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Barnyard Buddies:  Flock gone  |
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herbquilter
True Blue Farmgirl
891 Posts
Kristine
Bonney Lake
Wa
USA
891 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 29 2008 : 7:47:59 PM
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We've been out of town & had someone caring for animals & garden. Now our flock of 9 chickens is gone because of raccoons.  One per night.
---Any ideas on buying chickens this time of year. We're going to build a portable chicken pen. 
We are thinking of converting the coop now into a milk house & getting a couple of dairy goats.
Blessings,
Kristine ~ Mother of Many, MRET & Wellness Coach
Farmgirl Sister #97
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Brew Crew
True Blue Farmgirl
676 Posts
Molly
Arizona
676 Posts |
Posted - Jun 29 2008 : 8:10:53 PM
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So sorry about your flock! That is awful. I haven't gotten chickens during the summer before; the feed store we usually get our chicks from stops keeping them once it gets warm because so many die during shipment. I hope you get replacements soon; I love the idea of the portable chicken pen. I know there are lots of designs and plans out there.
Love my dairy goats; I have a LaMancha and 2 Nubians and they are wonderful! Maybe goats would help keep certain chicken predators (raccoons!!) away?
The Biz www.tvalahandmade.com
The Blog: http://blog.tvalahandmade.com/
The Bits www.happydalehobby.blogspot.com/
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Farmtopia
True Blue Farmgirl
1465 Posts
Zan
New York
New York
USA
1465 Posts |
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2008 : 06:19:15 AM
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My chickens arrived in August. They were ordered through McMurry's and you have to order 25. Maybe there is someone you could split and order with.
Lillian |
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Jami
True Blue Farmgirl
1238 Posts
Jami
Ellensburg
WA
USA
1238 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2008 : 07:29:34 AM
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Sorry about your "girls" Kristine. No fun. Every time I'm in the post office there are chicks peeping that folks have had shipped in. There must be a mail-order chicken store somewhere! 
I have only ordered through the feedstore in the spring. Odd that the local raccoons here don't bother our free range chickens.
Jami in WA
Okay, so now I have a blog. http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
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grace gerber
True Blue Farmgirl
2804 Posts
grace
larkspur
colorado
USA
2804 Posts |
Posted - Jun 30 2008 : 5:07:53 PM
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I am so sorry to hear of your loss - I know that most folkd can not understand how attached we get to those little ladies - I send a hug nine times to you.
As for ordering I ordered from McMurray and received my hens on the 4th of July one year ago - what was nice is I purchase the pullets which meant two weeks later they where laying. One year latter they are all well, laying and tons of joy.
As for adding goats - they are my heart = I am not sure if they would keep raccoons away - my Great Pry's do that job so I think my goats do not concern themselves with that task.
Good luck, Big Hugs and please share when you get your new gals
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
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Cheekyredhead
True Blue Farmgirl
70 Posts
Christine
Lansdale
PA
USA
70 Posts |
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shepherdgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1008 Posts
Tracy
California
USA
1008 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2008 : 08:35:34 AM
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Oh Kristine, I know how FRUSTRATING it is to lose your chickens like that! I've had a bad year too! But... we Farmgirls press on! Zan had a GREAT idea! Craigslist always has people advertising chicks and juvinile chickens (sometimes even young layinge hens!) this time of year. Of course, if you're very particular about the breed-- you might be disappointed. But, it's the best way to get birds for laying THIS year!
As for "Chicken Stores" (too funny Jami!) there are hatcheries all over the nation that do mail order-- but it IS hard on the birds, especially in the warmer months. You can expect some loses, that's for certain. You also have to be careful WHICH hatcherise you do business with. 2wks ago I got a shipment of 4 goslings and 6 ducklings from Cackle Hatchery in Missouri (I think?). I had orderd them WEEKS prior and received NO confirmation # or even any acknowlegement that they had even received my order, until one day (weeks later) I noticed a charge to my bank Account. Two days later I got a notice in the mail saying the birds would arrive in 2 days after I received the "Confirmation" letter. I got a call from the post office on the right day, and went to pick up the birds. According to the shipment label, they had been sent the DAY BEFORE, but one gosling was already dead AND, judging from the SMELL, had been for some time -- which even our Postmaster said should NOT have happened. There was no way to recoup my loss, which wasn't much, but that particular hatchery seems to have a reputation for not following through, and they are IMPOSSIBLE to reach! (which I found out AFTER all was said and done) So, if you DO go the mail order route, choose your hatchery CAREFULLY. And remember-- You get what you pay for! Next time I won't be so CHEAP, and maybe all my birds will make it alive! Good luck to you ~~~ Tracy
Ps: You can type in "Poultry Hatcheries" on your browser and it should pull up a site that lists all the hatcheries by state. Some have Web sites you can visit, other's don't, but you can always call the ones that don't if they have something you want.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
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mrsmorgen
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
morgen
coudersport
pa
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2008 : 09:28:26 AM
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Oh I am so sorry. I know it has to be so upsetting, I love my new "ladies" so much. I dont know if you would be interested but I got an email last night from McMurray hatcheries that they have started pullets for sale on special. If you wanted older ones since it is later in the season.
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html
morgen
I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all..
laura ingalls wilder
www.laubers.blogspot.com |
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Betty J.
True Blue Farmgirl
1403 Posts
Betty
Pasco
WA
USA
1403 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2008 : 09:43:06 AM
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My son is a rural mail carrier for USPS and the other day he delivered 12 turkeys. He said they were the noisiest things he ever had in his rig. I'm sure he has delivered chicks too.
Sounds so interesting to be delivering live things. I'm sorry to hear that you lost your hens. Varmits are such a nuisance.
Betty in Pasco |
Edited by - Betty J. on Jul 01 2008 09:44:04 AM |
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frannie
True Blue Farmgirl
2246 Posts
fran
bonham
texas
USA
2246 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2008 : 10:02:41 AM
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so sorry to hear about this, we too have had a chicken massacre hear and only have 2 hens left. dh is really sad about it and tried to have a shoot out with the racoons, but they outsmarted him...dont tell him i said that.
we have never had this problem before, but as i have mentioned on other post, our guard dog, cosmo is old and retired and last fall we started noticing that she had quit her guard duties. we have not replaced her and brought in another pyrenes, because we tried that about a year ago, and the puppy just made cosmos life miseable. we will replace her when nature takes its course, but i dont even want to think about that.
anyway, so sorry for your loss and hope you get a new herd real soon. dh is still trying to decide what to do about our loss.
love
frannie in texas
(http://farmfolks-frannie.blogspot.com/)
(http://abunnystale.blogspot.com/)
(http://abunnystale.wordpress.com/) |
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Barnyard Buddies: Flock gone |
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Flock gone
I am sorry to hear it. Well, one thing you might try is Craigslist.com under the farm and garden section. I notice people will sell their late hatching chicks or young chickens there because it's free to advertise. You can also try the classified sections of poultry or farm magazines like Mary Jane's or hobby farms or some such...