Disaster

Well, we had a disaster tonight. I went to the back to change for bed and heard my chickens peeping loudly. It's 11 at night, so I grabbed a flashnight and walked outside, to find 2 dead chickens. Foolishly (they're dumb chickens!) they had not bedded down in their box, but along the side of the cage. A night creature killed 2 of them, and another narrowly missed death when I showed up and chased it off. Probably a cat, I heard something streaking away as I walked out there. Luckily I have an old piece of shade fabric rolled up nearby, and I wrapped it all the way around the cage, and secured it with boxes, rocks and an old gate, so hopefully the Beast can't drag another chick out through the chicken wire. This is the hardest part of raising chicks, protecting them from predators (and from themselves) long enough grow up. Kinda like kids....

I have to go out and check on them again before I go to bed, just to make sure my plan worked. In Colorado we had a big chicken hutch, it was actually an 1880's log cabin with 2 rooms, and a big 6 foot chicken pen around it. I fought skunks and raccoons there every year. I had a cage for the babies that I put inside the smallest room in the pen. I locked it up every night, but sometimes a skunk would push a hole through the rock foundation and get into the chicks. I would lose a half dozen some years before I could catch and shoot the damn skunks. At least the raccoons would steal a chicken, but take the whole thing. Skunks rip them through the abdomen and start eating them while they're still alive, it horrible. I had no qualms about shooting them as needed. It takes a lot of energy at times, but I love the fresh eggs and 'organic bug control'. Off I go to save the day, I feel like such a hero and Mom again!