very sad day UPDATE- lost even more :o(

[mmaddie's mom]

Today is a sad day for me. By nightfall I will have no more chickens. Two nights ago I lost 9 to an unknown predator. Last night I lost 11 more. The remaining 8 will go to live with my friend, Donna and her birds. I would rather have them safe w/her than sacrifice them tonight. Life is hard, but God is good...all the time. :-}

 

[EweSheep]

Oh no! I was hoping you would have given them to Laura Thompson LOL!

 

[MrsPinkKitty]

It will be ok..It is hard to loose chickens .Keep your head up

 

[BlakesFarm]

 

[mmaddie's mom]

We are thinking weasels or mink. We have never had trouble with these predators before BUT up until Monday we had a resident cat in the coop. He slept there every night. He was an old boy and we had to have him put to sleep earlier this week (cancer). Is it possible that just his presense in the coop at night was a deterrent to these nasty predators? I'm thinking that he may have been earning his keep as a night watchman for my flock! He is missed in so many ways... and so is my flock. It will be a quiet Spring.

 

[Sherry]

I had a mink back in Oct. Everyone kept telling me you can't use a live trap for mink. Yes you can. I put in a part from one of the chickens he had killed and I got him! Haven't had any trouble since.

 

[Turkeyrangler]

Quote:
Your absolutely right. I have trapped mink in live traps a number of times. I covered the trap in branches and such making it look like a nice cubby hole. Mink like that kind of place. Chicken entrails as bait always works well. Hope you get him.

 

[chkn]

mmaddie's mom :

We are thinking weasels or mink. We have never had trouble with these predators before BUT up until Monday we had a resident cat in the coop. He slept there every night. He was an old boy and we had to have him put to sleep earlier this week (cancer). Is it possible that just his presense in the coop at night was a deterrent to these nasty predators? I'm thinking that he may have been earning his keep as a night watchman for my flock! He is missed in so many ways... and so is my flock. It will be a quiet Spring.

Oh, that is so sad. He really was your hero all along.​

 

[renart]

Sad news indeed! Here's hoping that it can be straightened out and your chickens can come back home where they belong.

 

[NonnasBabies]

That's really sad. Sorry this has happed to you!!