Well I thought it would never happen to me either.... I don't get around to the major national shows. I've only been raising silkies for just about 10 years. I don't have a fancy website or advertise in the Poultry Press or elsewhere. Why would I be targeted? A lady in Indiana was hit in late April, I was hit the last week of April, and Premier was hit 2 weeks after me. This is people coming into private barns with undisclosed locations and taking specific birds. The only place that my farm location was ever broadcasted was on the form when the state came out to do my NPIP approval. My game cams have logged more pictures of a vehicle driving in the yard at like 2 am since then too. The dogs and vehicles sitting int he yard now probably stopped them from getting out. At the fall shows this year, it is the first time I've experienced someone I know getting birds switched off on them. This is the 2nd time in 3 years at the MN State show that someone has gotten birds stolen directly out of the show cages from people I know. The problem is getting the PROOF that these people did it and getting them banned. Even after talking to the cops after my theft, I found someone can just take your birds, you might even find them, but if you can't PROVE that they are yours, you are pretty much S.O.L. All it takes is for them to clip off a leg or wing band. Microchipping is sounding like a better option for me all the time.
