Sad morning

[SimplyForties]

Went out to the chick's temporary enclosure this morning to find my big, beautiful, friendly red sex link chick (4 weeks old) dead in the pen, missing a leg.

I knew better than to leave them out there but they are so much happier when I don't haul them in and out morning and night I decided to give it a go. This is the second night, I guess the raccoon, or whatever it was, got the smell of them the first night and was ready.

After spending countless hours reading all the posts on this site I knew it was a bad idea. I'll be re-covering their enclosure with hardware cloth today. Sorry chickies.

 

[marytoast]

I am so sorry about you baby.

 

[TrixiePA]

Oh no, not the best way to start the day. I'm so sorry that this happened.

 

[Labeedoor]

That's a tough lesson learned.

But others may learn from it. my gals are going to the coop this weekend. Then the following week I test my run. Good luck with the rest.

 

[Country Living Farm]

I cover my pen with a shock wire that is constant. I did not get the one that goes on and off every 5 seconds. I felt it would left them still get in if they were half in the coop when it shocked. Well with the constant one (the wire is on the outside of the coop at ground level then runs up the sides and across the roof several time. It is not to $$ to do. I have killed lizards, rats, mice, and even a possum on it. I do not know how much the cloths is but the wire and box only cost me about 30 bucks to do. Hope this helps.

 

[Country4ever]

So sorry to hear that Simplyforties! Its always hard to lose one.
I lost 2 of my beautiful 6 year old easter-eggers to a coon last Friday. The run was safe for 6 years and then this happened. There were 2 spots on the top, where the birdnetting was a little short, but I figured it would be okay. That was a very wrong assumption on my part. We're going to reinforce it all now. Try to look at it this way......your chick's death will help save many others in the future, by getting you to reinforce things.
Again, so sorry. It is a sad morning. ((((hugs)))))

 

[SimplyForties]

Thanks everyone. I'm pretty down. She was a sweet chick. Also the biggest one and my only "single". All the rest are pairs. I started with 10, now I'm down to 8. Hopefully I'll be able to keep the rest safe and sound.

 

[SC_Hugh]

Sorry to hear the sad news. Predators are always on the prowl...

More hardware cloth sounds like the plan. A knowledable chicken owner/friend mentioned using a kind of triangle crimp staple that is in the shape of a triangle and you can use pliers to attach lengths of hardware cloth together. I haven't found them yet, but I will keep searching.

I still have more to do to safeguard my run, but the night time coop is solid.

--Hugh

 

[Sunburnt]

Aw, so sorry, S40's. That's stinks. This is why I'm afraid of that time when the chicks will go out. I think I'm too new and naive to prevent it, but I will do the best I can. Sometimes you just think it will be ok and it stinks to turn out wrong.

 

[SpringChickens]

It's always hard to lose an animal. Sorry about your loss.