Loss of Penelope

[Barb Root Hinkkanen]

Last week I lost one of my two girls. Something got Penelope almost a year to the day from when Lucy disappeared. This time there were feathers left behind. Whatever snatched her tried to get Wendigo. Wendi is a much larger bird. There was a pile of her feathers beside Penny’s.

Once again Wendigo called and called for her friend. Then she started crying. It was so sad. Yesterday I found her a pretty new Australorp. I bout them together and watched them closely. No feathers flew. There was a little clucking back and forth. By late afternoon they were only a few feet apart scratching in their run. Last night I checked in them and they were both in their apartment. Today they eating close to each other.

I’ve had no problem with predators in their pen. Both losses were in my yard the last one was only 25’ from my front porch.

We’re moving the coop and building a new, much larger run on the other side of the yard. From what I’ve read consensus is they may have been snatched by an opossum? I know there are coyotes around. I did not have a problem for the first two years that I had chickens. I’m afraid to free range them now. I really don’t want a rooster. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

 

[Sequel]

Last week I lost one of my two girls. Something got Penelope almost a year to the day from when Lucy disappeared. This time there were feathers left behind. Whatever snatched her tried to get Wendigo. Wendi is a much larger bird. There was a pile of her feathers beside Penny’s.

Once again Wendigo called and called for her friend. Then she started crying. It was so sad. Yesterday I found her a pretty new Australorp. I bout them together and watched them closely. No feathers flew. There was a little clucking back and forth. By late afternoon they were only a few feet apart scratching in their run. Last night I checked in them and they were both in their apartment. Today they eating close to each other.

I’ve had no problem with predators in their pen. Both losses were in my yard the last one was only 25’ from my front porch.

We’re moving the coop and building a new, much larger run on the other side of the yard. From what I’ve read consensus is they may have been snatched by an opossum? I know there are coyotes around. I did not have a problem for the first two years that I had chickens. I’m afraid to free range them now. I really don’t want a rooster. Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

I'm sorry for your losses! It sounds like you are doing the right thing in making them safer places to hang out. Free ranging makes us feel good because they have so much fun but it ends up being a free buffet at some point. I take mine out for a little while most mornings but I have a small fenced pasture they can get their greens and bugs in. I only have 3 right now and with a very small flock every loss is so terribly painful! Good luck in the future and I hope you never lose another in such a terrible manner!