Minnesota!

[KlopKlop]

A shitty way to start the day. The hen who insisted on laying her eggs in the barn had an unwelcome visitor





this morning I threw out straw and added some mealworms and scratch grains.
Happy gals!

I lost a hen last night too! how crappy. I HAD a barred rock who frequently wouldnt come in at night. she liked to stay in the corn crib tunnel. well that was her undoing last night. Feathers everywhere but no blood or carcass. Will head out after lunch to investigate for prints and a trail. It is hard as there are piles of people and dog tracks all over from us so it may be hard.

I suspect a coon maybe went in and drug her out of the crib. I will be setting live traps tonight to see what i catch.

 

[scandiafowl]

@KlopKlop

Gosh darn it all! I'm sorry!

I'm pretty sure she was in the barn laying an egg and caught off guard, there is a pile of feathers by her eggs as well. She probably tried to make a run for the coop where the second pile of feathers is. There is no blood anywhere, nor a carcass. Dog, fox or coyote.

 

[Minniechickmama]

When you have one of those ones who won't stay where they are safe, you are eventually going to lose them if predators lurk. Sorry you lost her.

@lala it is better news every day for Goldie. You have done more for her than I think I would have bothered with. If she has pin feathers coming in, she should be back to herself (looks) soon.

I am still wondering when a couple of my Cornish hens is going to blow their feathers. I can tell from the color that they might be doing so soon, but so far they are holding onto them.

 

[KlopKlop]

poor buck looking for his lost mate....


The prints i found. fox? or maybe small coyote? seems bigger than a cat, plus the stride was too big.



THe scene of the crime where the chicken was chased until caught. see the wing imprints in the snow while it was trying to fly away.

 

[lalaland]

aw, scandia and klopklop, I am so sorry about your hens. such sad news.


Goldie's Liberation Day turned out just fine. After I warmed up I went back to the coop. One of the bossy hens chased Goldie out of the coop, so I spent an hour laying on my belly in the snow watching the drama under the coop. She did fine. Rooster chased her a bit, then finally dropped a wing and danced for her. She shunned him and he let it go. She was determined to dust bathe and did so despite the bossier hens chasing her out of each and every dust bath she started. She was eating well, managed to get up to the coop a couple of times, so.....I think she has rejoined the flock.

I got the silkie out of the nest box and brought her out. Watched to see what was going on. the same bossy hen (red sex link) that chased Goldie out of the coop was fairly relentless in chasing the silkie. So I think she is hiding out in the nest box for some peace and quiet. She has had a full crop every night that I've checked.

Its the winter thing - the run shrinks when there is snow and they don't use 90% of it. Not enough room really to get away.

I think this summer I will make a small coop and run for the quiet shy ones so they can have peace and quiet. Maybe use some of blanch ranch's fine grating for that, I sure have plenty. Plus the extra runs for the quails.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I have a NH rooster who had feather mites really bad last week. I pulled him from the other birds and put him in a small coop to clear up after treating him with Adams Flea and Tick spray on the spots that were the worst, then gave him a dose of the topical stuff I started using that is like Frontline but cheaper (Sentry from Fleet Farm).
He has been able to go in and out of the coop at will but has been staying inside for the last few days. Today he was begging to get back in with the girls and looking SO much better. So, I let him in. He went to town on the food, even though he had plenty at his disposal where he was. I will be using him to breed in one pen and a younger cockerel in the other once everyone is back to laying and in their appropriate pens. I have all the breeds split right now, but not down to separation for each male I will be using. With the increase in eggs this week though, that will happen soon. I need to trim back all the fluff on the Cochins too so they will breed better. Such a not fun part of this job

 

[KlopKlop]

I found the carcass of my barred rock. I searched the crib this evening at lockup to make sure nobody else stayed out and found her in the back corner behind our camper. Something drug it back there and gnawed on it. looks like most of the guts are eaten (sorry if that grosses anyone out). SO now I am back to thinking cat or coon, maybe a fox, but i dont know that much about fox habits. I am going to go out and set my traps in a little bit. I wanted to get the girls all locked up before i did so i dont catch any chickens

time to eradicate my predator issues!

 

[KlopKlop]

The trap is laid with chicken bones/trimmings from making noodle soup today. Off to date night with my lovely wifey and will see what happens!

 

[scandiafowl]

The trap is laid with chicken bones/trimmings from making noodle soup today. Off to date night with my lovely wifey and will see what happens!

Did a farm walkabout today - no carcass.

 

[Coffee 1st]

@KlopKlop

Gosh darn it all! I'm sorry!

I'm pretty sure she was in the barn laying an egg and caught off guard, there is a pile of feathers by her eggs as well. She probably tried to make a run for the coop where the second pile of feathers is. There is no blood anywhere, nor a carcass. Dog, fox or coyote.

sorry about your girl... when the Hawk got my girl there was no blood or carcass i just found feathers...