Raising our 1st set of CX meaties

[pipemum]

Below is the corner that was dug into. The soil level was originally at the level of the "grass." Underneath the white plasticboard is a heavy duty wire panel overlaid with chicken wire. The other side, visible in the bottom photo, is a pallet overlaid with chicken wire. The wire fencing panel was buried about 6" in the ground. Because the coop is dug into a slope, I think I'm going to trench the outside and line with boulders, and then staple the inside bottom of the pen with chicken wire and cover with dirt, and eventually shavings. The meaty pen isn't permanent.

You can see whatever it was had started to dig on the other side of the corner, but there's a whole other board buried another 6" down (for a total of about 10"). It gave up and found the weak spot where the corners join. That section wasn't buried as deep.

The coop was undisturbed, no feathers, no bloody messes inside. I can only hope that the attack was stealthy enough that they were still sleeping as they were snatched.

 

[Angelicisi]

I'm sorta stuck about the weather lol I had a plan and sorta messed it up selling the 1st batch timing wise. I suppose they'll be in brooders til 3 weeks at least now. I wanted them out early last batch lol this ones double lol hmmmm

I may move them to the rabbitry. But while in a building, its a bit drafty due open windows to keep ammonia smell out. The rabbits enjoy the coolness but the chicks won't so much for another 2 weeks or so...lol never thought "having a place to keep 50 peeps warm" would be an issue I'd ponder!

Congrats on the new chicks, Angelicisi.  And sorry about the lost one.  They do look nice and clean! 

I just ordered 15 more, but the hatchery needs to contact me as to when they will arrive--I have at least 2 weeks to get everything ready.  I'm trudging on, going to shore up the meat run and prevent whatever it was from digging in again.  Whatever it was dug a small hole (the coop was already buried 6") and took all 8 without a trace.  Literally.  Craziest thing I've ever seen.  There's not a single white feather in my yard.  The coop looks perfectly undisturbed, no feathers, no blood, litter completely in place and not disturbed.  We've actually had a bunch of rain of Friday/Saturday, and the tracks were obliterated.  I have a natural area behind my yard--I found 2 areas with a few white feathers, but no entrails or anything else.  Of course, there's a lot of cover and I can't search everything, but there wasn't anything in the vicinity.  I'm pretty sure it was a pack of coyotes (we have a ton), because I can't see a single animal eating every single piece of chicken (2 were about 6lbs, and the other 6 were getting up there--a lot of meat, a single predator would have started to get picky about what it wanted to eat). 

After I fix the deficiencies of the meat coop, I have a bit of time to build a new brooder--these guys won't be able to go out at 1.5 weeks like this last batch.  Too cold. 

 

[Angelicisi]

Not sure where your at, do you have minks? Weasels? Hole seems small. Would a bird fit thru it whole? They're greedy and will stock pile the birds even tho they're small like a long rat.
That's crazy there was no carnage...I would want a carcass too, I've had birds stolen before thinking it was a predator.

 

[pipemum]

The hole is really small! I think, since it was raining, that some of the dirt/mud must have slumped back in. I'm just having a hard time imagining something coming back and taking bird after bird, but that's what happened. It also used a trellis I had against my wall to help it scramble out of my yard. The trellis was completely broken, and there was mud smeared all over the wall. And it ruined a newly planted rose bush right under the trellis. Or, hmm, maybe it ate all 20+++lbs of birds and then could no longer jump the wall and that's why it needed help. Glutton. Most likely predator is bobcat or coyotes. I didn't know weasles or minks stockpiled, though we don't have them here...so that's one thing I can scratch of the list!


Yeah, the weather is going to be an issue for me too. It froze last night. 50 peeps is a heck of a lot more than 15 to worry about though! I'd move them to the rabbitry as soon as possible, lol! They'll still have heat in the brooder?

 

[Angelicisi]

I am still using heat. I even lowered at a lil bit due to losing one chick that looked squashed. I have electric in the rabbitry so I can continue the lamp.

I think after the storms roll thru the next two days ill tredge out there nd wrap the coops in plastic to cut wind/drafts and keep some heat in during the cold.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I am still using heat. I even lowered at a lil bit due to losing one chick that looked squashed. I have electric in the rabbitry so I can continue the lamp.

I think after the storms roll thru the next two days ill tredge out there nd wrap the coops in plastic to cut wind/drafts and keep some heat in during the cold.

Yes, it will be cold in our area this week. Keep warm.

 

[Angelicisi]

Oh no
Went to check on nuggets this morning and found one very lethargic and one other running around just fine and peeping-with it head upside down! Just its head! Oh my goodness. I gave both of them a drink of water with probiotic and electrolytes.
I held upside down head chick gently until fluid was down scared she choke. She drank.
About to google my heart out and see if they can be saved.
One guy who I know that raises them regularly said to just cull the weak and focus on the strong.
If they were just laying there I migt have but they're moving around (well upside down head is) Ug.
I see no reason, that's why it perterbs me.
Water is fresh with addatives suggested, feed is FF with ACV, they're on wire, have heat and sleep nice and spread out not in a ball...

 

[kuntrygirl]

Oh no
Went to check on nuggets this morning and found one very lethargic and one other running around just fine and peeping-with it head upside down! Just its head! Oh my goodness. I gave both of them a drink of water with probiotic and electrolytes.
I held upside down head chick gently until fluid was down scared she choke. She drank.
About to google my heart out and see if they can be saved.
One guy who I know that raises them regularly said to just cull the weak and focus on the strong.
If they were just laying there I migt have but they're moving around (well upside down head is) Ug.
I see no reason, that's why it perterbs me.
Water is fresh with addatives suggested, feed is FF with ACV, they're on wire, have heat and sleep nice and spread out not in a ball...

OMG!!!!!!!! NO !!!!!!!!!!! I'm so sorry to hear this. Please let us know what you find out. Crossing my fingers everything is ok.

 

[Angelicisi]

My goodness this happens it seems...some report wry neck, some say vitamin deficient.
The lethargic one is gone. She passed while I was searching

The upside down neck one a cupped in my hand next to feed and it ate a lil bit, had a drink with vitamins and is resting with the others. From what I read so far, it wasn't a contagious thing and it being seperated would cause stress (not to mention lack of heat- I have a lamp but cuddles seem to calm her ) so I left her in.

I took a video of her trying to eat. I'll see if I can post it. So darn cute trying. I know they're meaties but it still tears at the heart strings seeing one struggle.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Sorry to hear that.