Lost a Chicken

Chickens have a lot of natural enemies. Practically every other creature in the woods likes to make a meal out of a hen. In our neck of the woods there are many natural predators. Foxes, opossums, orange-breasted hawks and certain owls just to name a few.

Well, last night we suffered our first chicken mortality. An opossum got into the pen dispatched one of our younger laying hens. Apparently Mr. Opossum doesn't actual eat the chicken; he simply rips its head off and then leaves carcass and head on the ground and flees from the scene of the crime. I guess Mr. Opossum has anger issues and he comes into the chicken pen to let off a little steam.

The rest of our laying hens (now 12) seem to be doing just fine. Today I collected 8 eggs! We are averaging 6 per day. We are told that this is a high average and we shouldn't get used to such high production out of our hens. We'll take it as long as it lasts!

Lost one of the black (sexton) hens.