NY chicken lover!!!!

[Glasshen]

Oh, Lady H! I am so sad. What a heartbreaking week.

 

[cutipatooti]

Sorry for the absence. Chaos here.  My nests were suddenly getting robbed. Lousette lost half her clutch, but was too far into incubation for me to move her.  My muscovies decided to nest under the porch where I couldn't get at them,but have not been able to establish a nest.  A few days ago  I went out to the aviary to find most of the quail in pieces, everywhere.  Penny the pheasant had abandoned her nest, as did the quail.  There was no obvious point of entry anywhere. I grabbed the eggs and put them into the incubators, but I have no idea how long they had been cold.  They filled all my reserved space and overflowed into the hatcher, but it may well be a total loss. The following day, Lousette  hatched out her goslings, so I moved her, Aramis, and the family inside into the grow out pen... and waited.  No alerts, but the next day the remaining quail were gone. Narcissus was now lame and neglecting his yard defense. I found a small hole in the corner of the aviary where the fence was not buried as deep and with as much overlap and placed a snare.  It was small enough to easily catch a skunk. The next day, I looked out to see Prince loose and too terrified to catch.  The snare was not tripped, and just below it was a tiny hole leading down. Penny was spread over 250 square feet of aviary.  It was horrific. Skunks usually cannot catch healthy adult pheasants, so I am suspecting a weasel, especially with the miniscule point of entry.  My half grown chickens are penned at night, but will have to be locked up, since they weigh as much as the pheasants and are now in danger.  Over the course of a week, nearly my entire game bird population was destroyed.
But wait.... there's more... I came inside after the first quail massacre to find the power off on incubator 2 and the hatcher...  Incubator 2, which held all my sebastapols, toulouse, and pilgrims.  It's now day 31.  No movement. No pips.  They are larger geese, so up to 35 days' incubation is not unheard of, but I am not optimistic.  I am pretty sure at least one sebastpol egg is definitely gone.

So, my week was marked by the death of all but three of my adult game birds, one of which is now AWOL, and I now have two incubators full of eggs, one likely completely full of dead geese, and the other, likely half filled with dead game birds.  I am beside myself.... 

So very sorry for your loss

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

Oh my goodness! That must have been an awful sight! I can't imagine the carnage...

. Will you be able to recover to fill your orders??

I won't be able to sell quail eggs unless I buy more eggs from another breeder and start fresh. I'm now a full year behind with the pheasants. I was already behind with the ducks, and will probably have to pen the Muscovies and Pekins inside if I want to keep collecting eggs. My moulard production slows things down because they have such a low fertility rate at baseline (40% or lower). Only 1/4 of my moulards hatched, and my 85 year old mother with dementia let a cat into the incubator room, resulting in the loss of one of those as well. I hate to pen everyone up inside, but it may have to happen. If I am lucky I can find some good pekin hens at the local swap this Sunday to swell the ranks. I thinned my flock down last year for the winter, but didn't compensate for catastrophic loss. Currently, the chickens are the only ones turning a profit for me, and I specialize in waterfowl!

 

[Metella]

Lady Hawke - so sorry ! weasles are indeed my biggest fear .... nothing but new hardware cloth will keep them out .... and even that can be pulled up


So sorry.

 

[Purpletie3]

Ladyhawke...I am very sorry for your loss. I would have wailed so loud they would have heard me in the Village. I wish I had some of your offspring to send back to you....

 

[Gilly522]

My spitzhaubens are great layers of med-large white eggs. They did well over our miserable winter and are fun birds. They're smart and talkative and I love them. I currently have several 5 week old chicks I'm looking to move as they've been hatching like crazy here.

Wow They are beautiful birds! I wish i only wanted white eggs but i want to try and get a variety of colors and not sure i will be able to find other similar in age and the wife really likes them as chicks thanks though i will have to keep this breed in mind!

 

[chicken stalker]

Some of you have been waiting a long time for these
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/758226/auction-lavender-wheaten-project-ameraucana-eggs

Ends Saturday 8pm EST

 

[horsekeeper]

If I am lucky I can find some good pekin hens at the local swap this Sunday to swell the ranks.

So sad for such horrific losses. Perhaps a box trap would work to catch the culprit so you can destroy it.

I have adult pekins for sale. If you are interested message me.

 

[Tab's chicken obsession]

I won't be able to sell quail eggs unless I buy more eggs from another breeder and start fresh. I'm now a full year behind with the pheasants.  I was already behind with the ducks, and will probably have to pen the Muscovies and Pekins inside if I want to keep collecting eggs.  My moulard production slows things down because they have such a low fertility rate at baseline (40% or lower).  Only 1/4 of my moulards hatched, and my 85 year old mother with dementia let a cat into the incubator room, resulting in the loss of one of those as well.  I hate to pen everyone up inside, but it may have to happen.  If I am lucky I can find some good pekin hens at the local swap this Sunday to swell the ranks.  I thinned my flock down last year for the winter, but didn't compensate for catastrophic loss. Currently, the chickens are the only ones turning a profit for me, and I specialize in waterfowl!

I have 3 pekin hens on eggs right now. I should have babies in a few weeks if you're interested.

 

[LadyHawkeAvry]

I have 3 pekin hens on eggs right now. I should have babies in a few weeks if you're interested.

I would love some - and I'm relatively close to you - around an hour away! Let me know when they arrive!!!!