I screwed up.

[alwaystj9]

While installing overhead bird netting I inadvertently made a possum tunnel. They used to could not get from the barn into the coop/pen but I attached the net to the outside wall of the barn. The idea was to give the birds a hawk-free run from the chicken pen to the barn. Mr. Eat-Everything-Except-The-Feet-And-Wings went through a stall's exterior grating to the net and down the inside pen fence. so this morning I have taken the net off the barn wall and tied it down to the top of the pen. Hope this works. This trial and error is being very hard on my chickens

 

[LaFleche]

Ouch, that sucks!

But good on you to have noticed the error this early.

 

[alwaystj9]

Not early enough...I lost one.

 

[LaFleche]

Not early enough...I lost one.

That is sad, but you could have lost many more. So don't beat yourself up, accidents happen.

 

[Folly's place]

Glad you figured it out before loosing more!
Most of us have had learning experiences like this, and we do better next time. Sorry for your loss.
Mary

 

[Shadrach]

Don't be hard on yourself. You were trying to do the right thing and tbh it's a mistake that most would make, including myself.
Thankfully there aren't any possums where I am but I'll bear your experience in mind because there are other climbing predators here and I've been considering netting the top of the coop run.

 

[cmom]

Over the years I have had many lessons learned the hard way. Good luck...

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Humans learn from making mistakes. "F around and find out", is, unfortunately, how most of us gain understanding. Sorry for your loss, and thank you for sharing details of your misfortune that we might (hopefully, if unlikely) learn from your pain.

It sounds like you have already made steps to correct, so as lessons go, not a terribly expensive one. All the best in your new efforts.

 

[theoldchick]

Sucks when you lose one like that. It's a learning experience for all of us. Sorry for your loss.

 

[alwaystj9]

A new twist on it: there was a chicken in the carport this morning. That means something is not secure...but no possum signs and no chicken parts, so that's good. I have to figure out how the escapee escaped.
I haven't had predators this bad in 10 years, I think it's from all the people moving out this way. I also think the hawks don't go any further south anymore. I used to lose a bird or 2 each year during migration seasons but they should have moved on by now.
I also had my attack horse able to run along 2 sides of the pen, I just put her down 3 weeks ago -- maybe she was a deterrent?
I am trying to figure out what changed. Or did I just get complacent?