The Fricken Chicken story!

[BY Bob]

Yesterday evening something got my beautiful Cooper. I thought Gmork was gone too. I couldn't find him anywhere. I had to leave and take my young roosters to a friend, to take to sale. THANKFULLY my little sweet Gmork made it back to the coop safe and sound. I'm so bummed, Cooper was my last Roodi baby. My mom lost a cat to coyotes on Friday. Between the coyote and racoons, I'm at my wits end.... I've lost so many chickens this year. I lost my big Russian blue cat last October too. Im just over the heart break
On a good note, my friend gave me a little month old ameraucana, in trade for my silkie rooster bunch. Im hoping it grows up to be a hen. I need more layers. I'll get some pictures of it later. I kinda tossed it in with my other month old babies last night, after I seen Gmork was home.

I'm not sure how you are dealing with so many losses. I would not be able to get out of bed. Here is a virtual hug.

What do you think you are going to do to cut it down?

 

[Mmanist]

I'm not sure how you are dealing with so many losses. I would not be able to get out of bed. Here is a virtual hug.

What do you think you are going to do to cut it down?

Take a few nights of my week. Place some eggs in the yard, sit on my back deck with an AR and wait... But these have been happening at all hours of the day. So for now, my flock will staying their run area during the day. I also rotate dogs on their runner too.
Shelby, my great protector, Falkor has to have someone watch his back too!

 

[Mmanist]

Dozer
Dozer is Shelly's hemorrhoid! It is the best way I can put their relationship. She loves him, but he gets on her nerves some times. They are inseparable though. He is a love bug, only looks mean in this picture because he was barking at the sprinkler.

 

[Marie2020]

I figured in my free time, might as well do something, other than watch TV. So why not talk about my lovely flock. They make me giggle daily with their antics. Be it, jumping my garden fence, raiding my mint bed, pooping on my porch, narrowly escaping predator, or generally being their chickeny-selves. I love my flock of randomness. So yins can learn to love them too!

So good morning from my Fricken Chickens!View attachment 2229353
Give me some time, and I'll post pictures of them all. Some are young and still have no names or gender identity. I'll try to post daily, so we can watch these beautiful chicks grow into lovely ladies and gentlemen. Dont mind the haphazard fence job. I was trying to keep my seabrights from jumping the fence, without wing clipping. The couldn't fly over the fence anymore. So they just learn to fly onto the coop door and over the fence. Little bratts...

Thank you for these happy and informative post's. I love that mug by the way.

 

[Mmanist]

Thank you for these happy and informative post's. I love that mug by the way.

My chicken friend got me that for Christmas!

 

[HappyClucker7]

I'm so sorry about Cooper. I hope you can figure out a way to keep the predators off your property.
I know most predators don't like mint, so I have some planted all around my coop. Maybe you could try that? You would only need a few plants because it takes over very quickly.

 

[Mmanist]

I'm so sorry about Cooper. I hope you can figure out a way to keep the predators off your property.
I know most predators don't like mint, so I have some planted all around my coop. Maybe you could try that? You would only need a few plants because it takes over very quickly.

I have a whole bed of mint beside my back porch! Chocolate, orange, spearmint, lemon balm, and catnip!

 

[HappyClucker7]

Maybe you could take some of those plants and put them right by the coop. It seems to work for me. I have not had a single attempt on my coop in 4 years.
I also have some garden netting set up around the coop. So, any predator would have to get through the netting before trying to get into the coop. I don't know if that would work for you, since I don't know how much land you would have to cover.
I can get a picture for you if you want though.

 

[Mmanist]

Best I can do for now, is not let my flock free range. They have a secure coop they go in at night, I do head count and lock them up till morning. My run was only made to keep my chickens in, not to keep predators out. I'm a stay at home mother, so I leave them free range when I'm home. I went back to where the feathers are and seen large dog like prints. So I can assume my predator is a coyote. I live in a county like suburb. My neighbors are my family, brother, parents and grandparents. Behind my house is thick woods, with 150+ft cliffsides, with a stream that runs through it all. I've been through all my woods, millions of times. It is heavy with coyote, racoons and hawks! It's beautiful back there. But it causes problems with the predators coming into my yard. The coyote do not fear people. They have come through and attacked a flock of wild turkey while I was right there. I've been thinking heavily on foot traps, for down in the woods. Not very often do people leave their dogs run loose up here. Very rarely do I ever see dogs down there to begin with. But I have well wore paths from coyotes right into my yard. The attacks are getting closer to my house each time too.

Here are a couple pictures from my woods.

 

[HappyClucker7]

Wow, it's beautiful. I would be careful with foot traps though. You could get any animal in there, including animals you want around.