I am so sad.
I went to do evening chores on Wednesday evening and I thought there weren't as many baby chicks coming to eat as there usually were, but sometimes they hide out in the bushes and come around later when they're hungry.
Then I leave Thursday morning for a necessary trip out of town.
Friday evening I come back (my neighbor did chores for me while I was gone) and, you know, hang out around the chickens and goats and just say hi, but I'm tired from driving so I go inside the house and go to bed.
I wake up this morning and go to collect the eggs. There are bloody buff orpington feathers all over the inside of the chicken section of the shed (where they lay and sleep sometimes). I freak out and start crying and count the chicks.
I'm missing ten chicks. Ten baby chicks. And the buffs were the kids' favorites. There are three, possibly four left. Beyoncegg is still alive.
I watched the security cam that was aimed at the gate and this is what I saw:
Skunk. I'm sure this is the beast that took all my broody Chickie's eggs right out from under her and who has been killing my chicks. Tonight the neighbor is going to set live traps near my chicken coop and I'm going to sleep in my truck with my rifle in case this sucker skips the traps.
I am crushed and ashamed I didn't take more notice of the chicks missing before I left (not that I could have stayed those days) and I am so, so sad that the kids are going to find out their chick friends are missing. I am very thankful that there are a few buffs left because those are the ones that sit on their shoulders. Still so sad.
I went to do evening chores on Wednesday evening and I thought there weren't as many baby chicks coming to eat as there usually were, but sometimes they hide out in the bushes and come around later when they're hungry.
Then I leave Thursday morning for a necessary trip out of town.
Friday evening I come back (my neighbor did chores for me while I was gone) and, you know, hang out around the chickens and goats and just say hi, but I'm tired from driving so I go inside the house and go to bed.
I wake up this morning and go to collect the eggs. There are bloody buff orpington feathers all over the inside of the chicken section of the shed (where they lay and sleep sometimes). I freak out and start crying and count the chicks.
I'm missing ten chicks. Ten baby chicks. And the buffs were the kids' favorites. There are three, possibly four left. Beyoncegg is still alive.
I watched the security cam that was aimed at the gate and this is what I saw:
Skunk. I'm sure this is the beast that took all my broody Chickie's eggs right out from under her and who has been killing my chicks. Tonight the neighbor is going to set live traps near my chicken coop and I'm going to sleep in my truck with my rifle in case this sucker skips the traps.
I am crushed and ashamed I didn't take more notice of the chicks missing before I left (not that I could have stayed those days) and I am so, so sad that the kids are going to find out their chick friends are missing. I am very thankful that there are a few buffs left because those are the ones that sit on their shoulders. Still so sad.
And they're not super expensive. Not cheap, but not overly expensive.
