(Note there are no pictures today...it is just too graphic and sad.
If you are attached to chickens, you may want to skip today.)
...And then there were five. Yes, we are down to five hens (and nine chicks on their way...) for last night there was bedevilment in the chicken coop.
Last night I checked on the girls...everything was fine and the girls were happy to receive a little feed before bedtime. There were eggs to collect and the girls were happily clucking. Last night we trick or treated on the road behind our house and cut through a neighbor's yard and our own backyard to come home.
All seemed fine at that time too.
This morning the dog wanted to go out repeatedly, but I didn't let him because he had already gone out.
Too bad I didn't...
I went to give the chickens some scraps and noticed that only five of them came out to gobble up the goodies (normally they all run out into their yard at the sight of me walking out the back door...) I went into the coop to give them their grain and instead of seeing the other three in there being silly waiting for the grain, I saw murder and despair...for I found two bodies ravaged, meat torn from the bones and entrails trailing...drumsticks intact. Another thing I found were two soft shelled eggs sucked of their innards, shell shrunken (most likely this morning's eggs) So now we are down to two barred rocks, one mystery chicken, and a red star. I think they are the more dominate chickens, and the ones that died were the ones that roost in the more vulnerable parts of the shed. This weekend we are planning on putting the yard to bed, with that chore will also come a installation of more secure roosts so that this doesn't happen again.
There is hope...I only found two bodies, so there may be one that got away.
I will be keeping my eye out for one little red hen.
Oh My! So sorry to hear that. I hope your third is safe somewhere.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about the carnage. Any idea what it was or if you can put out a live trap overnight? We've caught plenty of raccoons and opossums using the live trap.
ReplyDeleteThat's a major bummer!! I would hate to lose a chicken. I don't even like it when eggs get broken accidentally, or on purpose by a chicken. You might want to do something to safeguard the remaining hens. If the raccoon takes a liking to raw chicken it might come back for more.
ReplyDeleteOh no! Your poor girls.
ReplyDeletethat's it for the original imported Country Sister hens then...right? you're on your own now Sister! And you are doing a great job! You're not a real chicken farmer til you have a mass fatality incident. So sorry..what a sad and messy scene!
ReplyDeleteOh, no, how terrible. That is sad, what an awful scene to see as well as losing your hens.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry something is bothering your chickens and eggs. Hope you figure out how to secure them and you don't lose anymore. I am sure it is shocking to find.
ReplyDelete