This is my first post and I hate that it's a sad one.
We have been raising 2 Rhode Island Reds and 2 Barred Rocks since March and they've been happily living in their coop and run for a few months now.
They were looking beautiful and I've been thinking that ANY day I'd be getting our first eggs...
I went to check them this evening - carrying fresh food and water and excited about poking around the nesting boxes hunting for a hidden egg when I was hit with the most terrible sight ever.
All my little hens dead - feathers everywhere!
I'm not sure what happened - it's not like anything "ate" them. They are just attacked and dead. The only opening in the run (a converted dog run - originally chain link - reinforced with welded wire fabric 3' up, a top of welded wire fabric and solid CMU blocks around the base of the run) is at the door 3' above ground and not big enough for anything substantial to fit. I'm not even sure what could have gotten in there to do all that damage and I'm just completely devastated that I lost my whole beautiful little flock so suddenly.
I was surprised at how emotional I got... Those little chickens were really starting to grow on me...
We have been raising 2 Rhode Island Reds and 2 Barred Rocks since March and they've been happily living in their coop and run for a few months now.
They were looking beautiful and I've been thinking that ANY day I'd be getting our first eggs...
I went to check them this evening - carrying fresh food and water and excited about poking around the nesting boxes hunting for a hidden egg when I was hit with the most terrible sight ever.
All my little hens dead - feathers everywhere!
I'm not sure what happened - it's not like anything "ate" them. They are just attacked and dead. The only opening in the run (a converted dog run - originally chain link - reinforced with welded wire fabric 3' up, a top of welded wire fabric and solid CMU blocks around the base of the run) is at the door 3' above ground and not big enough for anything substantial to fit. I'm not even sure what could have gotten in there to do all that damage and I'm just completely devastated that I lost my whole beautiful little flock so suddenly.
I was surprised at how emotional I got... Those little chickens were really starting to grow on me...