I sit here..at ten o'clock this evening with heavy heart.
I have what I believe to be a fox infestation. I read up on fox. They are not solitary. Often a male will have several females in one den. There is only one alpha female that mates...but they all go hunting. :(
Last evening we got home from grocery shopping around 8:30 or 9 pm. The same time we had our predator (S?) attack tonight.
This morning...there was a dead penciled rock hen towards the back corner, the same corner the predator has been coming from. The feathers were stripped from her neck, but no blood. She had been dead awhile, so this had to have happened last night..and..there were more feathers..not hers...another red stars feathers. We had interrupted a buffet feast going on last night.
Back to tonight. Beauty and Beast are still on the screened in porch. Once they are asleep you dont hear a peep out of them usually.
This evening, about the same time...we hear Beast sound the alarm of upset. Several of the chickens out in the pens were going off...
within 30 seconds I had my shoes on and I was out at the pens...and found a cluster of feathers in one of the pens..and more right outside the pen..and following out once again towards the back...more clusters of torn out feathers.
Ian had grabbed the flashlight and his shoes by this time and we were out there with Tip searching the back.
As Ian shined the light out the back corner of the fence..headed out across the field..there it was
RED EYESHINE
Predators like fox and coyote have red eyeshine.
Now let me tell you. I have had three helpings of the recipe taken at different times...so just how many foxes are there?
I don't know. I am just so saddened. When will I have gotten rid of all that know about this place as a food source? I don't know.
I am just going to have to break down and spend some money. I have researched this, and I am going to invest in these. I sure hope they work.
I did a head count. I am missing more than I knew. I have five red stars gone, and two penciled rocks. That doesnt even include Faith, my main Silver Phoenix Hen and the yellow banded Silver Phoenix Roo. Not to mention the white Serama Hen I had INSIDE a pen that died of fright or a broken neck freaking out from fright.
******************
I have a feeling...that I am not going to get a lot of rest tonight.
WORRY WORRY WORRY
FRET FRET FRET
I will do another head count in the morning...then I will know for sure just how many I am missing that I dont know are gone yet.
Anyone that is in a pen, will stay in a pen, til I know these nightguard lights work. I sure hope they do.
19 comments:
oh, how awful!!!! I would be sick, just sick! I hope you get those bastards!
and thanks for the link...when I get my birds, iwill probably need these also!
oh, how awful!!!! I would be sick, just sick! I hope you get those bastards!
and thanks for the link...when I get my birds, iwill probably need these also!
Oh that is terrible! I am bothered with skunks. My dogs have been sprayed so many times!! :-( I know that the county here will give you cages to catch the critters. I have cats so scared I would catch my cats instead of the pesty skunk. How about an electric fence? Electric around the bottom and top? Wonder if that would help. Is it just at night when you are loosing them? We have a pack of coyotes close by here. I hear them every night. Sure hope those radar things work. In my prayers, Hmm just thought of something else, maybe. There are snares that you can put in your field for small animals. Don't know how many animals you have in your field. Just a thought. Janie
I hope the Night Guard thingies work... but I think I'd get more satisfaction out of sleeping out there with the chickens with a shotgun lying across my chest.
I'm so sorry this is happening. Sounds like you've got some heavy duty National Geographic stuff goin' on over there.
I'll be thinkin' about ya and lighting candles.
:(
MJ
I am soooo sorry. You must be just sick. Hopelfully you can get rid of the culprits.
Bethe ~ http://journals.aol.com/sunnybethe/palm-harbor/
It sounds like the niteguards might work. I sure hope they do. I know you are just sick about this loss. Paula
Get that trusty old shot gun out kelly and keep watch a few nights. One summer my cousin done away with 27 coyotos shooting from his deck that were klling his calves, goats and his mountain feist dogs which he breeds to sell. Those things are dangerous and have become a nusinace, You may have a pack of those things hanging around for the free feasts. Hugs, Helen
I've been there and done that; I know the feeling. One time I just gave up trying to keep chickens because, between neighbors' dogs and wild critters, it was a losing battle. My only solution that worked was keeping the chickens in an enclosed pen all the time.
My heart goes out to you on this. Be sure to let us know if the new equipment works.
OH Kelly I am so sorry! That is terrible news! Poor things were prob scared to death. I sure hope that little gadget works! Sure cheaper then a large fence!
Kelly I do hope those niteguards work ~ I am so sad for you I know how much your chickens mean to you ~ Ally x
I'm so sorry to hear this ~ I would get the Niteguard or two, hopefully it will work for you. Again, I am so sorry you lost more birds.
xx
Lisa
Oh Kelly, I am so behind on my alerts and had no idea what you were going through. I read this with a heavy heart too. This makes me so sad and appreciate even more what you do. Living out in the country too I can only imagine what I would be feeling if these were mine. These are your pets, like some love their dogs. I can't imagine how hurt, sad and angry you must be right now. I am so sorry. If there is anything you can think of that I can do, remember, I am geographically nearby and just an email away too, my friend. I am truly terribly sorry about your loss. I hope that the nightguard really works and you don't spend the money unnecessarily.
NELISHIA
http://journals.aol.com/nelishianatl/PRAYINGANDBELIEVING/
Hey Kelly...We go to Kissemee Florida. We were hoping to go to Disney but we are passing this year since we just simply don't have the money...BUT at our time share we own we have a water park, 8 pools, a movie theater, horseback riding, golfing...gosh, much more I can't even remember and all but the horse back riding are free! Can't go wrong there! I will take lots of pics when we do go of course. .. and yes, the deer died but we all felt bad :( Especially Nic! I felt more sad for the deer then for my van.
Kelly,
I'm so sorry for your loss. I sure hope that the niteguard works.
Hollie
I'm so sorry you lost more birds hon! I hope the nightguards work for you. (Hugs) Indigo
(((((Kelly)))))
I am sitting here literally BALLING! I'm so very, very sorry for what has happened. I've been ill for over a week (hurt my back) and I didn't know this happened. I was just getting ready to send you pictures of the frame of the chicken ccop that Bob has been working on. (sniff-sniff) Dam, dam those @&!* foxes to hell!!! Sorry. Oh Kelly, I'm just so sorry. If I could come to GA and I would in a heart beat, I would shoot every last one of those foxes. And I know how to shoot----very well I might add. I've killed my fare share of moles, foxes, gophers and such...LOL. And no, I do NOT hunt---can't do it. I'm trying to make myself laugh here....not working. I know it's there nature, I know that. But these are your babies.
Kelly if there is anything, anything I can do or if you just want to blab call me. You have the number.
Love ya',
Gayla
I'm so sorry Kelly. I hope what you get works.
Take care, Chrissie
That is just awful!!! Do you know if any of the foxes have gone for the "recipe" yet?
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