Lost one of my girls tonight

[cntrywmnkw]

So sad & bummed out, I lost one of my girls, tonight, a SLW about 9 months old. Not sure what got her, but I'm guessing fox/coyote. We live on 10+ acres surrounded by woods & have had "issues" in the past from both. Haven't had any issues since last summer, but kinda looks like they may be back. My girls are confined to their coop & run I guess for the duration. Here are pics of the run, it's 14' x 35', so it's not like they don't have lot's of room, but they do enjoy getting out in the yard in the evenings, but after tonight, no more yard for awhile. Sorry girls.

 

[GuppyTJ]

So sorry to hear this, truly. Your run looks very nice but I understand your point about how much chickens love to free range.

I free range exclusively and have no run of any kind. I live on the border of 3,000 acres of Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky so we have lots of predators. I'm new to this with my first set of 16 chicks, between 8 and 12 weeks old. I have a good, sturdy, predator-proof coop that they sleep in at night. (here's my blog with how I built it, if interested, http://www.littlewolf.org/preserve/the-scoop-on-building-a-coop/

My question is... what time of day/night did your chicken get taken? I ask because I am not sure how early I need to get my chickens into the coop to be safe but not totally paranoid. And with the day light getting longer (today was the summer solstice) I don't think I'm being consistent. I know most predators are nocturnal but that they start hunting at or before dusk.

Anyway, just trying to learn from your experience, if I may.

Thanks,
Guppy

 

[Keltara]

I am sooooooo sorry for your loss.

 

[cntrywmnkw]

So sorry to hear this, truly. Your run looks very nice but I understand your point about how much chickens love to free range.

I free range exclusively and have no run of any kind. I live on the border of 3,000 acres of Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky so we have lots of predators. I'm new to this with my first set of 16 chicks, between 8 and 12 weeks old. I have a good, sturdy, predator-proof coop that they sleep in at night. (here's my blog with how I built it, if interested, http://www.littlewolf.org/preserve/the-scoop-on-building-a-coop/

My question is... what time of day/night did your chicken get taken? I ask because I am not sure how early I need to get my chickens into the coop to be safe but not totally paranoid. And with the day light getting longer (today was the summer solstice) I don't think I'm being consistent. I know most predators are nocturnal but that they start hunting at or before dusk.

Anyway, just trying to learn from your experience, if I may.

Thanks,
Guppy

Thank you, of course, if anyone can learn from this, at least some good has come from losing my girl. I had just let my girls out for their evening run, around maybe 6pm-6:30pm here in SC. I USED to totally free range, but after losing a LOT of my girls last year to foxes, coyotes, hawks & a dog pack attack, I had to have the run built. I still let them out, but only for short time in the evenings & when I'm out with them, that's what's really upset me this time, I was STANDING not 10' away & my girls got attacked, so that tells me a predator has moved back into the woods. I'm on high alert now.

 

[GuppyTJ]

Oh geez, standing right there, yikes! I don't think mine have a chance then. I do have 2 dogs (unfortunately one is blind) that go up to the barn/coop with me and that may help a little as I understand predators don't like the scent of dogs. My beagle/terrier mutt (the one that can see) chased off a coyote several weeks ago so I know they're around. My chocks have been going pretty deep into the woods lately, at 12 weeks old. I can only imagine how much they'll want to wander as they continue to grow older. IF they aren't eaten first. Sheesh.