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I am up to 43 quarts. More to do tomorrow
I am up to 43 quarts. More to do tomorrow
Michigan
- Thread starter Grammi
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Yup, I am glad we stayed home
Getting a lot done here that needed to be done!
Yup, I am glad we stayed home
It took until 6 pm, but I fixed the security breach. I dug up that whole section at the base of the coop down to the clay (24 inches down). nailed and screwed down hardware cloth reinforced with 1 x 1 cage wire, covered that with cement pavers and chunks of asphalt from a construction site dumpster, and topped it all with 20 inches of construction grade gravel (the stuff they used to use, not the junk they use now). The trap is set, and all I have to do is wait for it to come back, because it will come back, because
IT WAS STILL IN THE PEN THE WHOLE MORNING WHILE I WAS CLEANING UP ITS MESS!!!!!!!!
I went in the pen to grab some pavers I bought a couple of days ago, and I heard a noise come from some drainage tile pipe that was in there ( the bantams liked to sleep and play in it). I kicked the pipe, and that sucker shot out of there. It ran to the back corner of the cage and managed to shimmy up the fence before I could whack it again with a 2 x 4.
S.O.B.!
I not into cruelty towards animals, but I'm going to enjoy killing that thing.
Fortunately, the remaining chickens seem to be adjusting to the fact that two-thirds of their number are gone, but it will be a long time before they'll be themselves again, if ever. Poor chooks.
Oh, and thank you all for your condolences.
IT WAS STILL IN THE PEN THE WHOLE MORNING WHILE I WAS CLEANING UP ITS MESS!!!!!!!!
I went in the pen to grab some pavers I bought a couple of days ago, and I heard a noise come from some drainage tile pipe that was in there ( the bantams liked to sleep and play in it). I kicked the pipe, and that sucker shot out of there. It ran to the back corner of the cage and managed to shimmy up the fence before I could whack it again with a 2 x 4.
S.O.B.!
I not into cruelty towards animals, but I'm going to enjoy killing that thing.
Fortunately, the remaining chickens seem to be adjusting to the fact that two-thirds of their number are gone, but it will be a long time before they'll be themselves again, if ever. Poor chooks.
Oh, and thank you all for your condolences.
Last edited:
GotChicken? :
Well, I learned this morning the harsh lesson about coop security; you never know how good it is until something gets in. And something got in.
I went to check on my birds this morning, something I normally do before I go to work in the morning. Several of my birds normally perch on the window sills for the cool air, and they weren't there today. I initially thought it was because it was so cold. I opened the coop door to a massacre, my babies broken bodies scattered over the coop floor - and their murderer was with them. A two foot long mink, huge, was in a corner. If I had a clear head, I would have shut the door, gone into the house, and grabbed a shotgun. I was not clear-headed; I grabbed a 2 x2 I was planning to use for a roost and went after the SOB. I managed to clobber it four times before it got passed me, scrambled up the hardware cloth gate, and escaped.
I immediately checked for possible survivors, and there were two. Zuuhl, my Polish bantam who had been brooding in one of the nest boxes, and Squeaker, my OEGB roo, who escaped by flying into he solar light net array I had hooked into the underside of the roof. I put Squeaker into the broody coop with the Silkies and 4 of my 5 9 week olds. I brought Zuuhl into the house. Her eggs are due to hatch in the next few days, and so far she's still setting on them, but I'm getting my incubator ready just in case.
All in all, I lost 7 roosters and 12 hens (all of which were in lay or due to be in the next month). I was and still am furious and numb. I didn't start crying until I found Goomba, the Polish's 10 week old pullet chick, who had been spending the nights sleeping next to her mother in the nest box. That's when I lost it, and then again when I said goodbye to all of them as I buried them. Yes, I'm one of those who considers my chooks as pets first, they all had names and distinct personalities, and even with this horrible loss I don't regret loving them for one millisecond.
How'd it get in?
Background first: Over the last 3 months, I lost 3 birds to free ranging. The only time I found a body was the first attack, a bantam Ameracauna roo. All I found was a headless body and signs of weasel attack (should have considered looking higher in the family tree). I bought a trap and set it up where I found the body, but after 2 weeks all I caught was the same baby possum twice. Several times the bait was taken or the trap was set off without sign of the perpetrator, but I (unfortunately) chalked that up to a coon. My mistake in hindsight; the trap was too small. Three weeks after the roo was killed, a hen disappeared without a trace. Last week, another hen disappeared. And finally, after 12 weeks of searching, the mink found a breach in my defenses. A small gap between two large rocks buried at the base of the coop. It managed to dig out the dirt, squeeze under, get into a pallet construct wall, and waltz in. There was no hole there yesterday, it was done last night.
And my Dad just mentioned to me now that he noticed that almost all but one of the squirrels we had hanging around have vanished, and that the wild bird population has dropped significantly. This thing must have been killing like crazy around here.
So even with my window open a smidge I heard nothing, but the dog knew something had happened. When I woke up she was desperate to go outside, and several minutes later I found out why. That's what hurts the most: While I slept a hundred feet away, my birds were being slaughtered. I even woke up at midnight to use the bathroom, and never heard a sound.
I just wish my birds hadn't had to die such a horrible death so I could find out where the weak point was at. But now I know, and today I'll be getting more hardware cloth, cement pavers, and a big trap baited with some its victims (they'll get their vengeance in the afterlife). After I get done today, my birds should truly be safe within those walls. Remember, it took 3 months for the mink to find a way in; if it hadn't discovered the gap I wouldn't be writing this.
I would like some advice. I have 11 eggs in the 'frigde that were laid the last three days. They are fertile. Is it too late in the year to try to incubate and hatch them out? It will be December by the time the resulting little ones would be ready to go outside.
Addendum: The chickens that are left are still very nervous. Even though they werent't involved in the attack, I'm sure they heard exactly what happened. I also feel bad for poor Squeaker. He keeps running around the yard trying to find his "family", crowing like crazy in hopes of a response.
So sorry!! My chickens are my pets too. I understand the heatbreak.
Well, I learned this morning the harsh lesson about coop security; you never know how good it is until something gets in. And something got in.
I went to check on my birds this morning, something I normally do before I go to work in the morning. Several of my birds normally perch on the window sills for the cool air, and they weren't there today. I initially thought it was because it was so cold. I opened the coop door to a massacre, my babies broken bodies scattered over the coop floor - and their murderer was with them. A two foot long mink, huge, was in a corner. If I had a clear head, I would have shut the door, gone into the house, and grabbed a shotgun. I was not clear-headed; I grabbed a 2 x2 I was planning to use for a roost and went after the SOB. I managed to clobber it four times before it got passed me, scrambled up the hardware cloth gate, and escaped.
I immediately checked for possible survivors, and there were two. Zuuhl, my Polish bantam who had been brooding in one of the nest boxes, and Squeaker, my OEGB roo, who escaped by flying into he solar light net array I had hooked into the underside of the roof. I put Squeaker into the broody coop with the Silkies and 4 of my 5 9 week olds. I brought Zuuhl into the house. Her eggs are due to hatch in the next few days, and so far she's still setting on them, but I'm getting my incubator ready just in case.
All in all, I lost 7 roosters and 12 hens (all of which were in lay or due to be in the next month). I was and still am furious and numb. I didn't start crying until I found Goomba, the Polish's 10 week old pullet chick, who had been spending the nights sleeping next to her mother in the nest box. That's when I lost it, and then again when I said goodbye to all of them as I buried them. Yes, I'm one of those who considers my chooks as pets first, they all had names and distinct personalities, and even with this horrible loss I don't regret loving them for one millisecond.
How'd it get in?
Background first: Over the last 3 months, I lost 3 birds to free ranging. The only time I found a body was the first attack, a bantam Ameracauna roo. All I found was a headless body and signs of weasel attack (should have considered looking higher in the family tree). I bought a trap and set it up where I found the body, but after 2 weeks all I caught was the same baby possum twice. Several times the bait was taken or the trap was set off without sign of the perpetrator, but I (unfortunately) chalked that up to a coon. My mistake in hindsight; the trap was too small. Three weeks after the roo was killed, a hen disappeared without a trace. Last week, another hen disappeared. And finally, after 12 weeks of searching, the mink found a breach in my defenses. A small gap between two large rocks buried at the base of the coop. It managed to dig out the dirt, squeeze under, get into a pallet construct wall, and waltz in. There was no hole there yesterday, it was done last night.
And my Dad just mentioned to me now that he noticed that almost all but one of the squirrels we had hanging around have vanished, and that the wild bird population has dropped significantly. This thing must have been killing like crazy around here.
So even with my window open a smidge I heard nothing, but the dog knew something had happened. When I woke up she was desperate to go outside, and several minutes later I found out why. That's what hurts the most: While I slept a hundred feet away, my birds were being slaughtered. I even woke up at midnight to use the bathroom, and never heard a sound.
I just wish my birds hadn't had to die such a horrible death so I could find out where the weak point was at. But now I know, and today I'll be getting more hardware cloth, cement pavers, and a big trap baited with some its victims (they'll get their vengeance in the afterlife). After I get done today, my birds should truly be safe within those walls. Remember, it took 3 months for the mink to find a way in; if it hadn't discovered the gap I wouldn't be writing this.
I would like some advice. I have 11 eggs in the 'frigde that were laid the last three days. They are fertile. Is it too late in the year to try to incubate and hatch them out? It will be December by the time the resulting little ones would be ready to go outside.
Addendum: The chickens that are left are still very nervous. Even though they werent't involved in the attack, I'm sure they heard exactly what happened. I also feel bad for poor Squeaker. He keeps running around the yard trying to find his "family", crowing like crazy in hopes of a response.
So sorry!! My chickens are my pets too. I understand the heatbreak.
GotChicken? :
It took until 6 pm, but I fixed the security breach. I dug up that whole section at the base of the coop down to the clay (24 inches down). nailed and screwed down hardware cloth reinforced with 1 x 1 cage wire, covered that with cement pavers and chunks of asphalt from a construction site dumpster, and topped it all with 20 inches of construction grade gravel (the stuff they used to use, not the junk they use now). The trap is set, and all I have to do is wait for it to come back, because it will come back, because
IT WAS STILL IN THE PEN THE WHOLE MORNING WHILE I WAS CLEANING UP ITS MESS!!!!!!!!
I went in the pen to grab some pavers I bought a couple of days ago, and I heard a noise come from some drainage tile pipe that was in there ( the bantams liked to sleep and play in it). I kicked the pipe, and that sucker shot out of there. It ran to the back corner of the cage and managed to shimmy up the fence before I could whack it again with a 2 x 4.
S.O.B.!
I not into cruelty towards animals, but I'm going to enjoy killing that thing.
Fortunately, the remaining chickens seem to be adjusting to the fact that two-thirds of their number are gone, but it will be a long time before they'll be themselves again, if ever. Poor chooks.
Oh, and thank you all for your condolences.
GET EM!!!
It took until 6 pm, but I fixed the security breach. I dug up that whole section at the base of the coop down to the clay (24 inches down). nailed and screwed down hardware cloth reinforced with 1 x 1 cage wire, covered that with cement pavers and chunks of asphalt from a construction site dumpster, and topped it all with 20 inches of construction grade gravel (the stuff they used to use, not the junk they use now). The trap is set, and all I have to do is wait for it to come back, because it will come back, because
IT WAS STILL IN THE PEN THE WHOLE MORNING WHILE I WAS CLEANING UP ITS MESS!!!!!!!!
I went in the pen to grab some pavers I bought a couple of days ago, and I heard a noise come from some drainage tile pipe that was in there ( the bantams liked to sleep and play in it). I kicked the pipe, and that sucker shot out of there. It ran to the back corner of the cage and managed to shimmy up the fence before I could whack it again with a 2 x 4.
S.O.B.!
I not into cruelty towards animals, but I'm going to enjoy killing that thing.
Fortunately, the remaining chickens seem to be adjusting to the fact that two-thirds of their number are gone, but it will be a long time before they'll be themselves again, if ever. Poor chooks.
Oh, and thank you all for your condolences.
Well, I didn't get the response I thought I would so I'm hoping someone here can help me!! Please!!!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=395112
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=395112
Got chicken, I hope you get that darn mink!!! I feel for you.
Keyt1969 It almost looks like someone in your group might be picking at the new feathers. You might need to sit and watch and see if someone is picking on her. I don't have ducks, but the chickens will keep it up once there is blood. It looks like I have a feather picker in my coop myself.
Edited to add
to Wylie!!! And a little
Actually 40 quarts is plenty for us. My parents split the tomatoes with us and they put down 36 quarts of tomato juice on Friday. We have enough juice left from last year that we need to use up.
Keyt1969 It almost looks like someone in your group might be picking at the new feathers. You might need to sit and watch and see if someone is picking on her. I don't have ducks, but the chickens will keep it up once there is blood. It looks like I have a feather picker in my coop myself.
Edited to add
Actually 40 quarts is plenty for us. My parents split the tomatoes with us and they put down 36 quarts of tomato juice on Friday. We have enough juice left from last year that we need to use up.
Last edited:
Hi everyone Im from Washington Twp, Michigan. Almost lost my 4 month old silkie today from drowning in a duck pond(baby pool) One of the ducks must have chased her in there and could not get out. My 2 year old son found her life less bobbing in the water and my father pulled her out and laid her in the coop till I got home from getting some supplies.
I received a call stating that she had died, and come to what may, when my husband and I found her in the run flat on her side soaked , just before I was gong to bury her, she opened her mouth and I thought OMG I think she is still alive.
I hurred up and grabbed some nutra cal that I use on my dog and suringed her with my husbands help and massaged her in a towel. Then she was still cool to the touch and not moving so I got a hair dryer and my husband blow dryed her feathers and her mouth started to move again.
I saw a glimmer of hope when her head started to move and her eyes blinked after 1 1/2 hours. I put her in a rubbermade container and filled with dry bedding with little food and water to let her recover. I hoped.
I ate dinner and checked on her a hour later and to my surprise she was standing up and chirpping. HURRRAYYYYY!!
I put her back in her nesting box and I hope tommarrow she will be alright. She seems to be coming around, Lets pray!!!
I just started with chickens in May 2010 so I hope this will be a good ending to the story!!
I received a call stating that she had died, and come to what may, when my husband and I found her in the run flat on her side soaked , just before I was gong to bury her, she opened her mouth and I thought OMG I think she is still alive.
I hurred up and grabbed some nutra cal that I use on my dog and suringed her with my husbands help and massaged her in a towel. Then she was still cool to the touch and not moving so I got a hair dryer and my husband blow dryed her feathers and her mouth started to move again.
I saw a glimmer of hope when her head started to move and her eyes blinked after 1 1/2 hours. I put her in a rubbermade container and filled with dry bedding with little food and water to let her recover. I hoped.
I ate dinner and checked on her a hour later and to my surprise she was standing up and chirpping. HURRRAYYYYY!!
I put her back in her nesting box and I hope tommarrow she will be alright. She seems to be coming around, Lets pray!!!
I just started with chickens in May 2010 so I hope this will be a good ending to the story!!
Quote:
I saved a 3 month old barred rock today who fell in the in-ground duck pond today. One of my 2 month old call ducks had a badly injured wing, bloody and all so I rushed her into the house to show my boyfriend. When I came back out, the chick was floating in the pond. So, I picked him up, brought him in the house and held him in the towl. He was barely holding his head up and his eyes were closed. I thought for sure he was going to die. But, I've saved MANY rescue animals so I don't give up hope easily. I rubbed his head and back all while keeping him wrapped in a towl, then put him and the towel on a heating pad on low. About an hour later he was eating. Once he started eating I figured he was fine and I put him back with his brothers and sisters and he's been fine since.
Oh what a day!
I saved a 3 month old barred rock today who fell in the in-ground duck pond today. One of my 2 month old call ducks had a badly injured wing, bloody and all so I rushed her into the house to show my boyfriend. When I came back out, the chick was floating in the pond. So, I picked him up, brought him in the house and held him in the towl. He was barely holding his head up and his eyes were closed. I thought for sure he was going to die. But, I've saved MANY rescue animals so I don't give up hope easily. I rubbed his head and back all while keeping him wrapped in a towl, then put him and the towel on a heating pad on low. About an hour later he was eating. Once he started eating I figured he was fine and I put him back with his brothers and sisters and he's been fine since.
Oh what a day!
I hear that, Its been a long day here to!! Glad to hear that your little one is ok to. Now im just concerned. I had to put the ducks on the outside of the run so there is no protection except there dog house. We do live in a sub so I hope that they will be ok not being penned up at night. I just do not want to go thru this again. Im going to have to chance it or fnd a home for the ducks. I just dont know.
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