hwillm1977 - MY CHICKEN IS HOME!!!!!

[Farmfresh]

If they were selling them as pullets when they were just babies I would guess a Red sex link, which are really good layers. I really like the coop!

Hard to tell from the pics, but is the front of the coop under the roof open?
If it is I would recommend putting some chicken wire over the gap to help make it more predator proof. Raccoons and skunks LOVE a chicken dinner.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Great pics, nice job on that first egg

 

[hwillm1977]

Well, Farmfresh was right... I should have put some chicken wire over the gap (which I meant to do... just hadn't gotten around to it). We picked up the chickens on last Wednesday (they were sold as 'Ready to lay pullets') and I lost one last night sometime... I locked four chickens in the coop last night, there are three in there this morning. I have NO IDEA where the fourth one went.

There's no feathers, no signs of a struggle, and the other three are happy and don't seem stressed at all... I walked all over the property looking for feathers, or at least some sign that a chicken had been there, and found nothing...she just vanished.

We don't really have raccoons... but we do have skunks (although I couldn't smell a skunky residue either)... we have LOTS of coyotes, but I doubt that they could get in the coop the way it is...

I left some feed outside the door of the coop... I'm hoping by some miracle, she'll wander back during the day... one can hope right?

 

[Farmfresh]

In my experience hunting skunks often don't leave any scent. It is a DEFENSE mechanism. Several years back my dad had a skunk that gave birth to her litter UNDER his three season porch!!! He would sit in his chair on the porch and watch Mama and her babies play! Never even a musty smell.

Of course later they came to plague my chickens which I kept there.

You need to get that wire on TODAY! If the skunk (and don't rule out raccoons either) is pregnant or has a litter, it will be back for more dinner TONIGHT.

 

[hwillm1977]

Yep, wire is going on the top of the coop today... and I'm getting actual locks for the doors (they are just pins and latches now). Because of a lack of signs of a predator (no tracks in the soft ground around the coop other than people, and no feathers anywhere) I'm thinking that it might have been a human predator.

We had the 'Pollett River Run' this weekend, where a bunch of drunk idiots float themselves down the spring run off of the river behind our house... on homemade rafts... although we stayed outside all day to keep an eye on things, the chicken disappeared after dark that night.

Either way I'm working on extra predator proofing, human or otherwise, today... I feel so awful that she's lost... and even worse that I have no idea if she's been eaten, or if she just escaped on her own and is wandering somewhere.

 

[Dace]

I am sorry that you have a missing bird.

We had a coyote attack several months back..I was missing several birds. I had to leave right after we noticed a big pile of feathers, to take the kids to school.

When I got home 2 of the missing girls had returned. DH and I walked the neighborhood and found the last missing girl bu the street, wandering around!

Saying a little prayer that your girl turns up safe and sound.

 

[TanksHill]

Wow the pallet coop looks great. I must say my pallets never turned into much more than fire wood.

I am sorry you are missing a bird. I hope she turns up. Oh, they do look just like my Red sex links as well.

Have a great day.

gina

 

[noobiechickenlady]

That's a nice looking coop! But, please use hardware cloth or small welded wire to cover the gap. A coon can literally pull chicken wire apart.

<<That's me doing the happy dance for your first egg. Those are so exciting!

 

[hwillm1977]

I did get predator proof screening for the ventilation holes along the top of the coop... it's like a black mesh that's too small for claws to go through, but I don't think they called it hardware cloth?

Anyway, Zelda came home!

When we got home she had holed herself up slightly under the coop, and was hungry enough to let us pick her up and put her in... she's feasting on some romaine lettuce treats and relaxing in the coop... The other three birds were stressed out and flying around the pen, but relaxed once Zelda got back inside with them...

I guess she just went on walk-about

I'm SOOOO relieved she's back... I can't believe how worried I was about one chicken...

Back outside to get all the adjustments made to the coop before anything can really get them....

 

[lupinfarm]

We lost a chicken one night too, but she turned up late the next day Silly running-away chickens!