Lost most of my flock this afternoon

[kipepeo]

Well it was the last nice day we were to have for a while so I let them all out even though I was going to dr. this afternoon. Since I lost 2 to possible coyotes 2 weeks ago I have kept them lock up most of the time only out for 1-2 hrs before sunset but I let them out today. Of course things ran late at dr. office. I got home 3:30 ish ate late lunch then went to give the chicks treats I got in town walked out and there were my neighbors (1mile away) dogs one is theirs and one is their sons that he brings with him. I head out to chickens and there are feathers and bodies everywhere I am in tears I go in the coop and they killed the 9 2m olds I just put in a sectioned off area on friday. I girl was still alive in the coop but couldn't move. I was in tears. I went and found my neighbors wife and she called her son and husband. I was waiting for my son to get home didn't want him to see this and was taking him to my brothers house. I sat and waited forever and then called and found my niece had him get off the bus over there because she didn't know if he would see anything from the bus. I am not 100% on who all is dead for sure they had cleaned up most everything when I got out there. I have 5 hens and 6 roosters left of course still to many roosters and the one on death row didn't get killed geesh. I hopeing that maybe some more might appear tomorrow but don't know. My mom had been by at 2:30 and went out to chickens and they were fine then. This is the time I didn't drive out by the coop when I got home I almost always do that but I hadn't eaten lunch and groceries to go in the fridge. Yes I know I free range and their are risks but this just irks me off. They said they would do whatever to make it right but I was the one who had to tell my son that his birthday silkie was dead.

 

[Carolyn]

I am so very sorry for you. I somewhat understand having lost most of mine in one day this spring to various predators who took advantage of an unexpected ER visit. I know it hurts and it is much worse trying to explain to your son. I am glad your neighbor is being kind about it at least.

 

[fldiver97]

I am so sorry! How devastating.... You did well though to keep your son from seeing what happened. Hard enough to have to tell him that you lost the chickens including his silkie....

 

[chixrus]

Aw, I feel so sorry for you

I know exactly how that feels

last fall i lost practically my whole flock to who-knows-what. this year alone i've lost five or six birds to predators

 

[ernancy]

So sorry to hear about your loss. I lost 3 chickens this week alone after 8 years of nothing ever happeining. I think it was a raccoon, not sure. but finding them dead and not too pretty was heartbreaking.

 

[diamonk]

I posted a similar story last week and the kind words others sent really helped. So here's a hug for you
A dog got loose from down the road and took out 4 of my 6 chickens in a couple minutes. From what i read from other members, dogs are one of the worst predators b/c they kill for the sake of killing and can wipe out so many in such a short amount of time. Make sure your neighbors understand that.

Our chickens were hand-raised since they were 4 days old and my son (age 7) was heartbroken but is now recovering. I completely empathize - good luck with your son and i hope your other chickens are found. We recovered 2 the next day so don't give up hope!

 

[Mahonri]

Shucks. Sorry.

You'll never do that again, I'm certain.

 

[Darlasmum]

So sorry. I dont know if I fell worse about your loss, your son, or Mahonri's brutal comment.

 

[chris_m90731]

As Bill Clinton once said, "I feel your pain."

God bless.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I think several of us have been in your shoes. I just started with chickens this summer and the 15 that we started from chicks in August...our own dog, who we have had on a shock collar took out almost all of them in no time one day. We were inside and thought she was just laying outside, but we had just started letting them out to free range and her little switch flipped and she left them all over the yard. That should have been our wake-up call, but then she got at least 1 hen a few days later. I didn't think she would go after the hens any more since they started chasing her at one point, but she is a puppy and a bird hunting breed, so it should come as no surprise. To add insult to injury, about that same time, we had a weasel come in and killed 4 of our breeding and showing rabbits, one of them the best one I have had yet. Chalk it up to Murphy's Law of Animal Husbandry; What can go wrong will go wrong, and when it does tell you best stock goodbye.
I am very sorry for your losses. I too have children who got off the bus just minutes after we found what had happened with all those chickens, and they were very upset with our pup. It is tough, but it is a lesson about taking on the challenges of raising animals caged or not, things can go bad and in a hurry. I hope your son isn't too traumatized by this. My kids recovered after a while and then became anxious about when we will get more chicks in the spring.
Good luck with those you have remaining, they will be even more precious to you now.