Is it better to let them die?

[gypsydoll96]

No matter when, they always get your favorite. Sometimes I will miss that one for a while, but the best cure is new chicks.

Thank you...you're right, they always get my favorites. We have lost two of our favorites in the last few weeks to what we think is a raccoon, and three more last year to the same. Peaches was our supermodel who would pose for pictures and Cream was a beautiful Buff with perfect feathers. Corn was dragged off over a snow bank leaving a trail of blood behind and Squash had her neck broke when she roosted near the roof. All disappeared in the night when a family member neglected to close the coop run.
Early this morning I intercepted an attack even with the run secured; again, my favorite the irridescent australorp named Pepper. (we have a barred rock named Salt.)
For us its a little more difficult as we have a small backyard flock of only five or so that are more like pets the give us a gift of eggs every morning. We are not allowed roosters in the city limits and I had to block the chicken yard form the dog as he was tracking poop everywhere!!
Getting new birds has always helped take away the loss, but we have lost so many this past year that its getting tough.
Today we are bringing our surviving girls to the flock that my daughter manages at her public school. We hope they will be safe there while we secure the run, exterminate some rats, and set some traps to catch this nasty critter stealing my girls!

 

[Shadrach]

Thank you...you're right, they always get my favorites. We have lost two of our favorites in the last few weeks to what we think is a raccoon, and three more last year to the same. Peaches was our supermodel who would pose for pictures and Cream was a beautiful Buff with perfect feathers. Corn was dragged off over a snow bank leaving a trail of blood behind and Squash had her neck broke when she roosted near the roof. All disappeared in the night when a family member neglected to close the coop run.
Early this morning I intercepted an attack even with the run secured; again, my favorite the irridescent australorp named Pepper. (we have a barred rock named Salt.)
For us its a little more difficult as we have a small backyard flock of only five or so that are more like pets the give us a gift of eggs every morning. We are not allowed roosters in the city limits and I had to block the chicken yard form the dog as he was tracking poop everywhere!!
Getting new birds has always helped take away the loss, but we have lost so many this past year that its getting tough.
Today we are bringing our surviving girls to the flock that my daughter manages at her public school. We hope they will be safe there while we secure the run, exterminate some rats, and set some traps to catch this nasty critter stealing my girls!

Nice looking chickens.
It’s hawks here. There are foxes, but so far they only hunt at night. If that changes I’ll have problems. The weasels aren’t very good at catching chickens, mainly because they try and grab them from behind and the chickens that have got better sense just keep going. They lose a lot of feathers from their rear ends and sulk for a few days, but the tribes all know what happened and seem in general to be empathetic.
Making coops and runs predator proof is quite difficult. You really need a hardware cloth skirt buried at the bottom of the fence. This helps stop the digging predators and discourages the rats.

 

[Mrs. K]

Getting a set up coon tight is tough. I who, have twice your size flock have been in that same discouraged situation. I got a beautiful new coop and run.... and had the very devil of a time getting it coon proof.

You have to trap the coons, they keep coming back.

A couple of things that worked for me, is a double layer of wire, chicken wire on the inside, woven wire on the outside. Laying down an apron of about 12 inches on top of the ground on the outside of the run,using garden staples, old branches or posts to keep it down. Predators tend to dig in a pretty tight U, it will hurt their feet to dig close to the fence, and that really helped me.

But also look at your gate, often the weakest part of the coop. Lay down chicken wire and fasten underneath the gate. Also look at how the door closes, I put in an extra post that the gate closes up against.

Over the top, coons can climb up a post like nothing. One has to have an over the top set up.

The last thing I am strongly considering is an electric closing door to the coop.

I love this hobby, but I do understand how it can be heartbreaking.

Mrs K