I am not sure if he/she will make it or not!!! After going through all that poo my stomach could not handle eating a sandwich....
Anyways, thanks for letting me vent!!!
So all of the sudden I hear a quail call, but it sounded like it was coming from the ground and this pen is raised. I look down and all of the sudden I realize there are quail on the ground and one d'uccle chick!
I try not to freak out and grab the net to try and round up as many as possible. I looked, and the back latch and not be latched so they just pushed the door open.
So, I calmly captured all of the quail in sight. By this time the d'uccle chick is running around everywhere and the dog is beginning to catch on that something is up at the coop. All of the sudden, the little chick jumps through the chain-link of the chicken run. I watch him for a moment and think that he will stay in there. So, I join him in the pen and try and dip him in the net. All of the sudden he jumps back through the fence and I see the dog running for him. I could do nothing but scream and watch the dog grab him.
I know that the dog was just being a dog and that it is the human's fault for leaving the latch open(not me BTW), but I am just heartbroken.
Then, I went to check on the chicks in the brooder and one has what appears to be pasty-butt, so I cleaned him up and put him in his own space. No one will answer my post on the Emergency thread and I am not sure if he/she will make it or not!!! After going through all that poo my stomach could not handle eating a sandwich....
Anyways, thanks for letting me vent!!!
