Texas

[Coopmom56]

Peaches the EE

Hazel the EE

Flo Belle the Rhode Island Red

Flossie the Buff Orpington
Here are my new little pullets! All healthy and eating/drinking well. These pics were from the days they arrived. I moved them into a pen next to the run and they spent last night there just fine. They are 7 weeks old and fully feathered now. The hens have checked them out every so often - I'll let them out to free range in a couple of weeks, probably.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

Very sad day here... something got my broody Muscovy and her eggs last night. Do damage to her, just dead with head tucked in as if she were sleeping. 9 eggs were gone and 1 cracked in what looked like might have been a scuffle. No tracks found. Could this have been a big rat snake??

I suspect a raccoon or possum. I agree, the loss of a pet bird is very upsetting,

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

do you have a website for your farm?

Not yet. Hopefully, as things progress, one of these days.

 

[Ren2014]

I suspect a raccoon or possum. I agree, the loss of a pet bird is very upsetting,

Ya think?? No trauma found on her. Weird to me. A coon or a possum would usually stir up the dogs.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

Ya think?? No trauma found on her. Weird to me. A coon or a possum would usually stir up the dogs.

I misread your e-mail. I thought she was dragged off too. If a snake gets in a hen house, it rarely gets out, especially if it consumes that many eggs. I might look for some egg shells, With all the rain, rats are looking for places to get high and dry, and they like to feed their progeny.

 

[Wendy High]

Very sad day here... something got my broody Muscovy and her eggs last night.  Do damage to her, just dead with head tucked in as if she were sleeping.  9 eggs were gone and 1 cracked in what looked like might have been a scuffle.  No tracks found.  Could this have been a big rat snake??

So, so sorry for ur loss Ren2014. I am not sure what it could have been.

 

[Ren2014]

I misread your e-mail. I thought she was dragged off too. If a snake gets in a hen house, it rarely gets out, especially if it consumes that many eggs. I might look for some egg shells, With all the rain, rats are looking for places to get high and dry, and they like to feed their progeny.

We do have rats. What ever it was, no egg shells to be found except for the two left behind. One wasn't damaged so I threw it into the incubator

True on the snake, we would expect it to be found nearby. We have huge ones. I shot a 5' the other day. I'm finding some tracks but only a print here and there. Some are very tiny. Going out now to try to get some pictures.

 

[Ren2014]

I misread your e-mail. I thought she was dragged off too. If a snake gets in a hen house, it rarely gets out, especially if it consumes that many eggs. I might look for some egg shells, With all the rain, rats are looking for places to get high and dry, and they like to feed their progeny.

I got one picture and then my camera crashed. Any ideas? One track below at 11:00 from dime.

 

[RonC]

I can't tell from the picture but does it seem to have long toes or fingers? If so it is a raccoon.

 

[newchickjess]

Fox or young coyote? Judging by what looks like claw prints