So this was my 3rd year with chickens and my WORST ever for babies. I have been getting some of the more exotic breeds and seem to love the bantams. I have a flock of 22 chickens and 2 roos. This year I got 18 chicks and only !5! made it. No not some exotic sickness, I just got the most pervasive predators.
My chicks I got in July so they were in an oustide brooder and something started taking them from the brooder, one a nite. THEN I got smart and raised the brooder from the ground. eventually it was time to put the survivors IN the coop with the adults. THEN I lost half growns from the coop. I covered holes I added wire I redid my security. I was down to 6 from 18 babies.
this little buff cochin was best buds with a white cochin, One night I asked my son to lock them up. He forgot to put the brick on the back door of the coop, so there would be no play or crack. I let them out next morning and white cochin is missing and buff is very bereft. They all free range during the day. SO I ask son did he SEE white cochin last nite. Yes he assures me. I go out sick at heart and look closely. I open up the back and sure enough there is the white cochin head ripped off and drained of blood. I have a WEASEL!!!
But here is my issue. SInce then the little buff cochin is adament about not wanting to go IN the coop. Next nite as dusk, I go to lock em up and she is at my feet on front porch peeping. I take pity on her and let her spend the nite inside in my hen hospital. Next nite I go to lock up and she hops IN TO my house.Next nite, she is perched ON the windowsill next to door on porch and I take her in.
So she clearly wants to be in or close to us. I am torn between, let her become a house chicken (her name is HC short for house chicken) and forcing her back in the coop. She hangs with a porcelin d'uccle during the day, but roosts on porch by herself at dusk. SO what do you think Do I continue to let her come in or force her to coop?
The only reason I struggle, if I can't get home by dark I really worry for her safety roosting on my window sill. I clearly have plenty of predators.
The local older chicken people say NOW the predators KNOW I have dinner available, so it is open season on my guys. Next year I will go back to brooding in april inside. July outside was aweful, this was a terrible year for my chicks.
My chicks I got in July so they were in an oustide brooder and something started taking them from the brooder, one a nite. THEN I got smart and raised the brooder from the ground. eventually it was time to put the survivors IN the coop with the adults. THEN I lost half growns from the coop. I covered holes I added wire I redid my security. I was down to 6 from 18 babies.
this little buff cochin was best buds with a white cochin, One night I asked my son to lock them up. He forgot to put the brick on the back door of the coop, so there would be no play or crack. I let them out next morning and white cochin is missing and buff is very bereft. They all free range during the day. SO I ask son did he SEE white cochin last nite. Yes he assures me. I go out sick at heart and look closely. I open up the back and sure enough there is the white cochin head ripped off and drained of blood. I have a WEASEL!!!
But here is my issue. SInce then the little buff cochin is adament about not wanting to go IN the coop. Next nite as dusk, I go to lock em up and she is at my feet on front porch peeping. I take pity on her and let her spend the nite inside in my hen hospital. Next nite I go to lock up and she hops IN TO my house.Next nite, she is perched ON the windowsill next to door on porch and I take her in.
So she clearly wants to be in or close to us. I am torn between, let her become a house chicken (her name is HC short for house chicken) and forcing her back in the coop. She hangs with a porcelin d'uccle during the day, but roosts on porch by herself at dusk. SO what do you think Do I continue to let her come in or force her to coop?
The only reason I struggle, if I can't get home by dark I really worry for her safety roosting on my window sill. I clearly have plenty of predators.
The local older chicken people say NOW the predators KNOW I have dinner available, so it is open season on my guys. Next year I will go back to brooding in april inside. July outside was aweful, this was a terrible year for my chicks.