More predator saga:
I had some "paid professional" (as in my husband didn't do it) reno done to my coop and attached run lately... I've had the adults in the barn and the babies in the coop since the coyote attack. My husband thought that enough time had passed that hopefully the coyote wouldn't be lurking in the daylight, so in a moment of sympathy I let everybody out. Things were great, everybody was thrilled and taking long, luxurious dirt baths. Bliss.
At 5pm, we had to run over to my parent's house. We were back home by 6:30. One baby is walking aimlessly in the driveway, and the adults are hyper in the barn. A quick headcount confirms the worst: two babies are gone. (One cockerel but very pretty EE mutt, and one Ameraucana.). I am SO mad at myself, and figure that we have a very persistent coyote.
Fast forward to yesterday. After a very emotional/wonderful weekend of having my eldest son home for high school graduation, we had a nice chance for outdoor time. My husband agreed to stand outside with me (with a gun) so we could let the adults out for awhile. (I kept the babies on lockdown.) Not a half-hour into this experiment, a hawk comes from out of nowhere and almost grabs my gold laced Polish. Ahhhhh! It's not alone; they are obviously nesting in my neighbor's huge (oak?) tree. Ugh. They are persistent even with two of us standing there. I bribe the chickens with some watermelon, and get them back in the barn. I now know exactly what happened to my two babies... yes, it's better than a coyote in the yard, but not even a livestock protection dog could have stopped a hawk attack.
This morning I turned the horses out, and was greeted with the two hunting hawks and a turkey vulture. WTH? I've never had a problem with birds before. We do have a owl family that lives here (in their owl box), but they don't hunt until well past the chickens' bedtime. I'm sure they are hunting for their chicks now.
WANTED: clean-faced Ameraucanas! I know some of you are breeding to the APA standards... I am not breeding, and am in this strictly for the eggs. If you end up with clean-faced Ameraucana hens of any color and don't want them, please consider letting me know. I actually prefer the looks of the clean-faced birds.
I'm written a book - sorry!
Dana
