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Post by Dennis on Aug 25, 2012 11:42:21 GMT -7
Well the only survivor is my rooster and he sure looks lonely. Not sure what got em but there's nothing left.
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Post by wtrfwlr on Aug 25, 2012 11:46:59 GMT -7
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Post by woodyz on Aug 25, 2012 11:54:33 GMT -7
If they are gone and there was access it was raccoons or fox, they would take them away. Coon families are old enough now you could have six or seven adults this time of year. Same with fox families. If you have bodies it was possums. A possum or possum family will kill every chicken in a coop in one night. If their heads were bit, it was a possum. Right now our chickens are free range and we stopped locking them up at night. So far we have lost two to a coon. But we have too many and we are raising young to replace them so I don't mind if I lose a few. (coons gotta eat same as worms and buzzards according to woodscustom and Clint Eastwood  ;D  ) |
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Post by WILL on Aug 25, 2012 13:40:25 GMT -7
That's too bad. These days, mine never leave the coop. I don't have time to baby sit them, and unwatched, they get picked off pretty quick. I saw a bob-cat in my yard just this morning. On the other hand, keeping them cooped up casts me with feed. I spent $75 just this month. No way they're making $75 woth of eggs!
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Post by cajunlady87 on Aug 25, 2012 14:57:44 GMT -7
So sorry to hear this Dennis, I know that's a great loss. That's why mine are literally kept padlocked in their coop at night and let out to roam in their fenced yard each morning. I've been in your situation twice before and doing my best to not go throught that again.
Dang Will, your feed prices are crazy high. Don't know how many chickens you have but it sounds like you're being scalped.
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Post by Dennis on Aug 25, 2012 15:04:06 GMT -7
Thanks but I should have also added it's all my fault. I wasn't feeling to well last night and never went up closed the gate on the coop.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2012 15:53:49 GMT -7
We haven't been letting ours out of late too. If I did gone in 60 minutes or less.
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Post by cowgirlup on Aug 25, 2012 16:22:31 GMT -7
Man that's too bad. That's one thing holding me back from getting some. The only good place to ut them is far from the house and right near the woods.
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Post by woodyz on Aug 25, 2012 17:01:24 GMT -7
We have 2 outside runs 20'x30' 8' high, but between hatching Quail, peasant, ducks and chickens. I just threw the older chickens out to fend for themselves, well not entirely, I have water out and they get fed once a day. But no feeder in front of them like they were used to. They have an outside roost and sleep under the stars. All the rain we have had I did have a weak moment and put up a tarp for them to get under.
Two friends of ours were supposed to take 5 each in June, so I told them if they didn't hurry the Rocky Raccoon was going to find them first. When we get down to five hens they will go back into a run. Doesn't make much differece to me if the friends get them or the raccoon's. All the same to me.
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Post by Redneckidokie on Aug 25, 2012 17:34:26 GMT -7
Could have been aliens Dennis. |
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Post by WILL on Aug 25, 2012 17:42:07 GMT -7
So sorry to hear this Dennis, I know that's a great loss. That's why mine are literally kept padlocked in their coop at night and let out to roam in their fenced yard each morning. I've been in your situation twice before and doing my best to not go throught that again. Dang Will, your feed prices are crazy high. Don't know how many chickens you have but it sounds like you're being scalped. 23 hens, almost $16 for a bag of layer pellet. |
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Post by cajunlady87 on Aug 26, 2012 8:22:01 GMT -7
Man that's too bad. That's one thing holding me back from getting some. The only good place to ut them is far from the house and right near the woods. Cowgirl don't let that stop you. I live in the woods and the fenced area my chickens roam in during the day are on the edge of a very overgrown wooded lot next to me. Their fenced area is covered by a tarp to keep flying predators out and I just make sure they are locked in their coop at night. This simple setup has served its purpose for quite some time now. I've left home for the whole day and come back and they're just doing their normal everyday thing when I return home. You won't know for sure unless you try it. It's like everything else, trial and error. Just buy a few and see what works for you.  |
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Post by Dennis on Aug 27, 2012 3:01:00 GMT -7
Man that's too bad. That's one thing holding me back from getting some. The only good place to ut them is far from the house and right near the woods. Cowgirl don't let that stop you. I live in the woods and the fenced area my chickens roam in during the day are on the edge of a very overgrown wooded lot next to me. Their fenced area is covered by a tarp to keep flying predators out and I just make sure they are locked in their coop at night. This simple setup has served its purpose for quite some time now. I've left home for the whole day and come back and they're just doing their normal everyday thing when I return home. You won't know for sure unless you try it. It's like everything else, trial and error. Just buy a few and see what works for you. Cowgirl this was all my fault. If I left them locked up in the coop nothing can get to them. I've left them for 2 weeks more than once and never had a problem. I just like to let them roam around which isn't the best thing where I live. |
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Post by missj on Sept 23, 2012 15:06:58 GMT -7
yeah, it's happened to us twice and very sad and also a loss of time and resources.
Right now, with our newest batch we haven't lost ONE to a predator yet since I switched to the chicken tractor method....but they NEVER get to free roam this way....I just move the tractor every couple of days to let them forage on new stuff...maybe it's sad for them to not get to spread their wings and barely fly....but it's worse to get mutilated I think....
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Post by twicebitten on Sept 24, 2012 5:24:03 GMT -7
Yep, sorry for the loss, I have a different perspective if I may.....
That must be one bad ass rooster.
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;D 
) 
