Eventually, I saw a tiny slip of dried blood on the newspaper under the watering tray.
The entry point into the brooder was through an unsecured length of chicken netting and looking around I saw several places where the predator dug little holes in the dirt around the brooder. I suspect a mink.
After I took an inventory, I found that I lost three chicks including two black ones and another New Hampshire or Rhode Island Red.
I fed the remaining five chicks, cleaned the water tray, and secured the wire netting around the entry point. I covered another possible entry point with additional netting.
I moved the live trap from the garden to a spot under the tarp behind the brooder. I looked unsuccessfully for a rat trap that is hiding somewhere in my cluttered house.
My emotions led me to wax philosophically as I thought that everything has its natural duration. After a few years of raising chickens, I come to expect loss and short periods of time with these birds.
Irregardless.
Loss hurts.
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The Life and Times of a New Hampshire guy
Introductory Words
- Tim Somero
- I'm a technical writer who lives in New Ipswich, NH. In the summer of 2007, I was laid off and I split time between New Ipswich and Brooklyn, NY for the summer. The beginning of my blog contains a chronicle for the summer of 2007 while I lived off my severance pay and saved money. Time and circumstance led me from the thrilling hustle of New York City and back permanently in New Ipswich. After finding some short-term jobs, I settled into familiar ground as a technical writer in the high-tech industry. Writing during my adventure to New York City was easy. Everything was new, exciting, and rich. Everyday life in New Ipswich lacks hustle. Neighborly conversation is often slow, yet rich in context and societal concern. Inside I burn to write and I will occasionally post something here as the need to write strikes.
Quotes to live by
"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise" Ben Franklin
"A penny saved is a penny earned." Ben Franklin
"...high and fine literature is like wine & mine is only water...' wrote Mark Twain in a letter to friend. "But everyone likes water."
"The Internet gives us the opportunity to learn each other from the inside out." Sumedha
"A penny saved is a penny earned." Ben Franklin
"...high and fine literature is like wine & mine is only water...' wrote Mark Twain in a letter to friend. "But everyone likes water."
"The Internet gives us the opportunity to learn each other from the inside out." Sumedha
4 comments:
Bummer! Although death is a nature part of life, to lose anything - whether it a person or animal is sad. They are adorable. I'm sorry you've lost some.
Thank you for your kind words.
I called Blue Seal Needs and Feeds today to get a status on my broiler chicks and I asked if I could replace my lost chicks.
They have 50 laying chicks available so I can easily replace them when I pick up the broilers later this week.
Hey Tim -
How are the rest of the chicks doing? Did you modifications hold fast?
Things look good so far and the five remaining chicks are happy and healthy.
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