Ohhh something got in my coop! It was horrable!!

[jacks'thunder]

I went out to do my morning chores yesterday and opened my little coop to find my duck and my chick massacred. The culpret was still in there! It was a Mink!! I shut the door ran to the house and called my husband at work. He said to get the gun and move fast, you don't want it to get out and you only have 1 shot! I said please call your dad! I hung up got the gun and ran back to the coop. I was sooo scared and mad that I was shaking like a leaf. That little begger was still in there eating my babies

, I took aim and missed, and blew a small hole in the side of my coop. My father in law came right at that time and took care of the job! Thank God!!! My big coop is 2 feet away from the little one and so not weasel/mink proof. It's about 65yrs old and big but wore. If he would have gotten out and hit that coop next I would have just died! I have 30 chickens, 1 duck and 2 bunnies in there! My husband was workning all day so he could not help but my FIL helped me clean up the mess. I cry as I write this because it was horrable and gorry. They could not be in the big coop because they were injured at one time and survived but the other critters picked on them. So that was ther oen little safe place.... I feel sooo bad for them. I'm so afraid to go do chores this morning and open that big coop. I'll go after I write this just because I can't put it off any longer and have to face it. If there is another or not I'll know in a few. I had really tried to protect them from predators like raccoon, cats, dogs, opossom, stuff like that but not a mink. It was not even a thought. It's so uncommon in our area. My FIL law has chickens for ever and NEVER seen or had to deal with 1. He said they live by the marsh not in our woods.

Wish me luck... I love my girls so much. I know it's just chickens and ducks but there my pets. I'm suppost to protect them... I feel so bad. That sight will NEVER leave my mind.

She was a little white frizzle banty and he was a mallared with a crooked beak. rip little ones.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

That's terrible. We've tried having poultry here without varmint-proof shelter and it doesn't work. Finding a pile of feathers or a body is shocking. The older I get the harder it is to kill varmints. But, I feel I have a duty to protect animals under my care. I don't go hunting for varmints, but if they come into MY territory I hope I have the intestinal fortitude to deal with it.

Last week my husband bought me a .410 shotgun, youth model. I can use the .22 revolver for rattlesnakes, but there wasn't anything larger I was comfortable with for large varmints. I practiced with the .410 and feel confident I could dispatch a varmint if necessary.

I'm glad your fil was there to support you. What an ordeal!

 

[chandab]

Aw! so sorry for your loss.

 

[Sonya]

oh that just sucks....one time I was working til 1am...it was freezing rain/snow. I got home from work and went to check on all the critters...all my chickens were outside the henhouse I had and in the fenced in area...they were all in shock. I looked in the henhouse and there was a nasty oppossum sitting in there munching on one of my hens, blood everywhere. Hubby was stuck at work, gate was frozen shut at his work so no hope of him being home anytime soon. I got the gun and luckily hit him first shot, had to clean up the mess as to not attract other critters. Gathered up all the hens and put them in the garage with heat because none of them were moving...I couldn't tell If they were hurt or what was going on with them...turned out they were all in shock and I thankfully only lost the one, by the am the rest were all ok. It was horrible so I know how you feel. I'm sorry

 

[Reble]

Oh so sorry for your loss, no they are your pets, nature can be so cruel. You did your best, hope you feel better soon.

 

[REO]

I'm so sorry!!! What a horrible thing to happen!

I know that to some people animals are just "stock" but to some, they are beloved pets. Mine are my kids so I understand. Something took all my cats so we got a dog. But at least I didn't have to see the remains of my kitties.

Bless their little hearts

{{{Hugs}}}

 

[jayne]

Oh NO! I am so horrified for you! And it was your 'special' chicken and duck too! So sorry!

I know it sounds weird to some, but I love my hens and they're an important part of the animal family here on our little farm. I know all their personalities and am thankful they give me eggs, but that's not required for them to keep living here. I actually got 7 eggs yesterday from 10 hens, which is amazing to me since some are pretty old and it was just about the shortest day of the year! Such good girls.

Maybe you can reinforce your coops even more? Maybe the father in law can take a look and give you some pointers and maybe even some help tightening it up. We want everyone to be safe!

 

[RockRiverTiff]

How terrible! Please let us know how the rest of your feathered friends are doing this morning. I'm glad you got rid of the culprit, and I hope he's the first and last you have, but maybe reinforcing your coop security a little like Jayne suggested would restore your peace of mind? Most importantly, don't blame yourself! Nature is cruel, and we do our best to keep our pets safe, but sometimes you just can't outsmart nature.

 

[Crabby-Chicken]

I am so sorry. My chicken are pets too. That is why I am letting my last one live out her years, then probably won't get more. It is too hard to loose the little fragile things. It is really really hard. So sorry you lost your little buddies.

 

[Sterling]

OOhhh I'm so sorry...for your little ones and for you! That must have made such an impression on you to open the door and find that had happened. I know how easy it is to bond with chickens and ducks, especially when they have a particular condition. I hope you are able to somehow mink-proof your coops...wish I could tell you how but I too have not had any run ins with them as of yet. Our varmants are usually fox, coons, skunks , snakes and hawks. We put a thick landscaping edging around our coop and at times we've had to dig a couple of feet down into the ground and set the wire in there to keep predators from digging into the coops itself.

 

[Taylor Richelle]

I am so sorry for your loss...

 

[jacks'thunder]

Thanks guys. Everyone was good this morning but it didn't stop my heart from pounding like crazy that minute before I opened the door. I'm sure it will be that way for a while. I went to BYC and found some good ideas on how to re-enforce my old coup. From the research I did on these critters they are most always solitary. Let's hope he was. And hardly ever in my type of area. My heart is just broken, I'm sure it will mend but it's just sad.

My husband talked to my FIL and he said I did hit it. Just not the best shot, but more 410 practice and I'm sure I can do what needs to be done in an emergency. I hope I never need to use it.

Thanks again