It was with a heavy heart I found this young pullet half eaten and half frozen at noon today. She was fine this morning, but the ravens were around all day. They are hungry when the snow comes and this little girl was only 3 months old. She was the last chick hatched by the Silkie hen, who would not quit sitting all summer. The Silkie is a terrible mother though, so I gave her to a broody Partridge Chantecler and she raised her as her own. I worried about the baby at first because it was already October when she was hatched and it started to get cold, but the mamma hen was excellent in calling her to get warm under her snuggly breast of fluffy feathers and in looking after her. She did not perch, but slept on the ground keeping the little one warm all night long.
Jade,the livestock guardian dog, was mighty upset this morning. She had been chasing the ravens for some time. She and Robbie are the only ones who seem to understand that those birds are not welcome, while the other ones who fly around here, are. The chick's breast was pecked open and her innards were barred and bloody. Even if she could have recovered, and chickens are remarkable at recovering from terrible injuries, her left foot was already frozen solid. She was a purebred Ameraucana and I loved her very much. I picked her up frequently and after she squawked in protest, she settled into my arms and was quiet and allowed me to stroke her pretty feathers. I could not let her suffer. There was no one else around and it was up to me to put her out of her misery. I cried as I did and thanked her for her life and told her I was so sorry for not better protecting her. I was. That was the second chick I have ever done away with in my life. It is very hard.
The ravens need to be reduced in number. There were 3 when I moved here 5 years ago. Now there are at least a dozen if not 18. They are hard to keep track of though. At one time they were protected, but their numbers have rapidly increased and they have become pests in some areas, similar to crows. Only these ravens eat babies at the Fat Ewe Farm. This is the third one they have demolished. No, wait, I do not know how many potbelly piglets there were , but only one was left and the ravens got the rest. They also got one lamb as it was being born.
I am going to ask some hunters to come and try to shoot a few of the ravens. They are incredibly intelligent birds and if they know there is danger, they will not come around. At least that is the concept. I do not want to lose any more babies either, nor do I want the ravens to die, but what does a farmer do? It is truly up to me to protect my livestock. What would you do?
Jade,the livestock guardian dog, was mighty upset this morning. She had been chasing the ravens for some time. She and Robbie are the only ones who seem to understand that those birds are not welcome, while the other ones who fly around here, are. The chick's breast was pecked open and her innards were barred and bloody. Even if she could have recovered, and chickens are remarkable at recovering from terrible injuries, her left foot was already frozen solid. She was a purebred Ameraucana and I loved her very much. I picked her up frequently and after she squawked in protest, she settled into my arms and was quiet and allowed me to stroke her pretty feathers. I could not let her suffer. There was no one else around and it was up to me to put her out of her misery. I cried as I did and thanked her for her life and told her I was so sorry for not better protecting her. I was. That was the second chick I have ever done away with in my life. It is very hard.
The ravens need to be reduced in number. There were 3 when I moved here 5 years ago. Now there are at least a dozen if not 18. They are hard to keep track of though. At one time they were protected, but their numbers have rapidly increased and they have become pests in some areas, similar to crows. Only these ravens eat babies at the Fat Ewe Farm. This is the third one they have demolished. No, wait, I do not know how many potbelly piglets there were , but only one was left and the ravens got the rest. They also got one lamb as it was being born.
I am going to ask some hunters to come and try to shoot a few of the ravens. They are incredibly intelligent birds and if they know there is danger, they will not come around. At least that is the concept. I do not want to lose any more babies either, nor do I want the ravens to die, but what does a farmer do? It is truly up to me to protect my livestock. What would you do?
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