About a month or so ago, a fox got a taste and came back and basically destroyed half my flock. It was so sad. We ended up with only 7 hens left. Our rooster put up quite the fight and it was devastating to lose him.
The other day I went out to feed my ladies and saw that there were only two left.
3 months ago we had over 20 chickens and now I'm left with two.
It's heartbreaking.
We've set traps.
We've secured our fencing the best we could (without going electric). And yet it keeps finding a way.
I mean, we've gone months without issue. But once this fox got a taste...he came back and pretty much finished them off.
Our ladies were on the older side, not having added t our flock in several years.
We did put in an order just last week for 9 more chickens and 4 turkeys.
But now I'm thinking we'll need more.
Or I don't know. Until I can secure our pasture or something...I feel bad adding more. I don't want to keep losing them like this.
After a full day, we saw a chicken out in the pasture.
Hm. Odd. We locked the TWO we have left in the coop because it's safer in there. No way for something to get in, and they can't get out (they have a large enclosed run).
So Steve ran out there and just as we had hoped, it was another chicken who came home. She must have flown into the trees/woods and hung out there until it was safe enough to come home.
Steve put her in the coop as well with the other two.
So we have 3 now.
My poor ladies.
We added to our flock!
Ava has been begging for turkeys for some time now. We promised her we'd get some this spring.
Because we lost literally 90% of our flock, we also decided to get 9 more baby chicks. We're hoping for one rooster.
I forget how cute these babies are! Turkeys are apparently not as hardy as babies - they aren't as smart and can get bullied.
So we have to keep an extra eye on them. They get hardier as they age and will be fine once they are mature and can handle being out in the pasture.
We still need to figure out a way to keep them safe.
I'm thinking we're getting attacked both from the ground and aerial. Fox and hawks are all over the place and I'm thinking that's what had to have happened. To lose that many? After so many successful years?
That being said, we need to still reinforce this fence and figure out how to do better. Electric? We definitely need cameras out there so we're sure.
GAH they are SO cute! They've been with us now almost 2 weeks and have grown so much already.
Another couple of weeks and they should be ready to move outside, but we will need to keep them separated from the larger girls for a bit.
It's nice around here when it's spring/summer. Birds are chirping outside AND inside!
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