Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Folly's place]

So sorry for your losses. Please have the neighbor pay for those birds, not that it makes up for the loss of pets, butthere should be consequences for their dog's behavior. Report the attack to Animal Control, for the record. Electric fencing is hugely helpful; money from the dog owner should help pay for it. Hope the rest of your flock comes home tomorro. mary

 

[Amy PT]

Well gang, we discoverd fresh black bear paw prints along the power lines near our home and coop yesterday while out cutting firewood! Bad enough with the red tails, fox, bobcat, and coyote. Now we have a bear in the midst! We have a screened in florida room attached to the coop and its a safe have for the birds when we are not out there to watch them. Best thing I ever created for the chickens. Yes, our run is a sloppy mess also. Going to be very hard to deal with the winter months approaching. Pretty much a cooped up mess.

There was a bear north of GR last summer. It got in a coop, but ate the watermelon, and left the hens.

House full of tears this evening.
Drove the kids home to find the neighbors dogs inside our coop and no chickens in sight.
So far we've only found 1 body, and recovered four chickens (and Shelly, our Guinea who's up in a tree yelling at everyone.)
Kids have been crying all evening. Neighbor offered to pay for the chickens, but seems totally clueless that you can't just replace pets. I'm sure she wouldn't feel just money was adequate if one of her dogs was killed. The kids raised these guys from day old chicks and know each one personally. The dogs managed to break the fence poles around the run (two by fours with 2.5 inch screws?? I guess two big german shepherds can hit hard.) Ugh.
I'm hoping because there's only one body, and because she claims that the dogs were only out a few minutes, that the others might be hiding and will come back tomorrow when they feel it's safe. Keep your fingers crossed for us. We're still missing Raphael, Moriarty, Lucifer, Sheldon (though I know she's up a tree), Sam, Cass, and Dean. But it's now pitch black and cold out so finding them will be impossible now.

I hope the missing birds come back tomorrow. I'm so sorry. Our german shepherd is very interested in getting into the run and coop. I'm shocked that a dog - no matter how big - can break a 2x4. Wishing your family comfort.

 

[naglady]

nluoma so sorry about your loss...hoping the others return safe and sound..

thank you everyone for the Bd wishes..

lots of rain here..

 

[preciouskitty]

TC... That is just rude... Braggin about the sun. We are not to really see the sun in my are for the next week. I think it's Tee's fault. She posted the forecast.

Yeah, BUT, if you haven't spent much time in the Seattle area, ya need to understand the irony...

I used to go out there for work a lot. My big joke always was that Sept/Oct was my favorite time cuz I MIGHT get to see the sun, Cascades & Mt. Rainier...went out there in Sep one year & think it was one of the 2 weeks of the year that it DIDNT rain...

Gorgeous area, especially when it is clear & sunny...but, it was cloudy, misty, foggy the majority of the time for the two years I was spending a ton of time there!

First time I was pulling out if the Boeing parking lot & it was clear, there was Mt. Rainier...I was awestruck. And the Sound, on a clear sunny day....spectacular..

 

[preciouskitty]

House full of tears this evening.
Drove the kids home to find the neighbors dogs inside our coop and no chickens in sight.
So far we've only found 1 body, and recovered four chickens (and Shelly, our Guinea who's up in a tree yelling at everyone.)
Kids have been crying all evening. Neighbor offered to pay for the chickens, but seems totally clueless that you can't just replace pets. I'm sure she wouldn't feel just money was adequate if one of her dogs was killed. The kids raised these guys from day old chicks and know each one personally. The dogs managed to break the fence poles around the run (two by fours with 2.5 inch screws?? I guess two big german shepherds can hit hard.) Ugh.
I'm hoping because there's only one body, and because she claims that the dogs were only out a few minutes, that the others might be hiding and will come back tomorrow when they feel it's safe. Keep your fingers crossed for us. We're still missing Raphael, Moriarty, Lucifer, Sheldon (though I know she's up a tree), Sam, Cass, and Dean. But it's now pitch black and cold out so finding them will be impossible now.

I am so sorry for your loss, & also hope the others are just in hiding & will be (or are) safely home.

Sorry to hear ABOUT all the losses lately, but for some reason, the ones where neighbors' dogs get into coops/secured areas really seem to get to me. I know I take a chance at a loss from nature's predators when I free range...I get hawks being hawks, etc.

I have to agree that electric fence is probably not a bad idea..not that I have it around my coop & pen, but, when the cows are out grazing in the pasture next door, the fence on that side of my property is hot. My dog found that out five years ago & hasn't gone near it since.

 

[Peep-Chicken]

Before I had gotten chickens, our neighbors two doors down were watching a pittbull mix. Their neighbors had let their own dogs out and the Pitt saw them, broke the chain link and mauled one of hr dogs. The dog almost died and the Pitt is still alive somewhere. Ugh, I am sure that dog could have broken through my chickens fence....

 

[TTracy]

House full of tears this evening.
Drove the kids home to find the neighbors dogs inside our coop and no chickens in sight.
So far we've only found 1 body, and recovered four chickens (and Shelly, our Guinea who's up in a tree yelling at everyone.)
Kids have been crying all evening. Neighbor offered to pay for the chickens, but seems totally clueless that you can't just replace pets. I'm sure she wouldn't feel just money was adequate if one of her dogs was killed. The kids raised these guys from day old chicks and know each one personally. The dogs managed to break the fence poles around the run (two by fours with 2.5 inch screws?? I guess two big german shepherds can hit hard.) Ugh.
I'm hoping because there's only one body, and because she claims that the dogs were only out a few minutes, that the others might be hiding and will come back tomorrow when they feel it's safe. Keep your fingers crossed for us. We're still missing Raphael, Moriarty, Lucifer, Sheldon (though I know she's up a tree), Sam, Cass, and Dean. But it's now pitch black and cold out so finding them will be impossible now.

Woke up this morning thinking of you and hoping your flock has returned!

 

[tsetse9]

Yes, also woke up hoping for good news about the rest of your flock. Also been wondering, can't remember who it was that had to go talk to their neighbor about reimbursing them for the flock there neighbors dog destroyed. Just wondering how that turned out for you?

 

[Candy442]

House full of tears this evening.
Drove the kids home to find the neighbors dogs inside our coop and no chickens in sight.
So far we've only found 1 body, and recovered four chickens (and Shelly, our Guinea who's up in a tree yelling at everyone.)
Kids have been crying all evening. Neighbor offered to pay for the chickens, but seems totally clueless that you can't just replace pets. I'm sure she wouldn't feel just money was adequate if one of her dogs was killed. The kids raised these guys from day old chicks and know each one personally. The dogs managed to break the fence poles around the run (two by fours with 2.5 inch screws?? I guess two big german shepherds can hit hard.) Ugh.
I'm hoping because there's only one body, and because she claims that the dogs were only out a few minutes, that the others might be hiding and will come back tomorrow when they feel it's safe. Keep your fingers crossed for us. We're still missing Raphael, Moriarty, Lucifer, Sheldon (though I know she's up a tree), Sam, Cass, and Dean. But it's now pitch black and cold out so finding them will be impossible now.

I am SO SORRY to hear of your loss. I cried so hard the first dog attack when we lost our baby Bratty. We raised all of ours from chicks too. Then, about two months ago, another set of dogs 1/2 mile away crossed a farmers field and got my favorite problem hen, Diggie. She initially survived and didn't look too bad (lost all of her rear feathers, had tooth puncture between back and thigh that was clean through (one of the dogs a pitt mix/lab). She died about an hour later probably from internal injuries....cried again so hard.

This happened at 2pm when we were home and I spent the next hour searching the surrounding brush, woods, and field for the other 8. All eventually came out after I called them to have a treat, but they were well hid throughout the four acres around our 2 acres.

I hope they come back this morning...I would leave the coop open and hope for the best or call for them with some scratch (I got my flock used to rushing to me every time they see me because they know I am the "treat" lady).

 

[Candy442]

There was a bear north of GR last summer. It got in a coop, but ate the watermelon, and left the hens.

I hope the missing birds come back tomorrow. I'm so sorry. Our german shepherd is very interested in getting into the run and coop. I'm shocked that a dog - no matter how big - can break a 2x4. Wishing your family comfort.

Wow, in a way it doesn't surprise me the bear went for the watermelon instead. I hear they much prefer sweet fruit to meat if they have the opportunity. One more reason if you have bear around your place to make sure the yard has plenty of fruit around