Stress. Ours not the chickens

[Arkonbey]

One thing they never mention is all the chicken books I've read is about owner stress. Am I the only one?

We had a hen get taken today.

We were 'gifted' with ten hens by a friend and let them semi-free-range in the yard when we're out there. We live relatively rural with woods all around, but we're always supervising when they're out of the coop/run.

This morning around nine, they were out in the back yard. I was out back with them drinking coffee in an Adirondak chair and my wife was in the kitchen in the front of the house. One returned to our coop/runcombo to lay; we leave the door open. It's less than 2m from the front door of the house. The chickens in the back started looking alert and I immediately thought "predator".

I ran and scanned but, saw nothing.

A count revealed a missing hen. Crap. A search of the woods revealed no evidence of a struggle or remains. Just fifteen minutes ago, while doing run maintenance I found a pile of feathers and a stress egg in the back corner of the run. Something came right next to the house and took the hen without a sound.

***?

Even after being gifted with a fantastically built coop (from a friend who gave up on chickens) we've spend a good chunk of money. We cannot afford any more hardware cloth, let alone electric fencing so, we have no options. We don't want to keep them in the run all day as it's only 10L x 4W x 3H (with the attached coop being about 8L x 5w x 8H) and that would border on cruelty in my mind. Yet, we ran them supervised and free and a predator grabbed a bird from right under our noses! So, is even supervised free-range out?

I'm stressed. I don't anthropomorphize chickens, but they are still living creatures in my care. I don't want to let them down. I don't like the though of one of them being killed in fear on my watch.

But, I'm tired. I'm tired of working on my days off working and building to keep them secure and healthy. I'm tired of having to spend an hour rounding them up when I want to go somewhere. I'm tired of jumping at every noise they make that might be a predator warning call or terror. Right now they're back in the secured run and I'm trying to relax.

Are there other stressed out owners or am I just a wimp? I'm not sure how much longer I can take it.

Sorry, for the long rant but, well, I'm stressed.

 

[NHN]

I feel your pain. I get stressed out as well and then resentful. It seems every last cent I have goes to their care. Sometimes I wonder if I have lost my mind. But the thought of not having chickens is worse.

 

[Mattemma]

It sure is a lot of work.I remember the dread of telling the kids about a dead hen,and having to kill another.And I can forget any vacations! Despite it all I will miss them when they are all gone.

 

[Arkonbey]

Checking back in; (this is "the wife" here) we've been keeping the remaining 9 cooped up the last few days, and actually everyone seems to be pretty good with it. The humans especially.

The girls will still need another "daytime" run so we can give them foraging opportunities, but I've noticed their eggs are getting better, and we got EIGHT eggs yesterday and five today. I think they're eating more of the layer pellets now that they're not free-ranging, and apparently this is a good thing!

Of course we still have created a potential snack-bar for the local predators, I'm reminded as I just chased off another raccoon, but things on the whole are looking up.

Now let's hope I haven't jinxed us!

--"the wife"

 

[JennDV]

I am glad things are calming down for you. I can absolutely relate to the stress though. While we haven't had a chicken taken, it seems like we've had a lot of bumps in this short road!

 

[Toast n Jelly]

** I'm tired of having to spend an hour rounding them up when I want to go somewhere.**

Get them used to giving them treats with a special call and they'll come running every time.

 

[citychickx6]

** I'm tired of having to spend an hour rounding them up when I want to go somewhere.** Get them used to giving them treats with a special call and they'll come running every time.

Totally true!
I have used the feed bucket from when they were tiny to keep treats in. It has a bright yellow lid. Now if I need them to go into the run all I have to do is get something yellow and say "Yellow bucket time". Even if they are out of sight they come running and flapping as fast as they can.

Best thing I ever did was keep that yellow theme going.
Yellow feed bucket lid, yellow feed scoop, yellow microfiber cloth for cleaning, yellow childs rake for the run. Yup yellow works for them.

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Totally true!
I have used the feed bucket from when they were tiny to keep treats in. It has a bright yellow lid. Now if I need them to go into the run all I have to do is get something yellow and say "Yellow bucket time". Even if they are out of sight they come running and flapping as fast as they can.

Best thing I ever did was keep that yellow theme going.
Yellow feed bucket lid, yellow feed scoop, yellow microfiber cloth for cleaning, yellow childs rake for the run. Yup yellow works for them.

 

[Appylover]

Me yelling CHICK CHICK CHICK means I have a treat. They all come running like little vultures.

 

[Chicks on DL]

Treats definitely work. Also, you can limit free range time to the end of the day. They always return to the coop just before sunset and you don't have to wrangle them that way. I understand the stress and responsibility you feel. I felt the same way when we fell asleep after going to the beach one day and didn't close the coop door. A possum got in and attacked one of our hens. A noise coming from the coop in backyard woke me up and I ran downstairs. I scared the possum by opening the back door to the coop to get the other girls out. I felt terribly guilty and couldn't bare to look at her on the coop floor. My husband went in to get her and discovered she was wounded but alive. We nursed her back to health and she is still slowly covering. I was paranoid and for a long time and kept thinking I heard noises in the backyard. We reinforced the coop with some bought, some recycled materials. I will feel better when she starts laying again. For us, each egg is like a gift and we feel that we get back more than we give. The chickens produce eggs and compost; weed and till the garden; and are great pets. You are in my prayers.