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cmf12230 said:
Yesterday morning I went out to let the girls out and counted them as they hopped out to enjoy a beautiful day of free ranging while my fiancé and I cleaned the house and worked on the bazzilion things that needed to be done around the house. Well when I counted them I was one short which I quickly determined was one of my leghorn roosters. I thought it was strange but figured maybe he got lost in the woods and didn't make it back for bed last night or maybe he became part of the food chain... :( I wasn't thrilled about losing him who would be but I know that realistically I take a risk when I let them free range. Well around noon my fiancée starts screaming for me to come outside. And low and behold there is a red fox being chased off by him. It didn't deter him that in had my golden retriever out or that he was outside at all. :/ which makes me a little nervous as I have a two year old and four year old that are usually down by the coop feeding the chickens and trying to catch them throughout the day.... Anyways I tried to bribe the girls in after the fox was chased off and had no luck they were hiding in the brush. So I chained the golden retriever at the coop (she can't be off leash or she takes off :rolleyes: ) and the chickens all layed with her the rest of the day... My final loss for the day was an additional 5, two hens and three more Roos... Now six chickens to one fox within 24 hrs isn't the part food chain I want to play. At this rate my girls would be wiped out in a matter of days! So we followed feather trails didn't really find anything but I guess we will set up some traps. And I will start looking for replacement chicks. The girls are locked in today. And tomorrow when I'm home all day I will open my run back up and put the dog down there for the day but I'm definitely hesitant to let them free range again till we catch him. Ugh. This part of chicken owning sucks!!!!
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Sounds like a momma feeding babies. They get really brave when they have babies to feed.
 
cmf12230 said:

Yeah that's what we were thinking. I never would have had imagined losing five in one day to a fox but desperate times....
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Fox are sly. I hope you get them.
Not sure of the area you live in and your familiarity with firearms, but "lead poisoning" is sometimes the best option if possible when they are brazen enough to come out when you're around.

Trapping them can be tough, although when they are feeding young they take more chances.
 
chiques chicks said:
cmf12230 said:

Yeah that's what we were thinking. I never would have had imagined losing five in one day to a fox but desperate times....
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Fox are sly. I hope you get them.
Not sure of the area you live in and your familiarity with firearms, but "lead poisoning" is sometimes the best option if possible when they are brazen enough to come out when you're around.

Trapping them can be tough, although when they are feeding young they take more chances.
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Leg traps baited with canned cat or dog food or tuna/salmon work pretty well to get them to hold still to administer the lead poisoning.
 
Chicadoodle said:
I have an over abundance of fertile guinea eggs! They are hatching mostly pied and white, plus pearl and lavender. $20/dozen plus extras! Getting five a day, fertility has been 100%. Anyone interested? Chester County, Coatesville area.
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I wish I could take some off or your hands or buy some keets, but you are too far away for me and I don't have an incubator yet. Yet...hee hee.

So, just some thoughts that might stir some fond memories for those of you who have been doing this a while:

Things I am learning about chickens:

1. Small chickens can rush you like NFL linebackers if they think you have something that they might want to eat.

2. It is a slightly scary, yet pleasant surprise that first time one of your chickens decides it likes you enough to fly up and hitch a ride on you.

3. You know that one roo? That one you don't really care for a whole lot? He must have a sense about that, because he is the one who suddenly decides that curling up in your hands and going to sleep every time you pick him up is a good strategy. Yes, I've fallen in love with my first roo. I have a few, but Henry has decided to distinguish his little self among the group. (Smart little devil.)

4. It's amusing when friends or family arrive and say things like, "What's wrong with that chicken?" (What chicken?) "The one laying down?!?" (It's just laying down.) "Are you sure it isn't sick???" (Yep, just laying down. They do that.) Good thing they didn't see them when they were tiny and always looked dead every time they stretched out to sleep!
 
stake said:
Hey Chica:

Am hatching some of you CCLs....(and had to rehome one of your roos....) need any to breed back to your flock? I have two other blood lines in the mix....
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Tom? I appreciate the offer but do not have room for CCLs right now- I just kept three hens for their beautiful eggs! We finally got some nicer chanterclers, plan to breed them again and have turkeys and silkies coming out of our ears!!! We have a huge order coming from Porters if anyone wants poults!!!
 

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