Chicken rescue in place

CajuninKy · 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.

CajuninKy

This is AJ (Abe Jr.) and his sister. He was still alive yesterday but sadly his sister has been killed.

http://s53.photobucket.com/albums...view&current=Farmstuff043.jpg

This white bantam rooster has also went missing and I think he has been killed.

http://s53.photobucket.com/albums...view&current=Farmstuff046.jpg

God's Warrior

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! Very Happy

Managing Small Chicken and Turkey Flocks in Guatemala by Margo Elena Sanchez

http://thegatheringplacehome.myfastforum.org/sutra11233.php#11233

Margo Elena is my oldest grandchild
Elena

CajuninKy

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.

CajuninKy

Just checked out the links. Your grandaughter is beautiful. I know you are very proud of her. What is she studying?

God's Warrior

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! Very Happy

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.

CajuninKy

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

God's Warrior

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.

CajuninKy

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.

CajuninKy

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.

God's Warrior

What is the update on the chickens? How many did you finally manage to save? I guess the ones that didn't make it were a nice meal for the predator that was lucky enough to find them. Sad

CajuninKy

We were able to catch 1 of the roosters. He is the red one we call BJ. AJ is still on the loose. Since he is half game cock I may be able to draw him in with another rooster on a cord. If they will fight, I will be able to catch AJ when he is absorbed in the battle. It's my last hope of getting him.

The predator was a possum who did itself in. It got down in a drum and was not able to get out. We found what was left of it.

We went back to the farm to move a horse we had brought back up there to graze. She was one we rescued last November and we were able to rehome her so we had to go pick her up. While we were there I was poking around in the barn and to my suprise I found 1 of our white hens setting on an old nest. DH picked her up and she had a clutch of eggs under her. We didn't know if she was setting or just laying. One of the eggs fell to the barn floor (it had been stuck between her feet) and it had a forming baby chick in it. So we packed her up, nest and all, and brought her to the house. I put her and her nest in a big dog kennel and hoped for the best.

Here is the result.

CajuninKy

It is sad news I bring. I was never able to capture AJ and something has finally gotten him. I found a bunch of his feathers in the weeds but no body so I imagine it was a fox or a coyote. Likely a female with pups to feed. I hate it but I expected it. I am so glad that the only black chick the hen hatched was a rooster and is now the spitting image of his dad, AJ. Since he is the 3rd in the line I call him Trey. I have 3 pullets from the hatch. The hen is laying again but the pullets have not followed suit. They had better get with the program if they don't want to end up in a soup!

God's Warrior

I love the name for the black rooster. I am glad you were able to save the rooster, hen and chicks. That is really good that you still have all of them after so many months.

CajuninKy

I get quite a bit of satisfaction from my little flock. I am hoping to add to their numbers a bit in the Spring. I'd like to get a few heavy layers. Black sexlink would be my choice but I will take what I can get.

CajuninKy

Breaking news! One of the pullets is laying now. I hope the others follow suit quickly.

God's Warrior

Wishing you the best of luck in your chicken raising endeavors........ Smile