# A frustrated chicken keeper in need of advice!



## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

Hi guys,
I'm at a low point in my chicken keeping at the moment and in need of some advice.
Where to start!...I had 18 chickens and a turkey this time 5 weeks ago (roughly) but in the following weeks I lost 2 Sumatran hens and a Wyandotte hen to bad health..they came from the same guy and the Wyandotte had a cough that I treated unsuccessfully and she died which was a shame but just one of those things.
Then my friendly neighbourhood stoat moved in and started chewing the heads off my beloved flock,I lost 5 to him...2 blue haze,a silkie,a wheaten Marans and a pekin...this was very distressing but I forked out for a nice new shed for my remaining girls and made their pen as stoat proof as possible ( touch wood it's not been back since).
Now my last remaining Wyandotte hen turns out to be a cockerel! And I opened up yesterday to find my beloved Sumatran bantam cockerel dead,no signs of stoat activity,he just died.
And to top all of this off the remaining 9 hens and turkey don't like the new shed even though its a good size and is warm and dry.....and I've not had a single egg since September!!
Do I just weather this period or am I doing something wrong?
Thanks for any advice given.
Mark.


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## CharlieEcho (Nov 25, 2012)

*Sorry;*

Sorry to hear of your losses. A good fence and secure shed can't be stressed enough to keep the varmints at a distance. We failed to secure our hen house door one night and lost all our mature chickens and half our ducks to a mink. Bad for the mink, we also have a rat-baitbox inside the hen house. I think the mink got into the poison because I found it under our horse trailer a couple days later. The chickens cannot get at the poison. There's more to that mink story at another time.

Clean, dry, warm, and well fed is the only other advice I can offer. I beleive in time they will come around.

Good luck and hang in there.


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

A trap in the chicken shed sounds like a good idea..I think I'll try that if the stoat turns up again.
Thanks for that CharlieEcho.


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## shickenchit (Nov 26, 2012)

Always have isolation/quarantine cages/pens to seperate them totally from the rest. I would seperate all first timers upon arrival, and seperate others as needed. Also monitor them as often as possible, watch closely for subtle changes, in eyes, beak-mouth,nostrils, breathing, movement, appetite, H2O intake, the sooner you find any problems the better for all involved. Have basic first aid kit on hand, (wound care (blue kote, neosporin, tape, gauze) respiratory disease (Vetrx at feed store it works very well if you catch eyes weeping, wheezing early on).. Have saved a ton of young uns (pullets) with it. 

Had chickens 40 years, best advice is... Careful Where you get em. If you can't see where they come from, (pens, coops, barns) ya know like at flea markets, side of the road, ad in paper willing to meet you or deliver.. (Same goes with all animals, backyard breeders). Some folks just makin money or someone doing it for the animals, chickens, people and bragging rights to provide quality birds.. Disease is bad.. And spread quickly. 

Good Luck in the future...


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

Good advice shicken chit,I should've known with the guy with the wyandottes, his place was a sh*thole,thought I was rescuing the birds I took but I just infected my birds instead.

I'll know next time.


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## BlackCrowFarm (Nov 18, 2012)

We quarantine any new bird for at least 30 days, you would be surprised what stress can bring out in a bird. We also worm the chicken & cut nails at this time too.

Very few poultry will go & roost in a new house/coop right away. I would lock them in at night & keep the feed in there until they get used to their new digs, you may have to do this for a couple of week.

Sorry to read about the stout, few years back we had a young mink take out over half of our rose combed bantams, thank goodness one of our dogs took care of the mink.


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## kimberley (Sep 8, 2012)

I had to get a live rescue trap because of raccoons. A raccoon will get in one way or another. but he could have been trying to get in and the birds just overstressed and died. but ALWAYS quarantine new birds first. they can get stressed from anything. clean coop and everything before you get more.


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## Pinkter (Aug 19, 2012)

I had to put two different locks on my coop. One night a raccoon unlatched the lock and helped himself. It's unfortunate that we have to learn how to protect them the hard way.


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

Thanks for all of the good advice guys...I'll certainly quarantine from now on and a trap in the coop is. Great idea.


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## shickenchit (Nov 26, 2012)

Good luck Mark... Keep us posted..


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

Will keep you's posted


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

Terrible news today,got a phone call to say Alan,my beautiful partridge brahma hen got attacked by the stoat,my favourite bird!...dashed home from work (300yds) to find her still bleeding and my flock scattered,feathers everywhere and in the corner of the pen my little buff Plymouth Rock bantam, who is cuddly tame is lying in shock,blood on her neck where the stoat has got her but not enough to kill her,I've took her inside where it's warm to see if she pulls around.
Devastated...feel like giving up chicken keeping.


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## CharlieEcho (Nov 25, 2012)

*Trapping;*

I don't know where you live but it's trapping season where I live. There is a fellow near here that traps animals for the fur. You might check locally. You might also set a trap of your own. We have small live traps and one large trap. We purchased ours at a farm store near by.

The man who traps near us places his trap inside an 8" black plastic tile. I don't recal what he used as bait. He recently stopped by to show me a mink he'd trapped not far from our home. Our chickens are the larger breeds but I don't think even a bantum can enter the smaller live trap, while a mink or stoat, they're the same aren't they, should.

Sorry again to hear of your trouble.


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

I've spent most of this evening setting traps and snares,gotta catch it soon,I'm down to 8 from 19 birds!


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

My Buff Plymouth Rock was no better this morning,so she's gone too.

While checking the remaining birds over I noticed the stoat has also had a grip of my welsummer's neck,she's lethargic but not right at all...gotta catch this thing before it cleans me out


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

So sorry you're dealing with that crap. Heartbreaking!


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

man oh man, sorry for your losses
i guess it could happen to any of us if the rite animal shows up 
i would say get this thing 1st
then re-group & add a stout fence 
it's a 2nd layer of protection for your flock

the only thought i had on your new coop & no eggs was to add another window so they get more sun
but with all this crazyness going on i'm sure the hens are all stressed out

also look on craigs list for a couple mean ole roosters
once they are seen to be good & healthy 
let them take on that critter
maybe it will think twice once a few big roos with huge spurs jump all over it
i know some roos just go into crazy mode when something wants to mess with their girls


good luck
piglett


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## fuzziebutt (Aug 7, 2012)

So sorry! It is crapola when there is a massacre, and it still breaks my heart to hear about it. Silly question, but what is a stoat?


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## Lady_Alia (Jul 11, 2012)

fuzziebutt said:


> So sorry! It is crapola when there is a massacre, and it still breaks my heart to hear about it. Silly question, but what is a stoat?


I had to google it, it's like a weasel.


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

It's from the same family as a weasel,the perfect predator,it's fearless and will have a go at anything,they've been known to take down kid goats!
As far as the egg problem,my remaining birds are stressed to death,I expect to lose my welsummer to stress,she got a little nip on the neck but seems to be very stressed,not mixing etc,the pekin who lost her sister won't come out of the coop,her comb is very pale,the others all hang around the other end of the enclosure from where the carnage happened.
I've got a Wyandotte cockerel that doesn't seem to interfere but he's only young,he might not have that boldness yet...I saw my turkey kill a rat with its feet yesterday so she could grow a pair and flatten this little sod!


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## Lady_Alia (Jul 11, 2012)

It's hard to believe that such a cute little rodent could be causing all this carnage. I'm so sorry for your losses and I hope when you catch the little b*st*rd that's doing this, you make a cap outta him!!! 
I can't imagine losing my girls!


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## havasu (Jun 21, 2012)

I also had to Google to find out what a stout was and it was defined as a Badger. Is this correct?


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

I never thought I'd find it so hard to have to keep scooping up my dead hens or finishing off birds the stoat didn't quite manage to kill,I swore that if my buff Plymouth Rock bantam got killed I'd stop keeping chickens and lo and behold she's the one I had to finish off last night,it's so hard.

This is what a stoat looks like,how can such a cute looking thing drive me to despair and make me want to catch it and make the little b*st*rd suffer??...they're smaller than a ferret,maybe 6 inches long and are wicked!


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

don't think we have them around here in new hampshire , where do you live Mark?

& yes he is cute but would look better on the end of a sharp stick


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

I live in the northeast of England,UK....my chicken enclosure backs onto a 250 acre deer park so we get just about every British predator passing by,the stoat is the only one that's stopped by to say hi!....it's gonna end up on the end of a very sharp stick.

I'll keep you's posted with future events,hopefully culminating with a nice pic of a dead stoat!


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## CharlieEcho (Nov 25, 2012)

*Rats, minks, weasels and stoats;*

I don't think the meanest Rooster in the shed is any match for a mink, weasel, or stoat. Stoats may be the smallest of the bunch. They have teeth like a cat and are ferocious. They kill chickens for fun it almost seems. I beleive they only lap the blood from the necks from what I've heard.

I understand the smaller ones can enter a hole no larger than a quarter, (2.5 CM). We have had two attacks over a thirty year period of raising chickens. The attacks were nearly fifteen years apart. We try to get our chickens locked in at sundown an out at sunrise. In the woods I have seen mink in the daytime though.

Rats on the other hand I believe are opportunistic and may take advantage of a sick or injured bird, but I don't think they will attack. Rats prefer I believe to avoid confrontation and are actually timid. That's been my experience. If they were starving that might me different.

Our second attack happened last February. Our Labrador had died in the fall. He was the guard dog of the barn and pasture. During the winter months the lady down the road and some neighbor boys baited and killed fourteen coyotes. So we lost our guard dog and predators, coyotes kill minks, in one season. That may have contributed to our attack.

A secure pin and shed can't be stressed enough.


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

I think the stoats rip the throat out so the heart keeps pumping and they just gorge on the blood as it pumps out until the heart stops then they move onto the next bird,a terrible ending for the poor chicken.
I have the occasional rat but they're more interested in the feed,they'd have a chew at the stoat's victims if I left them lying around but I get them out as soon as possible so it doesn't further stress my remaining birds...the turkey seems to flatten the odd rat,she attacked one the other day and killed it!..nice one Delilah!
I get my shotgun licence in a couple of months,if I have any left by then I'll just lie under a blanket and wait for it to show itself...it's only attacking during he day as the birds are locked up from dusk until dawn,it seems to be visiting in the afternoon, I check them at 3-3.30pm and if there are any casualties they are sometimes still bleeding,very fresh kills.


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## patlet (Oct 4, 2012)

All the above advice is good. If you've got any birds remaining...get them in a safe place now! one time I put my few birds into an old Jeep to save them from a mink. If you can lock them up safely for a few days, the mink will move on, I have lost half my flock in as little as a minute per bird to the tenacious things. Killing them is, of course, a permanent solution to that particular mink but around here they come by at least twice a year, fall and spring. It is tough to have a mink proof coop. If a rat can get in, so can a mink, but minks climb much better, a leap much better and they don't give up unless they have to. Block all holes that are over 1 1/2 inches ( the size of a man's thumb!) and you'll have a mink proof building. Good luck, so sorry for your losses. Nothing is more heartbreaking than to have the critters you care for, and who trust you to take care of them, traumatized by death and destruction.


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

That's interesting that they'll move on if the birds get moved,my turkey roosts in an old house that stands behind my house(kindly given to me by The Lord who owns the deer park)..I could use that,I've used it in the past when the hens have been washed out by torrential storms and they didn't seem to mind. I'd prefer to see the stoat dead but if he just moves on that'd do.


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## englishchick (Aug 17, 2012)

Oh what a bad time you have been having. I think I am lucky for living in Ireland as the only predator that I worry about is foxes. I think the run is pretty secure and the coup is closed off at night. Rats and mice are common place but since a cat has adopted me and keeps wondering that seems to have stopped.

I feel for your loss but dont get too disheartened. Just try and keep things a secure as possible I guess thats the biggest thing, as for the health of your chickens you can only do your best.


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

It's been 2 weeks since the stoat killed any of my hens,don't know if its a coincidence but I was given a huge light Sussex cockerel 2 weeks ago,he's very protective of the hens and even though he's only 25 weeks old he's already bigger than my turkey,I wouldn't mess with him if I was a stoat!

It's possible the stoat has died elsewhere as they do have a stressful,dangerous existence...we have foxes around here and cats,badgers etc...not to mention gamekeepers.

Like I say it could be coincidental but for now everything is quiet and that's good enough for me!


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## patlet (Oct 4, 2012)

Maybe your Sussex is big enough! The mink attacks we've had have all been at the chickens, but we've lost some pretty good sized roosters to them. However, the geese, thank goodness, have never been attacked that we can tell. I recently lost a big gander due to a broken wing and blinded eye, but I think it was in fighting with the other ganders that caused his injuries. As you now know, :sorry: , the weasel family kills by neck bites. Around here, we see the minks, weasels and fishers twice a year, early spring and late fall. Just a week ago, I was on my cell outside when an adorable weasel came through. Very fast but he/she stopped to check me out. Cinnamon tuxedo ( no snow yet to trigger the coat color change) and beautiful. The birds all noticed it, but it ignored them. Looking for mice probably. I don't know if they'd go after a rat since they're quite a bit smaller than our local woods rats, but weasels have great ambitions when it comes to food! Come to think of it, there hasn't been any rats lately.... Hmmm, I wonder if a mink has already been here, that would be good to know because all of my chickens are still here and that means the coop is mink proof! Yay yay yay!!


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Yeah yeah yay!!!!


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## markhorsley68 (Jul 10, 2012)

Couldn't have put it better myself!


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

we are planning on making our new coop double walled
what i'm saying it there will be plywood or inch boards on the inside too
the door is double thick & the outside of it is an old oak table that is bolted to the inner door
next i want to cover all the windows with heavy wire mesh because they are always open a little on the top to let fresh air in


good luck
piglett


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## patlet (Oct 4, 2012)

piglett said:


> we are planning on making our new coop double walled
> what i'm saying it there will be plywood or inch boards on the inside too
> the door is double thick & the outside of it is an old oak table that is bolted to the inner door
> next i want to cover all the windows with heavy wire mesh because they are always open a little on the top to let fresh air in
> ...


Wow...that sounds like a mink proof fortress! Remember to use one inch chicken wire, or even better, hardware clo! Your girls will be safe and sound! Awesome!


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

patlet said:


> Wow...that sounds like a mink proof fortress! Remember to use one inch chicken wire, or even better, hardware clo! Your girls will be safe and sound! Awesome!


i was thinking about nailing up 2x2 wire on the inside of the coop (floor & walls.then putting the plywood over that. i got a deal in 2x6's & 2x10's
they were in the bin at the dump, i "relocated them" to my place fast & nailed them down as flooring.


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## patlet (Oct 4, 2012)

piglett said:


> i was thinking about nailing up 2x2 wire on the inside of the coop (floor & walls.then putting the plywood over that. i got a deal in 2x6's & 2x10's
> they were in the bin at the dump, i "relocated them" to my place fast & nailed them down as flooring.


I love that kind of recycling!


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

patlet said:


> I love that kind of recycling!


 the price was rite & i needed a floor for the new coop


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