Joy and risk.

Some of you may know that I lost 7 of my Jonny Anvil Orpingtons to a bear. I have one lone Orpington left.

Not too long after the bear started nightly visits of destruction and mayhem, I had a mom coyote and her young come through on a hunting spree. When the hens set out that morning, there were 12 of them, 2 roosters. That night there were 4 hens and 2 roosters!

Since then one hen dropped dead and one rooster had his head removed for being a mean SOB. That means I have a flock of three straggly hens and one bewildered roo. He keeps expecting to get beat up at any moment.

It is so sad looking at this tiny family flock. I get 2 eggs a day if I'm lucky.

Several weeks back I also hatched a batch of my own mutts. Didn't need to but since the neighbour had asked me to hatch for him I figured I may as well toss in a few of my own. Turns out those 8 mutt babies and lone Orpington are my future flock, and I had no idea it would turn out this way!

Between the bears, coyotes and racoons, I have kept these last, precious birds locked up in a building that so far (knock on wood!) has not been broken into by the bear. But they are quickly outgrowing their confines and today I spent several hours trying to wire shut every opening in the pen so I could let them out. I let them out with a lump in my throat.

I know that no pen we build, no matter how we build it, will keep out a bear. They rip down all fencing and can shred a building. Racoons are like nimble fingered bandits and when 6 of them are fiddling and yanking and digging, they get in and kill everything they can get. So far the only time the coyotes have got my birds is when they are out. But bears and racoons break in. So I let these birds out into the fresh air and sun with a hope and a prayer. They were so entertaining to watch as they embarked on their big outdoor adventure. But while I watched two small, blue hawks showed up and sat silently in nearby trees.

So while it gave me great satisfaction to usher these youngsters into the world, I worry that by tomorrow morning, there will be none. If a predator gets these babies I think I am about ready to throw in the towel.

Between disease that wipes out the flock and predators, it would seem keeping chickens is a high risk adventure and not for the faint of heart.

Never thought I would say this, Uno, and maybe you covered this in your bear posts, I did not read them, but I think you need to shoot that bear.

The bear has moved on, or someone else shot her. But her and baby have not been around for a while.

Bears are an annual, predictable event here. But only twice in 20 years have they been a problem in the hen house. But when they decide to be a problem, oy vey, are they a problem!

I hear you, oh I hear you.

Heda Gobbler.

Who had more than 50 hens and pullets last week, and has 5 left now. Thank you foxes and whatever opened the door to the fox proof pens.

Heda! So sorry! When I read that my heart just dropped to my shoes. No doubt the same sick feeling you had when you found your birds gone or dead. It takes the wind right out of you. I know the feeling. Sorry.

We've had our own "joy" here today. Our old dog has been a problem for a few years. She developed a love to wander with another poor dog we had a few years ago. She will not go by herself, but she has all three gone the minute she gets lose. She has her run early in the morning and late at night by herself. Today she broke the line and pulled one of the young pigs through the fence. We heard the squealing and got the pig back in its pen. The pig will probably be fine although it has a sore leg. This is not the first occurrence of problems with this dog, but her days are definitely numbered.

After lunch we went downtown for a short time. While we were gone a thunder storm passed through. The other two dogs undertook to destroy our restored fir door in their terror of a thunder shower.
HG, If we can do anything to help restore your flock please let us know. We are headed to 100 Mile early next month so could help with transportation from our area.

Uno and HG (I know you are further away) if you are looking for any nice, backyard layer pullets just let me know. It just sucks what you have been through!

You are all very kind. I have found a White Chantecler trio and some Buckeye hatching eggs from friends and will start small and all over again. As you all know it is the specific birds and the little personalities that you miss.

I now have an enormous latch on the pen door. If something opens it now I know it would have to be human.

yes joy and risk doesnt that just about sum up life in general?
Except I think keeping chickens intensifes it somewhat!

Sorry for the losses Uno and heda, they do knock the wind out of you dont they?

SO true Miry, so true.

And a good chance to rethink. I don't think I'll go back to the big numbers again. Too much feed and juggling of roosters!

Uno, ya, what a time you have had with these predation issues. Maybe one day you will live in a area where you can keep birds safely and be happy about the joy that they bring. One day, one fine day.

heda gobbler wrote:some Buckeye hatching eggs from friends and will start small and all over again. As you all know it is the specific birds and the little personalities that you miss.

Oh pleeeeeze, sigh...don't tell me that was all Heidi's buckeye breeders that you have lost(did you go to the coast and get them from her when you were going to, maybe you didn't after all) (have you told her, she is very understanding about things). That is a grave thing if so....I have some of her line here, still young, but they are growing, about 3.5 months old now. You have had a terrible loss.

Have an awesome day, find something to bring happiness in this day, CynthiaM.

so sorry to hear of your losses because the wildlife.... I have electric fence set up around the area that my birds are in and have had very minimal losses... I have heard bears wont argue with a electric fence... done properly it should keep out racoons also. Our fence keeps out coyotes and foxes... Just a idea for people that have predator problems.

Yes I am afraid some were Heidi's birds and some where mine from Ethan and Heidi other years. Every single one of my Buckeyes! Fortunately I shared Heidi's birds with a close friend in Smithers when I first got them so I will be able to get eggs from that line and I hope hatch enough to start all over again. And yes, I have told Heidi and she has been wonderfully kind and generous.

Eventually I will call on you for a few hatching eggs, but at this rate probably not until next spring.

Sigh.

My fences are terrific, it was the door to the pen that somehow was opened. It is just baffling how that happened.

Such a terrible thing to have happen, but so smart to share. It is the best way I have found to safeguard those important lines. Good on you.

Especially someone who was keeping them as their only breed - I just didn't think it would happen so soon....or to me!

Hatching eggs arrive next week.

Heda, blah, that was a bummer, I too am very glad you shared with a friend, at least some of the line was preserved...and of course mine from her, which are second generation to her breeding flock. I can't wait to see how the line has improved, which I am sure it has, you too will know from your hatching eggs from the friend from Smithers. Goooooood!! My Heidi hatched eggs are 11 weeks old, more cockerels than pullets, like 80% cockerels, sigh, oh well, lots to choose from. Lookin' pretty good, although a single combed one has shown up. But it is so much bigger than the others, monstrous and it shocks me. Too bad about the comb. I know combs are a fixable thing, but just don't want to go there, I am sure there will be another that is just as nice in the end. He seems like he is nasty anyways, far too friendly for my liking. don't like overly friendly cockerels, I think that is a mix for a bad rooster when it ages. Got a young cochin dude like that too, beautiful, but he already doesn't like to be messed with, too bad, he is a beautiful splash...have an awesome day, CynthiaM.