Well, we let our guard down, and paid the price.

[BFeathered]

Oh! I'm so sorry, Ninja! Unfortunately, I'm a member of the been-there-done-that club. Do we need to get T-shirts made? See my tag line on the live-and-learn thing. Good luck with the hatching, take care of the feathered ones you have left, and don't beat yourself up too much. BTW, I may be contacting you about a standard-- used to have one, loved him. And to think.... the chickens were my way of retaliating against another large dog -- possibly a standard poodle! Oh well, yes we all live and learn.
Hugs and good luck.

 

[LittleHouseDreams]

So sorry for your loss!

 

[ninjapoodles]

Update, as of this evening, 24 hours later:

Two badly injured cuckoo Marans died during the night, and a badly injured copper black Marans pullet died sometime today.

Now the good news: At first light this morning, MANY missing chickens showed up. A handful of buff Orpington pullets, Maurice the cuckoo Marans rooster, and SIX copper black Marans, pullets and cockerels! That means that it looks as if, of the CB Marans, we only lost the one pullet who died of her injuries today.

The incubator warmed up for 24 hours, and I just finished filling it up. Amazingly, the eggs I gathered today, plus the ones in the basket on the kitchen counter, were EXACTLY the right number to completely fill the incubator. I have no idea how viable they are, but it's worth a shot, right?

Hopefully, in three weeks, I'll have some little Orps and Easter Eggers to brood.

P.S. BFeathered: We don't breed standards, but you're close to my neck of the woods, so I bet I can hook you up with some good breeders when the time comes. Also, my all-time greatest standard poodle came to me through Bluebonnet Poodle Rescue, so that's worth checking out!

 

[crazy cat lady]

'm new to this forum, but wanted to send my regrets over the loss of your chickens. I know how it feels. Only I had lost my ducks and chickens to raccoons. Sure hope you have success with your eggs.

 

[Zookeeper9000]

Welcome Crazy Cat Lady

Hey Ninja sure glad it wasn't as bad as you thought. Sorry for the ones ya lost last night.

Good luck on the bator.

 

[BeardedChick]

CrazyCat -

NP, glad so many of them came back home. Did you get the hole fixed? What did you use? We had to put a big pile of gravel under the gates so our poodle type thing would stay in. They must be half weasle - they seem to be able to unhinge their joints and fit through small little spaces. Hope those eggs you set will hatch for 'ya.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
It was a weakness next to the house, caused by heavy rains coming through the downspout into the landscaping gravel. It doesn't take much for a mini to squeeze through! We countersunk a panel from an ex pen in the spot, and will create a more permanent solution this weekend.

 

[amazondoc]

NP, glad so many of them came back home. Did you get the hole fixed? What did you use? We had to put a big pile of gravel under the gates so our poodle type thing would stay in. They must be half weasle - they seem to be able to unhinge their joints and fit through small little spaces.

You think that's bad? I have a doberman digging under my fences. I am in the process of attaching rabbit fencing to the bottom of the chain link, bending about a foot of it out to lay along the ground and weighing that down with some of my ever-present rocks. That seems to be working wherever I've actually laid it -- but he keeps digging in the places I haven't gotten to yet!

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
You think that's bad? I have a doberman digging under my fences. I am in the process of attaching rabbit fencing to the bottom of the chain link, bending about a foot of it out to lay along the ground and weighing that down with some of my ever-present rocks. That seems to be working wherever I've actually laid it -- but he keeps digging in the places I haven't gotten to yet!

AUGH, I've never had a digger. Well, not a digger under fences, anyway. Bless your heart!

I love Dobes. LOVE 'em. One of the best tips you can give a newcomer in poodle conformation is to provide them with an illustrated Doberman standard. A good poodle should look darn near identical to a good Doberman, underneath the hair.

 

[BeardedChick]

NP, I'm interested to know what your permanent solution is when you have it finished. We have a spot exactly like that under a downspout. It hasn't washed out - yet. I'm thinking either a big pile of large rocks to prevent washout or maybe just a concrete pad. I'm not sure what to do...