New member here!

Strongflock

Chirping
Aug 25, 2019
17
70
59
SE Michigan
My Coop
My Coop
Hello all my name is Jacob and I am a new member the the BYC. The family and I decided we wanted to do a little back yard farming so we got some chickens and ducks. To be specific we have 2 pekin ducks, 5 amber links, 4 jersey giants (I think, I did not buy them) 3 Easter Eggers, 3 isa browns and 1 ameraucana. My wife has been banned from the chicken store...

I had chickens when I was younger but this is my very first own flock. I am just finishing up the final touches on the chicken palace. The flock stays in the coop for the night and they get to free range most of the day.

We lost one of our pekin ducks when she was about 3 months old she got foamy eye and then started having a bunch of seizures we did all we could but in the end she got called up to the big coop in the sky. That's when my wife decided we needed a duck and 7 more chicken to replace her...

Today we had a bit of a flock emergency while the flock was out roaming the yard and filling there belly with all the yummy greens and bugs a fox got ahold of my drake pekin. I was shocked because it happened in the middle of the afternoon, luckily I heard the commotion from all the other chickens and got out there before things got real bad. He has a couple puncture wounds on him, one bad one near his hind quarters just above his right leg and another on his left chest/ neck area. The fox was smaller so I think it was young and just looking for an easy meal.

We have put him in a brooding coop for the night and I have put some antibiotic ointment on the wounds. He seems in good spirits though still eating and drinking so I hope he will pull through I dont want to lose another duck.
My wife and I have a 6yr old daughter and we also have 2 small dogs one is a Boston terrier/ pug mix and the other is a yorkie/ Chihuahua. Anyway I just wanted to say Hi and thanks for all the great info I have found on this awesome group and now that I am a member it will be even better!
 
Last edited:
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
Sorry to hear about the fox attack and I hope your duck makes it.
Unfortunately, the fox will likely be back for another go.
Thank you for the welcome. Yes I will be a little more careful when they are out roaming around in the future, I am also going to set some live traps to see if I can catch him and relocate him.
 
Thank you for the welcome. Yes I will be a little more careful when they are out roaming around in the future, I am also going to set some live traps to see if I can catch him and relocate him.
Didn't he attack in broad daylight the first time? It will again. You have a large flock. It would be very difficult to keep an eye on them the entire time they are free ranging.
Do you at least have a secure run you could keep them in for 2 weeks or so until the fox moves on?
 
Didn't he attack in broad daylight the first time? It will again. You have a large flock. It would be very difficult to keep an eye on them the entire time they are free ranging.
Do you at least have a secure run you could keep them in for 2 weeks or so until the fox moves on?
Yes he went after them this afternoon. Yes they do have a run attached to their coop that they are in. I only let them free range when I am home, so they will stay in the coop a little more often and they will be more looked after when they are out. We have only seen a fox a few times since we moved in our house 2 years ago and that was late at night so I was a little thrown back when he came out in the middle of the afternoon.
 
:frow:welcome:frow
Welcome!! Glad to have you here!! Don't ban your wife from the chicken store yet! Chicken math has to settle in nicely before you gotta go that far!! :D
So sorry about your lost Pekin! And about the one that got attacked! Hope he recovers well! Does your daughter just love the chickens and ducks? My kiddos are absolutely smitten! Keep a close eye on that flock for a bit until the fox decides to find an easier meal elsewhere! They tend to come out during the day if they have pups. My mom has a family that lives under her deck and the Momma will teach and play with the pups during the day rather often.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom