More Death and Loss

Too much is happening. I am going to tell you I am not used to losing any of my animals. Everyone here lives to a ripe old age if I have anything to do with it. It is very difficult for me to handle what is going on here.

Remember my girls...the three bantam cochin frizzle hens I showed this past February? They are gone. Taken, all three, in one invasion, one attack. I went out yesterday morning, and they were there. I know they were. So the attack came in daylight. Last evening I went out to feed the pigs and out to the side going out towards the neighbors I saw white feathers, clumps, everywhere. My first thought was the remaining silkies had been taken. Then I turned and saw both boys popping around and became increasingly puzzled. Dorothy is in the house in a cage sitting on Serama eggs for me, so I knew she was safe.

OH NO...I turned and my eyes fell upon a completely empty frizzle house...no no no no...Tears welling up...no no no NO NO...getting louder. Not my girls. Not them. But it was...and bless their heart, one of my Phoenix roos had tried to fend off whatever it was because there were neck feathers from one of them behind the frizzle house, and the board that was up against the back of the house had been pulled aside and there were signs of digging. Unable to dig through the hard earth it went around to the front of the house and pulled off the chicken wire front enough to squeeze in and take them. There was evidence of small footprints, I am thinking this predator is a fox. It does not like to tangle with the big chickens. It is taking the little ones. One frizzle had made a run for it as I found feathers toward the back of our vegetable garden. She did not make it. No one did.

The neighbors I spoke of used to have loose dogs, a nuisance in itself. BUT...I think that is what had kept the predators away. It dragged the bodies to that side of the property, where the dogs used to patrol. Now I haven't seen those dogs in a few months now. The older man living there is bedridden, so his kids are caring for him and his property. I am thinking they don't have the dogs anymore.

Now, I will not say here what I am going to do, because some may not agree with it. But know this, I will get my predator. Yes I will.

So, that makes seven chickens in a week. I can't have it.

Now, you would think it had had its fill and wouldn't be back for a while yes? Nope.

Last night some time it came back. I have a Phoenix rooster that roosts at night on the fence by the patio and the pool area. He and the others were fine this morning...but, there were a LOT of Phoenix feathers about 12 feet away in the grass from where he roosts. Guess he gave the predator "what to for" as they say and it ran off.

Everyone is staying in the house that is in the house. I can't afford to have my new Sultans taken...even though they are ready for a pen...they are small...bantams...and they will get gone.

The Serama are outside in their pen...a newer pen...but I am going to wire all the chicken wire to the posts like I had been doing with other pens and never finished the job. Today all pens will be wired, so even if the wire gets pulled on and the staples come loose it will hold.

***********************

In other news, Phoenix is holding steady. He seemed better yesterday evening. I weighed him this morning and his weight is coming back up some. He did eat yesterday, and I kept fresh water with the antibiotic and vitamins out for him, he did drink a lot of it, which is really good. He still seems to get tired fast, I caught him drooping his head down this morning on the porch, falling asleep. So he is not out of the woods yet.

*********************

I have other news, but this is getting kind of long, so I will make another entry tomorrow...I need to take some new pictures of a few things to go with the entry...so I will save it.

The sun is shining, and I hope today will be a brighter day...

Oh, has anyone ever seen wild plums??? I have, now! I will try to go out and snap a few pics of them. Someone came by for eggs and had found some wild plums up the road, brought me one to taste, it was GOOD! little, about the size of one of my little Serama eggs. I would like to grow some...its on a bush, not a tree...ever seen those?