Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[wannahomestead]

Sad I'm sorry....take the coyote out if you can. I told my neighbor same thing of his dog comes down here again it's down. He paid me for my losses but not the same my wife cried for two days she her ducks got needlessly killed.
I hope your others make it.

Thank you for the kind words and sorry to hear you've been through something similar.

I'm considering purchasing a base license just for extra legal protection on shooting the coyote. Just in case I see it but not necessarily "doing or about to do damage"

 

[1muttsfan]

I am so sorry to hear about your losses.

Coyotes and foxes are very efficient predators and usually kill then remove their prey. Have you considered that there may have been something else, such as a stray dog, around?

 

[wannahomestead]

I am so sorry to hear about your losses.

Coyotes and foxes are very efficient predators and usually kill then remove their prey. Have you considered that there may have been something else, such as a stray dog, around?

I have certainly considered it. I saw it though so it was either a coyote or a dog w/ a bushy tail. It was of course dark and I didn't have my strong flashlight, but I was able to see its silhouette and glowing eyes. Either way if it returns and I catch it out there, I won't be asking questions. I'd hate to shoot someone's dog but I've lost a day of work and 2 ducks so far dealing w/ all this.

 

[aart]

Quote: Yikes, would be terrible to shoot someones dog by mistake....even if it was trying to eat your birds.
Even if you do shoot the right animal predator, it won't help long term.
Best bet is to keep birds safely penned, with hot wire if necessary.

 

[trailrider330]

I have certainly considered it. I saw it though so it was either a coyote or a dog w/ a bushy tail. It was of course dark and I didn't have my strong flashlight, but I was able to see its silhouette and glowing eyes. Either way if it returns and I catch it out there, I won't be asking questions. I'd hate to shoot someone's dog but I've lost a day of work and 2 ducks so far dealing w/ all this.

So sorry for your loss. Losing birds to predators is rough and, unfortunately, something most of us have experienced a time or two. Whatever it was, it will likely be back unless it is dealt with or can't get to them and decides to move on. I hope you get the bottom of things soon. But, as @aart pointed out, it most likely will not help long-term as something else is bound to come along and try to hurt your birds again. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[Opa]

There's a show on television tonight celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Charlie Brown's First Christmas Special. Hard to believe it's been that long. I must say he certainly is holding up well. He doesn't look like his has aged a bit and I'm wrinkling up big time. In fact just the other day I tried to pull up a wrinkly sock only to discover I wasn't wearing any.

 

[ChickenLady2014]

There's a show on television tonight celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Charlie Brown's First Christmas Special.  Hard to believe it's been that long.  I must say he certainly is holding up well.  He doesn't look like his has aged a bit and I'm wrinkling up big time.  In fact just the other day I tried to pull up a wrinkly sock only to discover I wasn't wearing any.

 

[ChickenLady2014]

I ended up burying the khaki boy and girl next to each other and put an old xmas tree on top of them. I'm going to go out later and try to find a couple heavy rocks. 

My male pekin is looking a bit rough and seems to be in quite a bit of pain. working to get some pain meds sorted out for him and some antibiotics. Also cooking up some saline solution so I can wash wounds. 

One of the hardest part of this is knowing that the delicious egg I got yesterday was my first and last. I was so excited to finally be getting eggs from the ducks. 

I've been given the go ahead to fire at coyotes on the land behind me. I'm picking up something in writing later today

Sorry for your losses, we lost a couple hens to a bobcat this summer. It came back in broad daylight a few weekends ago. Luckily I haven't freeranged since it got the 2.

 

[Candy442]

I am devastated to report that my flock of 4 ducks was attacked this evening by what looked to be a fox. I've already lost one (my khaki that started laying today) and I currently have the remaining 3 in a bin treating wounds and hoping to stave off infection. The poor khaki girl died in my arms as I held her and tried to save her. I don't know what to do with her now, I don't want to eat her.

sorry to hear of your loss. So hard to deal with the first attack. We had three different loose dog attacks over the last two years. The first is always the worst, but sad. I only have chickens not ducks however. Hope you find the culprit. We nursed our Iowa rooster back to health after being half eaten by a stray dog. He survived and is still alive, but lame in one leg. We used penicillin shots and antibiotic creams at first and then silver nitrate burn cream so he could regrow skin. Good luck.

 

[1muttsfan]

Opa!