The latest batch of pigs have caught and eaten three or four of them in the past couple of weeks. The pigs aren't usually a problem, but every few years, we get a batch that has a taste for poultry. Pigs are smart, fast and slyly cunning. They can be very nice, friendly animals. They can also be vicious, aggressive, unpredictable and extremely dangerous. This pair definitely fall into the later category. They like to let the chickens come in for regular visits, even let them share their food and then, when a hen is feeling safe and happy, BAM! Chicken dinner is served.
Weasels also like to eat chicken. A mink showed up this week and killed three more chickens. They sneak in like vampires, kill the birds and drink the blood. They leave the rest of the chicken for the ever hungry pigs.
It is never a good idea to get attached to animals who live at the bottom of the food chain, but Farm Buddy loves her chickens anyway.
Losing a bunch of nice laying hens is also a bad financial blow. Which is why we spent most of the weekend rebuilding the chicken coop, covering every inch with hardware-cloth and making plans to get the pigs outside where they will, hopefully, find something more fun to do than fowl murder.
If nothing else, we made enough noise to scare off any self-respecting mink, at least for a little while.
and, it will always be your favorite hen or roo that get's killed 1st....
ReplyDeleteSorry for the losses.
oh my! I had heard that about pigs. Life with animals is never easy.
ReplyDeleteGreat job! Thank you!! Everyone safe today!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow.... I’ll never think of Babe the pig the same way ever again.
ReplyDeleteChickens 🐓 I hope you stay safe . Delrene In CarlsbD, Ca
I can recall the first time a raccoon got into where we had chickens many years ago. My son came back from the chicken coop and said, "Mom, it looks like a Steven King Horror Film out there!" Somehow it was funny and very sad at the same time. Hopefully you can keep out the mink! I caught a possum in the neighbors coop this winter!
ReplyDeleteMink and weasels are bad for chickens. Hope you got it all secure. Darn pigs anyways I didn't know they ate chickens:)
ReplyDelete