Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[dekel18042]

Live traps (box traps) are useless for foxes. You'd have to catch one by hand and stuff him in there to get a fox in a box trap. Old time trappers, using steel leg hold traps, can get them regularly. A few years back an experienced trapper caught 28 in one season at the farm. All with steel traps. I believe as he trapped the resident ones, others moved into the prime territory and were caught. That speaks to the skill of the trapper that he could get that many, and to the size of the unseen fox population.

My plan is to never expose a bird I value to predators. It take a lot of work and money to build coop that way, but it's worth it. I would be happy to give advice to anyone about predator-proofing, just send (or post) a bunch of pics of your coop(s).

Trust me, we've tried several kinds of traps. And while you think your chickens are secure, a fox will expose the flaws in your safe plan. They're amazing. I can have a dog out guarding the chickens ALL day. Nothing happens. The dog comes in for five minutes and one is gone. Or we're here and look away.
In one year we have lost exactly two roosters. Both great birds and excellent flock protectors so that tells me they were doing their job, but you can't let your vigilance down for one second.
Our neighbors report similar stories. We've figured out the foxes must be watching. Unfortunately they aren't stupid.
Every time we lose a bird, we plug that hole until they figure something else out.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

If that happens to me I am going to buy a solar fencer

 

[chiques chicks]

April snow?

My apologies for the reference to an obscure and tasteless musical.

 

[fisherlady]

April snow?

My apologies for the reference to an obscure and tasteless musical.

LOL

 

[AnRamire]

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it.html

Here is a link I couldn't find anything for older birds though but u can try it I had a hen like that when I first started chickens I wasn't sure what it was but I looked it up and that's what it led me to she later passed away after she hatched some kids poor girl never even got to meet her kids she didn't die because of the curled toes it was because of some other reason one morning I opened to coop door and she was laying under the roost covered in poo the previous owner of her clipped her wings so she couldn't fly to get up on the roost so I had to pick her up every night to put her on

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to help me

The third one died last night but the others are ok I think the black one is a female and the yellowish one is a boy

SO sorry for the loss!!!

 

[hippiechickX4]

Not sure where to post this, but need some help. Went to bed last night with what seemed like 21 healthy chicks. Woke up at 530 and checked on them and one was dead. We removed her and then 2 others started acting weird. Took them out and gave them a little sugar water with a dropper. One died shortly after the other is still kicking, but still lethargic. We have a nipple waterer and I'm always worried they aren't getting the water out of it. I went and got a dish with water and put it in with the chicks. They flocked to it and drank like crazy. About 10 mins later we had several chickens vomiting and flopping around. Some looked as if they were paralyzed and couldn't move. We put them in another box with another lamp and we are hoping for the best. Some are now moving, but slowly. We ended up losing 4 at this moment. Hoping the others bounce back. Did we do something wrong? Like I have said before we are very new at this and I only know what I have read.

UPDATE: Sorry, long post. A couple of the chicks we thought were done for. They were limp and liveless. We put them in a box and put them on the porch until we could dispose of them. Minutes later these things were chirping like crazy. We brought them back in and put them under the lamp. We had a few others that were doing the same thing so we huddled them together and put them under the lamp. We left to get a different waterer and came back a couple hours ago. 4 of the chicks we put in a separate brooder seemed to have snapped out if it. They were walking around scratching and eating. 2 others did not. They were the smallest of the batch. One died and another is still fighting. We put the ones that were up and moving back with the other chicks. They were all doing fine until I put the new waterer in with them. They all drank out of it immediately. Now one of the ones we placed back with the other chicks is again doing the vomiting, flopping and acting paralyzed like. They look like someone snapped their necks when they do this. Their heads go all the back and touch their backs and they are just limp. I've never seen anything like it. Could maybe they be drinking to much to fast and drowning themselves? Just to add...we changed their bedding yesterday along with the container they were in. The lamp was raised as a result, but still at 90 degrees and we have it pointing to one side so they can get to a cool area if they need to.

 

[fisherlady]

UPDATE: Sorry, long post. A couple of the chicks we thought were done for. They were limp and liveless. We put them in a box and put them on the porch until we could dispose of them. Minutes later these things were chirping like crazy. We brought them back in and put them under the lamp. We had a few others that were doing the same thing so we huddled them together and put them under the lamp. We left to get a different waterer and came back a couple hours ago. 4 of the chicks we put in a separate brooder seemed to have snapped out if it. They were walking around scratching and eating. 2 others did not. They were the smallest of the batch. One died and another is still fighting. We put the ones that were up and moving back with the other chicks. They were all doing fine until I put the new waterer in with them. They all drank out of it immediately. Now one of the ones we placed back with the other chicks is again doing the vomiting, flopping and acting paralyzed like. They look like someone snapped their necks when they do this. Their heads go all the back and touch their backs and they are just limp. I've never seen anything like it. Could maybe they be drinking to much to fast and drowning themselves? Just to add...we changed their bedding yesterday along with the container they were in. The lamp was raised as a result, but still at 90 degrees and we have it pointing to one side so they can get to a cool area if they need to.

We have never experienced this, but from my limited reading in the emergency sections I would suggest looking up 'star gazing', 'wry neck' or (less likely but still possible) Mereks.
It could be a vitamin deficiency, so I would definitely add Save-a-Chick, Nutridrench or poly-visol (without iron) to their drinking routine.

 

[chickachickayea]

Next week's forecast: upper 60's

Please play nice Mother Nature, my chickies would love to play outside!

 

[AnRamire]

Next week's forecast: upper 60's

Please play nice Mother Nature, my chickies would love to play outside!

Agreed

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

Now I wish I hadn't already started the broccoli cheddar over rice casserole (thanks for the good broth, FL!). Maybe Duckling and I should come for your leftovers!

Who said there were any leftovers?

Good afternoon all:

Got home from work today and the fox got into my pen.....one dead Red Dorking and my blind Roo was taken...I am really ****** off....I am down to two adult hens, a RD and a CCL and 7 junior birds from DH in a second pen...(fox hasn't messed with them yet)....

So, I re-enforced pen #1 and will move all the juniors in there tonight....of course, I am fighting the weather and my work schedule to complete the new pen....

. So sorry, it's such a terrible feeling when you lose an animal.

Not sure where to post this, but need some help. Went to bed last night with what seemed like 21 healthy chicks. Woke up at 530 and checked on them and one was dead. We removed her and then 2 others started acting weird. Took them out and gave them a little sugar water with a dropper. One died shortly after the other is still kicking, but still lethargic. We have a nipple waterer and I'm always worried they aren't getting the water out of it. I went and got a dish with water and put it in with the chicks. They flocked to it and drank like crazy. About 10 mins later we had several chickens vomiting and flopping around. Some looked as if they were paralyzed and couldn't move. We put them in another box with another lamp and we are hoping for the best. Some are now moving, but slowly. We ended up losing 4 at this moment. Hoping the others bounce back. Did we do something wrong? Like I have said before we are very new at this and I only know what I have read.

Wish I could help, but I don't have much experience. I do agree with ?Fisherlady below though, I think wry neck sounds like a possibility.

LOL

Fisherlady! I am loving those pics of Laverne & Co.! She looks like another proud mama from your clan.

We have never experienced this, but from my limited reading in the emergency sections I would suggest looking up 'star gazing', 'wry neck' or (less likely but still possible) Mereks.
It could be a vitamin deficiency, so I would definitely add Save-a-Chick, Nutridrench or poly-visol (without iron) to their drinking routine.

I concur!