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:sob: my laying pen is down to half it's occupancy in the past month. Lost 2 to spurring and 2 more to predators. Caught a predator in the act last night as I went out to get Romeo for his spur trimming... it was the meat chicks first night out in the chicken tractor and the silly birds were sleeping up against the side. Something (that ran like a cat but headed towards the woods instead of the houses when spooked) took off when I went out there to check on chick noises... it had already reached through the fencing and ripped the wing off a chick.

Then this morning when I went out to feed them I found my SLW Wynonna was gone, just a pile of feathers. I'm so mad... the girls had been escaping their run since we went on vacation (more than just the troublemakers Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum) and since our neighbor is having a fit about them, hubs insisted we put the escapees in the turkey pen. It's covered, but there's no coop. I've been sealing every escape route because the Tweedles are freaking ninjas and keep getting out somehow, but something managed to find a way in last night even after I scared the other predator off the chicken tractor and hubs had camped out for a bit and a shot an opossum with the pellet gun.

Why do the predators always take my favorites? The SLW and my OE - the prettiest girl and the prettiest egg. :'(

Talk to me in very basic terms about how I could run a hot wire around my pens to keep predators out. I'm handy, but not savvy at all when it comes to electrical stuff. What would I need to buy, where should I place the wire, how do I power it, can I set it so it's only electrified at night (I don't need to be shocking my toddler and I don't have predator issues during the day)?
 
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In more positive news, it's hatch day for our second batch of meat chicks and a dozen BBW turkeys are on their way to us in the mail. We had 2 chicks out last night and several external pips... we now have 8 chicks out and 2 more zipping. Started out with ~20 eggs and never got around to even candling them or removing clears because we were so busy with vacation, etc.
 
emorems0 said:
In more positive news, it's hatch day for our second batch of meat chicks and a dozen BBW turkeys are on their way to us in the mail. We had 2 chicks out last night and several external pips... we now have 8 chicks out and 2 more zipping. Started out with ~20 eggs and never got around to even candling them or removing clears because we were so busy with vacation, etc.
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I hope you have a great hatch! :fl
 
fisherlady said:
Congratulations! Size of the field doesn't Matter!
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Ah yes...the ole 'size doesn't matter' lol. We did have lots of fun at the Fair, ate our share of donuts and we'll be back again today to check out the goat show.

@kie4 There was a Poultry Show on Monday night. It's a nice little fair to try out showing, especially for kids as they have beautiful ribbons and not a whole lot of competition. I caught a little bit of the pet show, it was a RIOT. Someone took a light colored calf and painted white dots all over her so she looked exactly like a deer fawn.

@fangedknight We belong to Lebanon Valley Poultry Fanciers, it's over 2 hours from me, but the closest Adult Poultry Club. They've got a great group of people and a really large fall show with tons of monetary prizes.
 
emorems0 said:
:sob: my laying pen is down to half it's occupancy in the past month. Lost 2 to spurring and 2 more to predators. Caught a predator in the act last night as I went out to get Romeo for his spur trimming... it was the meat chicks first night out in the chicken tractor and the silly birds were sleeping up against the side. Something (that ran like a cat but headed towards the woods instead of the houses when spooked) took off when I went out there to check on chick noises... it had already reached through the fencing and ripped the wing off a chick.

Then this morning when I went out to feed them I found my SLW Wynonna was gone, just a pile of feathers. I'm so mad... the girls had been escaping their run since we went on vacation (more than just the troublemakers Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum) and since our neighbor is having a fit about them, hubs insisted we put the escapees in the turkey pen. It's covered, but there's no coop. I've been sealing every escape route because the Tweedles are freaking ninjas and keep getting out somehow, but something managed to find a way in last night even after I scared the other predator off the chicken tractor and hubs had camped out for a bit and a shot an opossum with the pellet gun.

Why do the predators always take my favorites? The SLW and my OE - the prettiest girl and the prettiest egg. :'(

Talk to me in very basic terms about how I could run a hot wire around my pens to keep predators out. I'm handy, but not savvy at all when it comes to electrical stuff. What would I need to buy, where should I place the wire, how do I power it, can I set it so it's only electrified at night (I don't need to be shocking my toddler and I don't have predator issues during the day)?
Click to expand...
"The Tweedles are freaking Ninjas" That's funny. I haven't used hot wire here....yet. It's my dream to have an acre or two hot wired in the future. I keep the predators out of my runs with 2 feet of Hardward Cloth around the bottom of all runs.

Also, not only do the predators instinctively know which birds are your favorites, I firmly believe that they keep a Standard of Perfection handy and take the best show birds as well.
 
As long as I'm taking over the thread here...The darling Teenager only closed 4 of the 10 poultry pens last night (and told me EVERYTHING was closed up). The dogs were going crazy all night, we didn't realize why until we woke up this morning to chickens out everywhere. So far, they are all alive. There is a missing Easter Egger that may have gotten eaten, but she also may be busy laying an egg or routing through the goat's hay. I'll keep my fingers crossed until I know for sure.
 
Time to fess up!
I went down to the coops about three weeks ago (Or two. Time drags sometimes). One pair of SPR were inside. Everyone else was roaming around still. I waited until it was dark, and still just the pair. I was amused because I had decided to process extra roosters the next morning. Duckling was away, and it was trash night. Perfect timing! The other chickens were roosting near the ducks, and the turkey was snuggled with the ducks.
Two days this went on. Then the coop was empty, and the chickens and turkey were nowhere to be found. :he
For several days the flock would be in the yard the next morning. Eating inside the coop, and laying in there. Then fewer eggs.
Lucky stopped showing up. Then the older (2-yr-old) hens. I did learn they are sleeping near the neighbors behind me's barn.
A few days ago I stopped getting eggs in the coop. I saw three SPR hens, my main roo, and the 5 SPR boys. Today there is a pile of feathers. The flock is in the bush, so I don't have a count. The girls are still fine.
Yes, I've tried luring the flock into the coop. I am hoping it works in the next few days. Maybe even this afternoon since Duckling is leaving in a few minutes.
:oops: Don't hate me for free ranging gone wrong.
 
Blarneyeggs said:
Ah yes...the ole 'size doesn't matter' lol. We did have lots of fun at the Fair, ate our share of donuts and we'll be back again today to check out the goat show.

@kie4 There was a Poultry Show on Monday night. It's a nice little fair to try out showing, especially for kids as they have beautiful ribbons and not a whole lot of competition. I caught a little bit of the pet show, it was a RIOT. Someone took a light colored calf and painted white dots all over her so she looked exactly like a deer fawn.

@fangedknight We belong to Lebanon Valley Poultry Fanciers, it's over 2 hours from me, but the closest Adult Poultry Club. They've got a great group of people and a really large fall show with tons of monetary prizes.
Click to expand...

poultryshowcentral.com is a great link, thanks @Blarneyeggs . We plan to go the York show for the Monster Truck show as well :)
 

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