Farm Chicken loss :(
- Thread starter Kewpie
- Start date
Kewpie
Senior Member
Oh, I’m so ugly crying.
Something got into my coop (I really think raccoon) and killed all my birds in the coop. There wasn’t a lot of depradation, and I’m fortunate enough that I still have my marans, a couple Bob white quail, and Guinea keets…but I lost my Ayam Cemani (she lived here for 10 years, FAR longer than I have), my favorite fuzzy cheeked Easter eggers, my little splash that laid the prettiest pink egg…I’m just SO freaking sad. My husband blames himself, he spent his last few weekends on a new more secure coop, just not enough time to finish, I blame myself, I didn’t shut the coop door when they all piled in, thinking they needed the air flow.
I’ve been bawling my eyes out all day.
Something got into my coop (I really think raccoon) and killed all my birds in the coop. There wasn’t a lot of depradation, and I’m fortunate enough that I still have my marans, a couple Bob white quail, and Guinea keets…but I lost my Ayam Cemani (she lived here for 10 years, FAR longer than I have), my favorite fuzzy cheeked Easter eggers, my little splash that laid the prettiest pink egg…I’m just SO freaking sad. My husband blames himself, he spent his last few weekends on a new more secure coop, just not enough time to finish, I blame myself, I didn’t shut the coop door when they all piled in, thinking they needed the air flow.
I’ve been bawling my eyes out all day.
helen
Panic Sex Lady
This happened to my birds too. You do your best with what you have.
JMG91
Veteran Member
I'm so sorry, KewPee. It's awful to lose your birdies!
Kewpie
Senior Member
I’m just so damn mad. I loved those stupid chickens. We used hog panels, hardware cloth, and had heavy metal poles at the bottom. I kept freaking quail for almost 2 years with nothing getting at them. Husband was working on an even nicer heavy duty coop, and I teased him, ‘don’t you think it’s overkill?’
All my friends keep telling me ‘it happens to the best of us/it’s a learning experience” but I’m just devastated. I thought I was doing well. I had an Ayam Cemani who had managed to be the sole survivor out of 50 from 10 years ago. She survived longer than I was here. But she started hanging with my flock when I got them, and it’s all my fault she’s dead now. I can’t stop crying.
I’m kind of an asshole and very little phases me as far as people go. Except when it comes to animals. When it comes to animals, they are my babies and my whole tough exterior just melts.
They depended on me, and I failed them.
All my friends keep telling me ‘it happens to the best of us/it’s a learning experience” but I’m just devastated. I thought I was doing well. I had an Ayam Cemani who had managed to be the sole survivor out of 50 from 10 years ago. She survived longer than I was here. But she started hanging with my flock when I got them, and it’s all my fault she’s dead now. I can’t stop crying.
I’m kind of an asshole and very little phases me as far as people go. Except when it comes to animals. When it comes to animals, they are my babies and my whole tough exterior just melts.
They depended on me, and I failed them.
Walrus Whisperer
Hope in chains...
One of the safety devices I used on all my windows in my coop was this stuff at Lowes, it was something like extruded aluminum. I think it was something to apply to stucco over. i sized the coop windows to use it over the coops screen windows. The stuff is extremely sharp to handle. I never had anything that came into the coop via the windows. That stuff would rip your hide right off you.
dawgofwar10
Veteran Member
I feel your pain as well, but the good news is they are opening a Chick-Fil- A down the street from me. Don’t know if those birds will in the batch, but I will be thinking about them…
Walrus Whisperer
Hope in chains...
It ripped my heart out when they came and took my chickens away cause I was sick. I won't even look at my empty coop anymore.
winodog
The Bible is a flat earth book
You managed to keep them alive for a long time and they enjoyed the life you gave them. I would mourn em and try to move on as quickly as possible. Dont let wild animals doing what wild animals do spoil your love for raising birds.
Get some more chicks, mend any holes and invest in a 100 dollar chicken door that runs on solar and shuts every night automatically.
Get some more chicks, mend any holes and invest in a 100 dollar chicken door that runs on solar and shuts every night automatically.
West
Senior
Years ago we had over 40 hens we raised from about a dozen strait runs. And did the whole incubation and raised in the house, till they went into the coop. Eat most of the roos. Right at the peek of our flock and production of eggs was almost 40 a day.
Next door naighbors full blooded bird hunting dog broke into coop and killed them all.
Know how you feel.
Next door naighbors full blooded bird hunting dog broke into coop and killed them all.
Know how you feel.
pauldingbabe
The Great Cat
Yep, unfortunately.
I had most of mine killed this time of year about 6 years ago.
I think it was a pack of hunting dogs someone lost track of.
Awful! Prayers going up for the OP.
Please try again with the chicks! Don't give up.
Walrus Whisperer
Hope in chains...
I am dying of luekemia, I await a flock in heaven if I should be so lucky!
Raggedyman
Res ipsa loquitur
ask and ye shall receive - prayers up that you get yours WW. I am convinced that "the many mansions" are actually personally designed by their future inhabitants then loving furnished and provided to spec for us by HIM
may you find exactly what you've always dreamed of - including everything you've ever wished for, but somehow missed here- waiting for you on your arrival to out real home
Kewpie
Senior Member
I’ll have to look into that! Our new coop should only be another week or so, and I’ll be moving my remaining Marans and introducing the guineas with the aquarium method.
I’m strongly considering an automatic chicken door. My only hesitancy was not being sure when to open and close it. I didn’t want too early am when the hawks and owls are still about, and worried at too early PM. Lost a rooster because the damn thing perched outside the coop too high for me to get. It was late, I just got home and was exhausted, figured he’d be fine for the night. WRONG. :facepalm;
Walrus Whisperer
Hope in chains...
I'm one that doesn't require a mansion, all I want is. A Little place and a chicken McMansion.
Kewpie
Senior Member
Ugh, that’s heartbreaking, I’m so sorry!!
I live near horse breeders, and they are not shy about the fact that loose and/or stray dogs don’t stay on the loose for long around here. It makes me sad (I’ve fostered dogs with gunshot wounds, it’s rough), but at the same time…when your horses sell for $20k to $100k…I might do the same.
Kewpie
Senior Member
Same. I’m fine living in my little ol’ farmhouse, but we’re tearing down the old barns and building newer and better!
TxGal
Day by day
We had one year that foxes were hitting farmsteads on our road. We were free ranging our flock of Light Brahmas and a few Barred Rocks in a fenced in area next to our house. Something got 5 of them, and another we had to put down because it was so badly injured. It was about the same time of day the foxes starting roaming the area.
We didn't see the attack, didn't hear anything, just came out after dinnertime and saw the carnage. Broke our hearts, this was a nice flock of very healthy birds who all got along. Some were just killed as if for sport. It really does seem to happen to everyone sooner or later, no matter how well constructed everything is.
We didn't see the attack, didn't hear anything, just came out after dinnertime and saw the carnage. Broke our hearts, this was a nice flock of very healthy birds who all got along. Some were just killed as if for sport. It really does seem to happen to everyone sooner or later, no matter how well constructed everything is.
Sorry to see this. Just got my first Flock-secure in a garage for now as I plan their Coop/Pen/House. I'm thinking Razor wire, electric fencing, Punji stakes and aauto-aiming lazer turrets.
Guy gave us a live-catch trap. So, there will be Stringy Meat on the Dinner Table at times.
Guy gave us a live-catch trap. So, there will be Stringy Meat on the Dinner Table at times.