Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:23 pm Post subject: Chicken rescue in place
When we moved the horses from the farm to the new barn, we left the chickens behind. Only a couple of them are mine and I have been trying to make time to get my chicken yard ready to move them. James, our old partner, was going to take some of the chickens to his new barn. I have made a couple trips to check on the chickens and it is not looking good. An unknown predator is cutting the flock down bad. So, though my yard is not as completed as I would like, I have to catch the chickens now. I borrowed a large open dog cage and I have placed it in the barn (at the farm). I have the door open and am going to feed them in the cage for a couple of days to get them used to going into it. Then I will prop the door open with my stick (complete with attached hay string) and wait for them to go in for the corn. Then I will pull the stick from under the door and trap them inside. I expect to have to do this a few times before I get them all but there are only 9 left as of yesterday so I have to do something. I would normaly catch them off the roost but there are 4 night watchmen lights there so you can't sneak up on them. They are also very wary right now because of the predation so I have to be creative to nab them. I sure hope it works. I did a bit of work on my chicken pen today but still need to put a couple more sheets of tin on top. Wish me luck and say a prayer for me.
I'll let you know how it goes.
Good luck my friend. Let us know how it goes for you and the chick chicks!
Click the link below to find out a bit about raising chickens in Guatemala. And you thought your chickens have it rough!
Managing Small Chicken and Turkey Flocks in Guatemalaby Margo Elena Sanchez
I didn't get to go feed them today. We started changing the water faucet inside the barn and ran into some problems. By the time we finished DH's back was done in. He's been having lots of problems for about 3 weeks now. I've been doing all the barn work alone and it is quite a job. We have a ladies meeting at 5:30 tomorrow so I have a busy day.
That girl is beautiful both inside and outside. She is a fine Christian and a really caring person. Thank you for the compliment on her. We grandparents LOVE that!
She is a senior at U.TN Knoxville and is in animal research. She is forever doing projects that involve anything from showing sheep to cleaning up otter clodded waterways. There are so many different directions she can go with her career plans that I am not sure if she has settled on what she will take when she goes for her master's and then hopefully her doctorate. Her mother and father both have their doctorates and I feel sure she will go for hers also.
She loves horses and I have often thought of taking a trip up your way with her one of these days. She would be so impressed by how you save the animals that come into your care.
I am honored that you think my "work" would impress her. We are such a small entity in the midst of a very huge problem but I feel good that we are doing something at least. I am a bit concerned about Ginger. She is the very old mare with the bad ankle. She has a popping in her "good" back ankle. I hope it is just the extreme cold but I know her time will come. I called the vet about putting her down about a month ago but I continued to treat her and she has come around nicely. I think the world of her but I will not have her suffer. When she no longer has any quality to her life, her "life" is really gone even though she may still be alive. It is my responsibility to do right by her. And I do not take that responsibility lightly. Too many people do. It is nice to know that a person of your grandaughter's calibur and conscience is working in the animals corner.
Still did not get to check on the chickens today. Had to finish fixing the water at the barn. It was wicked cold. We are under winter weather watch right now. Hope it doesn't get bad.
Ladies meeting went well. Good ministry and good fellowship. I love it when that happens. LOL
Elena's heart would be right in there with you if she only knew about your efforts. Whatever direction her career takes her, I know that she will be working for the betterment of animals in our world.
Having animals get old and no longer able to make it in this world is one of the sad things that animal lovers always face. I have lost many beloved pets during my lifetime and always hurry right out and get another to replace the one I just loved and lost to illness of just plain old age. That is the highest compliment you can pay a lost pet. Knowing when to give up and help them out of their pain is always difficult but I think if we take into account that we have to do the best thing for them and not for ourselves it is easier. Making an animal suffer so that we won't have to lose them is not the way to go. We have to take the more difficult route at times like that even though we don't want to do that. We owe them that consideration, I believe.
I also believe that some people just put animals down for their own convenience and I am totally against that too!!!!! When you take a pet as yours they then become your responsibility to take the very best care of them possible.
Deserting them to struggle for survival on their own is one of the cruelest things a person can do to an animal that has no natural survival skills or a chance to make it in anything but misery when they have been deserted by their humans.
Some cold weather is headed your way. I think you might even be due for some snow. Take care of yourself and those sweet animals. Spring will be here soon and things will be lots easier to handle then.
Still not able to get to the chickens today. Had too much work to do at the barn. But the next day or so I should be able to get there. They are free range so they are able to get out and about to eat but I will feel so much better when they are safe in my chicken coop.
We ended up having a nice day today. the temps warmed up and the sun was shining with no wind blowing. We were able to get lots of work done at the barn and still got to ride 2 of the horses. DH rode his chocolate mare and I rode the buckskin, Coffee. She has so much to learn but she is willing and she gets better each time. Can't ask for more than that.
We got a call this morning from a friend who wants to give us another horse. It is a reg. standardbred. A speed racking horse that is 24 yo and ready for semi retirement. His name is Hippie and he is a nice guy but we had to decline the offer. We just don't have the room for another horse and he is a stallion. A well mannered guy but a stallion none the less. Our friend has found another good situation for the horse but wanted to offer him to us first for Knock and because he knows how well our herd is treated. Hippie is an automatic show horse that could win ribbons without a rider and he would have been good for Knock. If we had more room we would have taken him but we have to work within our limits to remain responsible.
Quick update on the chickens. I made the trip to the farm yesterday to try and catch them. There were only 5 of them left. I was able to catch 1. It was the little red bantam rooster I call BJ. After his clucking and carrying on, AJ wouldn't let the 3 pullets get near the cage. I also had to bring the cage back to the guy I borrowed it from. The only option I have left is to go to the farm at night and try to catch them off the roost. I hope it works before they are all eaten.
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