Should I even try again? I'm scared.

[AxelFlynn08]

WARNING. VERY SAD AND POSSIBLY DISTURBING.

It's been several years now since I owned my flock, but I remember them all so clearly. Three Silky roos, two Production Reds, a Wyandotte hen, two Copper Marans roos, and a Black Giant. All so beautiful, friendly, and lively, until someone vandalized my hen house. They were all slaughtered, some in grotesque and taunting ways...and two of them were completly gone. Missing. All except for my hens, and black giant were also adopted, promised to a loving home...I still feel so guilty. I promised. I promised to love them and then someone comes in and kills them all.

The culprit was never caught, and before it's suggested, it was no predator. I'm scared. My fiance recently suggested that she would get me some new birds this Summer and is wanting to prepare when the time draws near. But can I do it? I want to adopt more birds from you lovely folks some day and give them love.

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

What afull heartless person would do such a thing for the heck of it a person like that deserves to be hung but I would keep a lock on the coop just to be safe I am so sorry I would say go for it if it happens again o would suggest moving I would be afraid of them coming in ur house I would sleep with one eye open and a rifle under ur pillow

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

 

[Pork Pie]

A more secure coop / run and a camera set-up may act as a deterrent.

CT

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Yes I agree I lock my coop every night

 

[kyzerc]

looks like my house

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Yes mine two i

 

[N F C]

What a horrible thing to have to experience, I'm so sorry that happened to you.

It sounds like you miss your birds a lot and your fiancée is willing to take another chance, that happened years ago so I say go for it. First reinforce your coop and run, get a camera, get a strong lock, get a guard dog if you can...anything you can think of to deter predators (2 or 4 legged).

You enjoyed them before, you shouldn't be denied the privilege of enjoying them again. Just take every precaution possible.

Good luck to you!

 

[Chicken Egg 17]

Have u ever thought of becoming npip certified if ur birds dies or killed I think they give u money to replace ur birds but that won't work for me because they aren't just egg machines they are my pets

 

[AxelFlynn08]

I'm sorry for not getting back to this sooner ^^'''' It was late at night when I typed this and needed to bed down.

Thank you all for your help, and consideration. I have a gaurd dog now and an incredibly powerful lock for my bird house ^^
I don't really have the money for a camera set up, and as for a two-legged hen protector, what kind of bird does anyone suggest?
I personally have thought about raising a tom turkey to be aggressive against strangers. Hard to get past an angry gobbler.
But I'm not sure that would be terribly safe around my other birds, seeing as I plan on adopting more from people here possibly.
Any roo breeds that are powerful and brave?

@Rhoda red
I wholeheartedly agree about some cruel punishment. I've had animals forcefully killed here before, but it was by a pack of stray dogs. Chickens, cats, and even a big dog of my own. But those days are long past. The shock of it being human was just...so much. They were all so nice, and even years later, I'm still crying about them.
I've never heard of npip, but I may look into it...though it was and always will be the same for me. Pets, not egg machines. When I purchased them from the local feed store that buys or takes unwanted babies, he just told me they were 'red hybrid' hens. Couldn't tel me a breed straight up. And so I found this site and sure enough, hybrids designed for egg production.