Chicken Thieves

[Captain Cluck]

I board my hens at a nearby farm. When the owner is away out of state, I feed and care for her flock and mine. I go twice a day to feed, water and lock up. Keep the place clean. When she is home, we split the chores.

Today my husband and I were at the farm until 2 PM reinforcing the coop and pen I keep my birds in (On Friday night, a raccoon climbed in the unsecured top -10-12 feet up- and maimed 2 ducks and killed the third. I have one survivor). All the birds in both flocks free range the farm together during the day, but are locked into their coops at night. The birds know where home is and go into their coops at sunset. Everyone was accounted for when we left.

I babysat for my daughter today until 7:30 and it was dark by the time we got back to the farm to lock up. Not usually a problem. I have arrived after dark a few times in the past, since the birds all go into their coops unassisted. I do a head count, check for sneak-in predators and lock up.

Tonight all the birds in my coop were gone. Vanished. I have a hen with 6 chicks confined to one end of the coop, she can come and go at will if she chooses, but her chicks cannot leave. They were gone too. No blood, no feathers, all feed and water containers upright and undisturbed.

Someone walked in around roosting time and walked away with my birds. We couldn't identify any tracks, because it rained before we got there.

I tried to file a theft report, and the officer had a hard time keeping a straight face. Were they locked up? How do I know they didn't wander away? Maybe a fox ate them. Maybe a raccoon ate them. Maybe they are roosting in the trees. (He admitted he is clueless about chickens.)

I agreed to wait until morning to file an official report in case the chickens come home and told him that my pets were as important to me as anyone else's dog, horse or bull, and I expect to get them back or be paid for them - all 14 of them. He asked about identifying marks, and my husband said, you wouldn't recognize them, but she knows her birds. Thank goodness I have pictures of most of my birds.

Why would someone steal my chickens? They have to know where the coop is - it is down in back of the tractor shed and not easily visible from the street or the house. What would they want them for? My husband says they'll sell them for $5 each and go buy more crack. I think they'll eat them, but why take the chicks?

They better pray I don't find out who did this.

Now, How do I find out who did this and how do I get my birds back?

 

[ll]

that is really terrible keep looking on craigslist.org for the area you live in to see if anyone places ads to sell them?
good luck

 

[Captain Cluck]

Thank you for the well wishes... there are regular ads on Craigs List for chickens.. My husband thinks maybe they had a private sale already set up and decided my birds were their ticket to nirvana. I really want my birds back, but the reaction of the police officer sums up the attitude around here - "But they're chickens!"

I get the feeling I won't be getting my birds back. Even thought they are just mutts, they are MY mutts!

 

[micheller1210]

So sorry, that is so terrible, all that love and work to no avail. I hope they get caught.

 

[zookeeptd]

We had someone brake into our coop last Nov. They killed all but 2 of our hens and both roosters. We think they were after the guineas since we only found a few bodies. Just tore off the heads and left them next to the bodies. 2 hens were alive but with broken legs so had to be put down. These were my first chickens (had not started laying yet) and guineas. I was heart broken!! The local sheriff gave us the run around and basically said "not alot they'll do over a chicken coop". We know it was humans since no bodies were torn up and heads were next to bodies. Also, no digging but 2 torn places in chicken wire, one chest high. Our coop is about 50 ft from house and it rained like crazy that night. We never heard a thing. 27 guineas and 30 chickens. I know your pain and I'm very sorry. Stay on the police.. I hope they'll help.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Typically those types of theft are someone who knows and visits that place from time to time and knew no one was home. They may have been taken to a flee market for quick sale, or as stated, had a buyer already lined up...if you free think it, you or your partner will already know who did this.
Either way the attitude of the cop was substandard-you can get alot of that in Florida, the good ones are few and far in between. After all, you called to report a crime, what does it think, you should do its job? If so, why should it get a paycheck.

 

[NYboy]

Very sorry, good luck.

 

[heath_elisha]

I was just telling my husband the other day about chicken kidnapping.... he thought I was making it up. We have sold a couple birds from our home before and I feared recently that someone eyeing my keepers would come back when I wasn't home. I am a stay at home mom and work from home- but I do leave the house lol and I would die if someone just came and took my birds. I wanted to get padlocks- but my husband said it was just too much for "chickens". We do the same with our birds though- let them come in on their own at night to roost, go out to close up- do a head count, etc. I would be crushed..... even if they are my mutts.... I am so sorry to hear of your loss though (you too zookeeptd). All I can suggest is craigslist- local ads- and locks on the coop.

 

[Captain Cluck]

I am sorry for all you who have had thieves break in and steal or kill your birds. Some people are so selfish, and have no conscience.

I found out who stole my chickens, and my birds are all back at the farm, happy and full of food. I forgave the offenders.

I followed the officer's advice and did a head count when I went to feed this morning. Every bird was back in the yard and well. (they were roosting in the trees where I could not see them)

My flashlight was weak last night, so I missed where the barricade for the chicks had shifted out of place, leaving a gap for them to squeeze out. Their Mamma had them tucked in the duck hut under the coop all night. I fixed the barricade so it won't shift again, and put the chicks back inside the coop. I hate keeping them in there all the time, but if I let them out, the hawks will get them or the other adult birds could kill them. I have seen the other hens peck at them.

I will be carrying a hand cranked flashlight from now on. It is bright, and when the light dims, all I have to do is turn the handle to recharge the battery. I will also do my best to be there before dark from now on, too.

When I called the officer this morning to tell him the birds were home, he did allow himself to chuckle a little. I guess there is not much call for chicken thieves out here (I hope). To his credit, he did suppress his impulse to laugh last night when I talked to him last night. I watched one corner of his mouth twitch up, but he kept his composure. I am sure they will be laughing over this for a while, though.

It's OK. y'all can laugh now. ;-)

 

[DelDels]

I am not laughing. It's unusual for ALL the chickens to decide to roost in the trees. I probably would have thought the same thing. Chicken theft, especially in this economy is a somewhat common problem unfortunately. I keep padlocks on my coops.

What you need to figure out is did something spook your chickens so that they all were afraid to roost in the coop? Like most animals chickens are creatures of habit. Mine get panicky if they can't get to their roosts at dusk. I would be doing some detective work and make sure I was overseeing them getting into their coops. I think something frightened them and may be back.