they're all dead, all 11

[turbodog]

Heathero617,

As good as this forum is, sometimes the best things we learn are not the fruits of advice but hard experience. Sorry you lost your girls. You'll learn from it and I'm sure you'll do your best to prevent a reoccurence. I dread the day something might get to mine despite my best efforts.
Chin up and good luck on improving your chicken defenses!

 

[strawbie]

i;m sorry to hear this.. the only thing that will protect your birds, period... is an electric fence.
we have 5 strands of electric fence starting at 5 " up to 6 foot.... the charger is for cattle (super strong... Parmak.. for 50 miles of fence)
and keeps everything out, at nite we lock up at dusk to deter the owl.
'we lost all of our birds twice then learned the only way to keep them alive was this fence.
total cost was about 150.00 soooo worth it.
Havent had a loss since.... it was put up in 2001 . good luck....

 

[Heathero617]

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I wouldnt feel safe with an electric fence, I have 2 kids 7 and almost 4 who like to go in with the chickens, it just wouldnt be safe at all in my opinion. I'll do the very best I can, and that's all i can do. I've built the "fortress" but until it gets its roof next week, it's just a pen.

 

[Heathero617]

Quote:
I am learning, and learning a lot. I read this groups forum for a long time before i decided to join. I read it before i got my first chicks >which my mothers boxer ate< i knew id have a ton of work ahead of me and took extra steps to try and ensure my investment while the "formal" living arrangements were completed This has just happened in the past 2 weeks, I did lose a flock to a neighborhood stray who kept coming over and catching while they were free ranging. So i put a stop to the freeranging and then along comes rocky raccoon and started reeking havoc. I'm just glad hubby will be home next weekend for a few days to help me get this roof on. The inside revamp i can do myself. BUt climbing with large sheets of steel siding i can not do by myself, as a matter of fact, with my back and hip i can't do it at all..My hubby and dad will have to do it. I'll supervise >grin<

 

[Heathero617]

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The raccoon(s) >if this is to me< got into the pen as it currently has no roof, it will next weekend. It pryed open the swinging hatch door to the interior of the coop where it proceeded to kill my hen and swipe 2 3 day old chicks and i'm assuming in the process the roo was trying to protect got the snot beat out of him and died 3 days later. I jammed the swinging hatch door tighter and made sure i, myself had a hard time opening it, the raccoon returned friday night and came over the top of my pen...currently not having a roof and STILL managed to get the swinging hatch door to the coop open and killed a cockerel and a poullet cochin. No sign of the cochin except a few feathers, and my cockerel was mangled about the head and a wing had been ripped up a bit. inside the coop this occured. Otherwise his body was unscathed. I have since screwed the danged hatch door shut >last night< and will continue to do so until i can figure out a door that a raccoon can not get open...perhaps a bank vault safe door? Once I get the roof put on my run ...next weekend..... things should be much better. The steel shed siding that is used at the bottom of the pen is over 4 ft tall....if a raccoon can rip a chicken up 4 feet from the ground while hanging on the outside of the pen...then that raccoon DESERVES a very gourmet cooked meal! But as i said, i have a trap to set tonight, the roof goes on next weekend and the chickens will be screwed into the coop every night from here on out. >picture me screwing chickens into a coop< http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa250/heathero617_2007/board/penwithsandfirstlayer.jpg

I'm sorry, but I have a picture in my head of you screwing their feet onto the roost!

Seriously, it sounds like you're doing the best you can and that's all a person can do.

Referring to a previous post, I'm glad you're not going to let one nasty rude person ruin your enjoyment. I think when dealing with people on the internet we have to be like ducks and let alot slide off our backs. It's so easy to be rude when one isn't looking the other person in the eye when making comments.

Ohhh it's not their feet i'll be screwing in...their lil peckers are much pointier! Yes it is easy to be rude and ignorant to someone when you arent looking them in the face, i'm the type of person who is disgruntle for about 10 minutes then i'm over it. I dont forget about it mind you...i just dont waste my energy on it. I am, afterall a woman...and we dont forget >evil laugh<

 

[bobbi-j]

Hearing that evil laugh...

Your kids would learn real quick not to touch that electric fence. Your oldest would probably try it anyway, just to see if you really mean it. Your little one will believe you for a couple of years. We live on a farm, my 3 boys were raised with electric fence keeping our horses in. They all survived to adulthood.

(The days it was iffy had nothing to do with the fence) You could always unplug the fence when your kids are outside, as long as it gets plugged back in when they came inside.

 

[frizzleman74]

i know i should still be mourning over my loss but i have a new shipment of 12 chicks coming from mypetchicken that should arrive in september, already counting down the days!

 

[ChickyLove]

Oh no! I am so sorry this happened to your sweet chicks. {{{{hugs}}}} Everyone else has given wonderful advice so I can't add anything, but just want you to know I'm thinking of you!

 

[flower]

All we can do is to keep on working toward where we want to be. I have lost birds by making mistakes and am working for the "Mother of Fort Knox Coops" . All of life is trial and error. A second thought is that since I am looking for a particular "flock" and since there are always more roosters than needed many birds are culled (or stewed up), I think that I have either just culled or eaten more birds than those that have been lost to predators. I hope that you enjoy your new chicks/birds. I have had birds from MPC and they were very nice.


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[chicksntexas]

Sorry for you loss

I would be devastated too! We are building a new coop and my biggest concern is the coons! I'm so sorry for you, but I am glad you made the post...it helps new chicken owners to learn, even from a really sad experience.