Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[queenchick16]

Well, I think all but one of my eggs is dead. No more peeping, no more moving. I did as CFG Roberta advised and listened to each one, but now I hear nothing.

Meanwhile the sole survivor is peeping up a storm because he/she is all alone. I'm going to put Blanche in there with him/her and monitor the situation.

I'm so sad. All this anticipation and now nothing.

Anyone want the 12 eggs I was going to put in the incubator on Friday?

On another thread Intervention: helping your chicks hatch. They go through what you can do .Good luck

 

[JerseyHen]

I came home to a massacre tonight.

I have been expecting a predator attack at some point because I pasture my birds, but there is usually so much activity around here they are pretty safe (3 dogs running around, a half dozen kids, 4 households surrounding the immediate vicinity with people in the yard (we kind of have a common yard, big, but common), and I am almost always out there. This was a rare occasion when everyone was inside and I was not around because I had to run my DD to the ortho for a cast removal. Thank goodness I came home when I did or I would not have a flock left.

I pulled into the drive and noticed the flock was still out (odd since it was dusk), I called them and they didn’t come running (usually they run at the car whenit pulls in), so I got out and walked toward the coop. I was met by several piles of feathers. One I was able to ID as my roo, Velmer, the other a faverolle hen. I was tracking the feather piles in an attempt to determine which ones were missing and the fox was standing right there staring at me. If only I had a gun at the time... I hit it with a big rock instead. It ran off and while I was gathering the remaining birds who all looked very harassed, the thing came back and made a grab at one of my sussex while I was gathering birds. I went flying after that fox with a short handled shovel and scared the fur off of it, but I didn't get it. Then I hear my roo calling from clear across the hay field (opposite direction) and I haul off over there and pick him up. He was out a lot of back feathers and had a gash, but actually managed to escape the fox's den. That roo has 9 lives, I am telling you (he is the one that went missing one night in an ice storm and showed back up in the morning). I never found the other 3 hens. I imagine they were dinner for a gray fox's kits tonight.

All of my neighbors saw me out there running about like mad and came out to help. I have great neighbors. They each offered to “dispose of” the fox in various fashions (all country boys here...). All of them asked after their favorite hen to be sure it wasn’t one of the ones that was taken. I have the best neighbors. The chickens visit each of their houses each day for treats and petting, so everyone loves them. They also like their tick eating skills.

I am sooooo mad and my little one is distraught. I mean, I know the fox is only doing what it is supposed to do and is feeding its kits, and I elected to free range, but it needs to go eat something else. I could permanently pen my birds (I do have a large enclosed run), but I use them for tick removal and I like my eggs pastured. I also think I have been lucky that I made it over a year with no attacks given the rural area I live in (surrounded by marsh and forest). I thought the hawk would get to them first. We have seen the foxes here for years, but they have never braved the property to go after any of the livestock that has been kept here over the years. I was worried that this one may have been rabid because we have been seeing it about in the middle of the day and it is not a very healthy looking animal.

My DD, who is 5, is sitting on the bed right now and just said "I am so mad at that fox right now. I will even be mad at it after it is dead.". She even thinks the kits should be "culled", because, she reasoned, they will grow up and eat our chickens too. In case you can't tell, she is very, very, attached to her girls and brutally logical for a 5 year old. I did explain that the fox is just feeding its family and we should expect it to attack the birds so they will need to be inside for a while as we determine how to manage this fox’s proximity to our property. She is also drawing a design for the fort knox of chickendom that looks like it will be huuuuuuge and include several chicken play areas (not that I can afford to build such a thing). Perhaps I will have to do a true pastured plan with the 4 pasture areas and a coop in the center (or a moveable coop) so they can be penned. It is just a lot of fencing...

Thanks for listening, I just needed to share...

 

[smkchick]

I came home to a massacre tonight.

I have been expecting a predator attack at some point because I pasture my birds, but there is usually so much activity around here they are pretty safe (3 dogs running around, a half dozen kids, 4 households surrounding the immediate vicinity with people in the yard (we kind of have a common yard, big, but common), and I am almost always out there. This was a rare occasion when everyone was inside and I was not around because I had to run my DD to the ortho for a cast removal. Thank goodness I came home when I did or I would not have a flock left.

I pulled into the drive and noticed the flock was still out (odd since it was dusk), I called them and they didn’t come running (usually they run at the car whenit pulls in), so I got out and walked toward the coop. I was met by several piles of feathers. One I was able to ID as my roo, Velmer, the other a faverolle hen. I was tracking the feather piles in an attempt to determine which ones were missing and the fox was standing right there staring at me. If only I had a gun at the time... I hit it with a big rock instead. It ran off and while I was gathering the remaining birds who all looked very harassed, the thing came back and made a grab at one of my sussex while I was gathering birds. I went flying after that fox with a short handled shovel and scared the fur off of it, but I didn't get it. Then I hear my roo calling from clear across the hay field (opposite direction) and I haul off over there and pick him up. He was out a lot of back feathers and had a gash, but actually managed to escape the fox's den. That roo has 9 lives, I am telling you (he is the one that went missing one night in an ice storm and showed back up in the morning). I never found the other 3 hens. I imagine they were dinner for a gray fox's kits tonight.

All of my neighbors saw me out there running about like mad and came out to help. I have great neighbors. They each offered to “dispose of” the fox in various fashions (all country boys here...). All of them asked after their favorite hen to be sure it wasn’t one of the ones that was taken. I have the best neighbors. The chickens visit each of their houses each day for treats and petting, so everyone loves them. They also like their tick eating skills.

I am sooooo mad and my little one is distraught. I mean, I know the fox is only doing what it is supposed to do and is feeding its kits, and I elected to free range, but it needs to go eat something else. I could permanently pen my birds (I do have a large enclosed run), but I use them for tick removal and I like my eggs pastured. I also think I have been lucky that I made it over a year with no attacks given the rural area I live in (surrounded by marsh and forest). I thought the hawk would get to them first. We have seen the foxes here for years, but they have never braved the property to go after any of the livestock that has been kept here over the years. I was worried that this one may have been rabid because we have been seeing it about in the middle of the day and it is not a very healthy looking animal.

My DD, who is 5, is sitting on the bed right now and just said "I am so mad at that fox right now. I will even be mad at it after it is dead.". She even thinks the kits should be "culled", because, she reasoned, they will grow up and eat our chickens too. In case you can't tell, she is very, very, attached to her girls and brutally logical for a 5 year old. I did explain that the fox is just feeding its family and we should expect it to attack the birds so they will need to be inside for a while as we determine how to manage this fox’s proximity to our property. She is also drawing a design for the fort knox of chickendom that looks like it will be huuuuuuge and include several chicken play areas (not that I can afford to build such a thing). Perhaps I will have to do a true pastured plan with the 4 pasture areas and a coop in the center (or a moveable coop) so they can be penned. It is just a lot of fencing...

Thanks for listening, I just needed to share...

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. It must be horrible to see that sight. I can't imagine what I'd do. My biggest worry is hawks - no foxes here. Almost lost one of my girls. I'm sure you'll be able to come up with a solution that is a good compromise between having pastured hens and not feeding the local wildlife. Good luck and big hugs.

 

[smkchick]

Thanks for the suggestion about the Intervention thread in the Incubating/Hatching forum. It helped a lot. It sounds like the humidity was too high and the chicks drowned. Gonna calibrate the hygrometer and get everything ready for Friday.

Pray that my sole survivor is a pullet. Would hate to have to give her up at this point.

 

[Toxic Chicken]

I am so sorry. I hope the little one you got is a girl.
I hope your next hatch goes better. I've been reading
and watching so many incubation / candleing guides
my head is dizzy and I still don't know if I'm doing it right.
I'm at 35% humidity and 100.0F avg and I have the vent
hole open. I turn it about 5x a day (my auto turner is still
in the mail, maybe it'll be here for lock down lol) I'm expecting
a second incubator for use as a hatcher( so I didn't order
a turner with it.) cause I have 4 different hatch dates so
far. I'm so confused. Why oh why didn't I just wait for the
First eggs to finish.

I'm supposed to get more eggs tomorrow and on Friday
maybe Saturday, The Appen spitz the legbar and mottled jave.

Heather - I'm sorry about that fox. Hopefully I'll get a pair
of legbars for you. Maybe an Appen Spitz? Will see
how the hatches go. I may have wheaten Ameraucana too.
Lol either nothing will hatch or I'll be swamped in chicks.

 

[JerseyHen]

I really appreciate the thoughts! It is very frustrating. Two of the three we lost were favored by my daughter, so that is hard. I actually had a visitor a little while ago (another neighbor) to give condolences and to say they are very upset that one was Dottie, his favorite. I am serious, this whole neighborhood is in love with my chickens (which is really good since I am technically a chicken outlaw). Here is to hoping for a good broody hatch, success in picking hens when I chose the EEers, luck at the sussex show! Not that any of the replacements can really take the place of the hens we knew. I hope Velmer makes it through the night and poor tiny (the sussex that the fox almost got before I raced over there) is not too injured. That fox gave her a heck of a roll and I didn't get to check her over too much (very frazzled and it was dark).

I am Christine BTW (I don't think I have posted my name on here), Imprftme is Heather, just so we don't get confused... I really do appreciate the support. My poor little girls. I will miss them.

 

[stoopid]

I am so sorry about the fox.
I was going to bring some girls to sell at Sussex, you can have a few if you want.
I will make a list, and try to get pics.

Suzanne, there ARE fox on LI. The smart ones don't get seen.

 

[queenchick16]

Dear Jersey Hen I'm sorry for the loss of your girls and sad your daughter is having to go through this.It sounds like you and your daughter will have a great group of people that will help you .We're all here if you need our support

 

[Glasshen]

Christine, so sorry to hear about your flock and the fox. I have had a loss to a fox also, and know that I was furious and very sad. I live in Central New York, so we expect more wild animals, and I love the wild animals. But wild animals are only loveable if they do their thing without interfering with me and mine. I too have a large fenced pen, but was allowing the six of them to be in the area around the house, it was what suited us all. I was in the house and heard a terrible chicken sound and looked out to see one of the girls running away from the house faster than I had ever seen any of them run. I looked out the back window and saw a fox heading toward the woods with a favorite hen in it's mouth. I too chased the fox, but it had a big head start, and I had only socks on, which was uncomfortable in the woods. They got away. I had no weapon, so don't know how it would have gone if I could have caught up.

I have been keeping the girls in the chainlink 30x50 pen, let my dog out often, and borrow my sons dog often. That dog covers a lot of ground and pees everywhere. Also have ordered an electric poultry net from Premier so I can bring the girls to other locations on my property. We have no children who will be near the electric fence. The only gun we have is a bb gun, but my mind is not closed on that avenue either...

Like Suzanne, I know that you will come up with a plan to keep your flock safe that will allow the community to enjoy them still. But, foxes, once they know that the chickens are attainable will also be planning how to have another delicious meal. They have nothing more important to do than feed themselves and their families, so we have to keep ahead of them.

Good luck, and I hope your girls and rooster heal up well. My surviving birds were subdued and a bit fearful after the attack. I will be thinking of you.

Susan

 

[smkchick]

I got up early and did the postmortem on the eggs that didn't hatch. One was a few days behind (a replacement) and even that one didn't make it. One wouldn't have hatched - it apparently had died early on. Of the two that really were viable, one looked ready to pop out and the other one right behind it. Both looked like high humidity was the issue.

I have 12 White Orpington eggs waiting and 12 Light Sussex eggs arriving today. They will all go in the freshly cleaned incubator tomorrow morning. I am going to replace the hygrometer with a more exact one, but in the meantime will keep the humidity low.

The baby that did hatch was so lonely I put a screen up in the brooder box with the bigger chicks (3 weeks old) so they can all be together, but not. She seems warm enough and calm now, but not interested in water. She pecks at the food, but I haven't seen her drink yet. I let her spend a little time with the big girls and they showed her what to do. I'm hoping she's still working on her "box lunch" from the egg and will be eating and drinking normally by tonight. Fingers crossed that she makes it. She looks so tiny compared to the others! Here's a picture I took last night:



Look at the size of those feet! Roo for sure.