New here, broken heart....need help, please

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I'm so sorry...I'm sending a hug your way. I'm glad you're willing to try again!Listen, dog houses with lockable doors are wonderful...until you can build a coop...dog runs that are 6' high are great too...but, you need to add a roof or some type of barrier at the top of the run to keep out trouble makers. Always lock up the chickens at night.

As far as the little bantam goes...could she have been a Black Cochin or even a Mottled Cochin? Check out pictures of them and see what you think. They are very sweet and tame. I just love them. I wish you the best...again, I'm so very sorry this had to happen to you and your babies. Things will get better!

 

[YakLady]

Thanks so much to all of you for your kind words. Our new coop is almost done. If only they had made it another week!

Wynette, my yak ranch is in a rural suburb of Detroit.... Salem Township, next to Northville and Plymouth. Sorry, since I'm new at this I have to figure out how to upload a pic. Once I figure it out, I'll post some. We love visitors, so stop in if you're ever in the area!

JoJo, I think maybe she was a black cochin...thanks for that.

Eggs4Sale, believe me.... If I thought it the coons would get the message, I would soooooo do as the Romans did!

Thanks to all of you for the links to various sites, too. I plan to check them all out.

Many blessings,
Cayce

 

[babymakes6]

It sounds like you had a black Cochin. I only have two white ones, but I will post a picture of them so you can compare them to your chick. I am so sorry for your loss.

Oh, welcome to BYC!

 

[YakLady]

Ok, think I've got it.

Wynette, here are some pics:

My little Petunia (the little black one)is in this picture, but she was so tiny it's hard to see her. She's in between the two big girls.

This is me with one of my 'big brothers', hanging out with some of the yak.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Hi There Yaklady...I enjoyed your pictures. I just love critters so it was fun to see your yaks. I'm surprised...I thought they would be much bigger. Thanks for sharing...

I'm glad that you think you've narrowed down the search for the type of little bantam you're looking for. I really like the cochins a lot. But, heck...if it's sweet, calm, friendly and laid back...I like em all! I have some Wyandottes that are super sweet too.

Best rergards, Joni

 

[ChooksChick]

I agree, you likely had a black cochin- here's my Mrs. Howell:

I thought various stages of her chick-hood would help you determine if that was what yours was.

The little red guy next to her is Mr. Howell.

I love my little Banty Cochin and definitely would get more if I could.

I'm so sorry you lost your friends. There are lots of things we must do to build bullet-proof...I mean predator-proof coops. I lean toward extreme measures and pray a lot...and may God have mercy on anything that ever touches my feathered friends, because I doubt I'll have any mercy in my heart.

Definitely get more, and we're delighted to have you here!

 

[Judy]

Feathersite has good pics of chicks of various breeds:

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKBabyChicks.html

 

[Silkiefan]

I'm still new to other breeds -- AKA those that I don't have or weren't raised with, so I'm only guessing that your little black one might have been a "Black Star"??
And, may I add my condolences for your loss, please get more chicks and try again. Chickens are good for your soul!

lastly,

 

[YakLady]

Awwww, ChooksChick, your babies are absolutely adorable! *sniff*

Yes, Petunia looked just like that, except she was all black.

Update: Weird thing happened last night. A friend was over, helping my husband with some chores. As he was leaving, he saw a young coon hanging out by the barn. He somehow shoo'ed it into the garage and closed the door. He ran inside to tell me, so of course I immediately grab the BB gun. "Revenge is mine!!!!!", I thought. As I got out there, though, my husband had opened the garage door and was letting it out. He told me that it was way too small and young to have been the culprit. He didn't think it would be right to kill it. *Sigh* Darn his morals. LOL! I told him that its mother probably was the culprit and we should have held it hostage.

Believe me, I've learned my lesson. The new coop has wire that goes down 2 ft deep, and has a roof. The inside portion is actually one corner of an outbuilding that also serves as a 3-car garage. It's reinforced floor to ceiling. My husband wants to tile it at an angle and install a drain soon so we can go in and just hose it out. I won't be able to stand that kind of sadness again, so I will make sure that the next group of chicks is safe.

 

[SallyF]

So sorry about your chix. Don't worry about long posts; reading your story helps people facing the same situation. I just lost two hens and had a rooster mangled by a coon last week. He's recovering, but he ain't the bird he used to be, now that he's minus most of a beak and all of his comb. I'd give anything to hear him crow again. Your new coop sounds like a fortress so hopefully you won't go through this again. Try not to read too much in Predators/Pests and the Illness/Injury section. You begin to think that all is lost; just read it in small doses.