lost a hen lastnight

[Sonya]

I came home from work around 10:30pm last night went into the chicken fence to close the coop and I knew instantly something was wrong - first the dogs were acting funny and there was a hen outside the coop all huddled up (they always go in when it's dark) There were feathers everywhere and I saw some blood on the snow. I put the one hen in the garage and got the rest (8) out of the coop and put them in the garage - set them up with some food and an enclosed area in the garage- they were very frightened and some weren't standing well. Only one was missing, I go back outside (freezing rain/snow/40 mph winds) to look for the last one. I remove the cover from the second floor roost area of the coop and then I see it....an opposum on the first floor of the coop munching on my hen. I was sick. I get the 22 and get rid of the opposum. Of course the hen is in shreds - I hate those nasty opposums. Hubby is at work and he tells me to remove the bodies so as to not attract anything else. Yuck! By now it's about 11:30-12:00 - I get everything up with a shovel - broke the henspa in the process of trying to move it to get to the bodies. It was a terrible night, didn't get to bed until after 2am - had to shower as I felt as I had opposum on me.

This morning all the hens look good - I see no sores/cuts on them - they are eating and clucking around. I'll have to go finish cleaning everything up and put them back outside. I gave them some stress powder and antibiodic in their water, so hopefully everyone will be fine.

I know it's just a chicken, but I raised these from the time they were 2 days old and they are all so friendly - they follow me around and will climb on my arms. The one that didn't make it was the small one - she was one of the friendliest, a rhode island red, her name was Lucy. I know I'm lucky to have not lost any before, but dang this makes me so mad - I'm going to be worried sick now, we have lots of coyotes/foxes/coons/etc...

On the upside - hubby told me I could get a couple more chics in the spring. I think he was even a little upset about losing her. I know it's just a chicken, but I'll miss her. And death by opposum - that's got to be the worst.

 

[Steph_D]

I'm so sorry about your chicken. I can totally understand.

I remember a few years ago, I had chicks and ducks. I'd raised these guys from 1 day old and they were my "babies." My hubby was working 2nd shift at the time and he heard a lot of noise in the coop after he got home. He woke me up to tell me that something was wrong with one of my ducks. He'd been attacked and couldn't lift his little head. Then I noticed that a duck was missing. We looked all over the yard and couldn't find him until I was standing under a tree and part of him almost hit me :new_shocked: I was sick to my stomach. Up in that tree, there was a racoon eating my little ducky! We didn't have a gun at the time, so I couldn't do away with him, but I wanted to so bad.

BTW, the little ducky with the hurt neck made a full recovery, poor feller.

 

[FFFoxyGal]

I know how you feel,...We had 6 chickens and last month,.....we kept losing one once in a while,..it would just be laying there dead!

well,...we finally caught the culprit,..It was a weasel,......The weasel is now gone,..but,..we only have one lonely chicken left!

We are gonna have to buy more in the spring.

sorry bout losing your hen.

 

[whitney]

Been their done that and have the feather boa to prove it. Your some kind of woman. I couldn't shoot the dang things! How did they get in, dig under the henspa? I have a homemade henspa and as long as I get it shut up before dark I haven't lost any. Possums are nasty little rodents! I guess its time for me to buy a .22.

 

[Sandy S.]

:new_shocked: I AM A BAD, BAD PERSON. WE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS LOOSING CHICKENS AND WHEN WE HAD THEM WE ONLY HAD A FEW THAT HAD ACCESS TO THE BARN. THE MINI'S WERE IN THE BARN SO YOU COULDN'T SHOOT IN THE BARN. WOULD YOU BELIEVE ONE POSSUM HAD THE GULL TO GRAB A HEN WHEN I WAS STANDING NOT 4 FEET AWAY. WELL HERE IS THE BAD BAD PERSON PART, HUBBY HAD FIXED ME UP A KINDA SPEAR. KNIFE TAPPED TO A LONG STICK AFTER I HAD TRIED TO CLUB ONE TO DEATH BEFORE WITH A CANE. WELL HE GOT POKED SEVERAL TIMES, AND HE DIDN'T LIVE. I KNOW THEY ARE LIVING CREATURES AND I ACTUALLY TURN BABY ONES LOOSE, BUT THIS ONE MADE ME MAD, TAKING A HEN RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. SHE DID MAKE IT, BUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER SOMETHING ELSE GOT HER. WE ALSO RAISED 24 CHICKS IN THE HOUSE, FINALLY BIG ENOUGH TO TAKE OUTSIDE AND PUT IN A PEN, THEN BIG ENOUGH TO TURN LOOSE AND THEY WOULD GO BACK TO THE PEN, ONE NIGHT SOMETHING GOT IN AND KILLED ALL BUT 2. FOUND OUT WHEN THEY CAME BACK IT WAS TWO BABY RACCOONS JUST KILLING FOR THE SPORT. WE DID CAPTURE THOSE AND TOOK THEM A LONG WAY DOWN THE ROAD. COULDN'T KILL THEM.

 

[Sterling]

Ooohhh I'm so sorry for Lucy!! I know exactly how you feel. We've had our share of varmants around here, and have our coops varmant proofed pretty well.....except for the occasional Wood rat that will make it's tunnels and ways to the coop. I just don't let the hens hatch out their chicks in the coops anymore because aside from looking for grain, they come in grabbing babies and eggs.

: I remember a few times when I have intercepted a hawk feasting on my hens...a couple I actually saved...the others were pretty much gone. But I know how you feel when confronting them making a meal out of them.....how dare they steal my beloved pets!!!