Comments on: Day of the Dead…Farm Style http://maleesha.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/day-of-the-dead-farm-style/ Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:50:52 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: elementaryteacher http://maleesha.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/day-of-the-dead-farm-style/#comment-2836 elementaryteacher Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:49:19 +0000 http://maleesha.wordpress.com/?p=1097#comment-2836 I'm sorry to hear about this Maleesha. I think I might have done something to try to kill the unborn babies quickly. One thing that has helped me in my killing decisions (once I decide to kill a spider in my home, for example) is that once I make the decision, to at least to it as QUICKLY as possible, so as to minimize the creature's pain. I agree it was a really difficult day. Eileen <em><strong>I thought about doing that...and if it hadn't been a skunk I probably would have. Once a skunk dies...p-u!</strong></em> I’m sorry to hear about this Maleesha. I think I might have done something to try to kill the unborn babies quickly.

One thing that has helped me in my killing decisions (once I decide to kill a spider in my home, for example) is that once I make the decision, to at least to it as QUICKLY as possible, so as to minimize the creature’s pain.

I agree it was a really difficult day.

Eileen

I thought about doing that…and if it hadn’t been a skunk I probably would have. Once a skunk dies…p-u!

]]> By: Christine http://maleesha.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/day-of-the-dead-farm-style/#comment-2832 Christine Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:16:36 +0000 http://maleesha.wordpress.com/?p=1097#comment-2832 I'm sorry you lost your babies. Skunks and opossums can attack chickens but generally go for eggs or chicks. Weasels will kill poultry/fowl by biting them around the head and neck. They generally leave the bodies. Raccoons may do the same. Foxes will kill just for fun or teaching their young how to hunt. It's hard to say what it might have been but I hope you don't have any more problems! Were the babies penned up? <em><strong>they were penned, but something got in through a weak spot. We are pretty sure it was a raccoon, although we have a lot of mink in the area and mink have a preference for waterfowl. Nothing has bothered the chickens except for hawks, so far. Knock on coop. </strong></em> I’m sorry you lost your babies. Skunks and opossums can attack chickens but generally go for eggs or chicks.

Weasels will kill poultry/fowl by biting them around the head and neck. They generally leave the bodies.

Raccoons may do the same.

Foxes will kill just for fun or teaching their young how to hunt.

It’s hard to say what it might have been but I hope you don’t have any more problems!

Were the babies penned up?

they were penned, but something got in through a weak spot. We are pretty sure it was a raccoon, although we have a lot of mink in the area and mink have a preference for waterfowl. Nothing has bothered the chickens except for hawks, so far. Knock on coop.

]]> By: David http://maleesha.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/day-of-the-dead-farm-style/#comment-2831 David Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:46:38 +0000 http://maleesha.wordpress.com/?p=1097#comment-2831 Nicely written post about one of those sad days on a farm. Thanks for writing it maleesha! It brought back memories of aiming a .22 between the two flashlight-eyeball reflections of a raccoon up in a big pine behind our chicken coop one late night ... I got the bastard too, but it took 3 of our chickens first. It really sucks when varmints help themselves like that. So much work lost in an instant. But it's also part of the rugged honesty of farm life. Interesting that this happened on a day when slaughter was in the plans, huh? Odd behavior for a skunk too, no? <em><strong>Yeah, sometimes I have the strong urge to go vegetarian, and this was one of those days... We don't think it was the skunk. We just happened to get the skunk during the search for revenge...</strong></em> Nicely written post about one of those sad days on a farm. Thanks for writing it maleesha! It brought back memories of aiming a .22 between the two flashlight-eyeball reflections of a raccoon up in a big pine behind our chicken coop one late night … I got the bastard too, but it took 3 of our chickens first.

It really sucks when varmints help themselves like that. So much work lost in an instant. But it’s also part of the rugged honesty of farm life. Interesting that this happened on a day when slaughter was in the plans, huh?

Odd behavior for a skunk too, no?

Yeah, sometimes I have the strong urge to go vegetarian, and this was one of those days…

We don’t think it was the skunk. We just happened to get the skunk during the search for revenge…

]]> By: cherikooka http://maleesha.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/day-of-the-dead-farm-style/#comment-2829 cherikooka Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:42:41 +0000 http://maleesha.wordpress.com/?p=1097#comment-2829 Oh my God! I am so sorry! Oh my God! I am so sorry!

]]> By: crisitunity http://maleesha.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/day-of-the-dead-farm-style/#comment-2828 crisitunity Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:01:59 +0000 http://maleesha.wordpress.com/?p=1097#comment-2828 That's awful, Maleesha. I'm so sorry. The poor geese. (The poor skunk babies, too.) That’s awful, Maleesha. I’m so sorry. The poor geese. (The poor skunk babies, too.)

]]> By: morethananelectrician http://maleesha.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/day-of-the-dead-farm-style/#comment-2827 morethananelectrician Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:07:11 +0000 http://maleesha.wordpress.com/?p=1097#comment-2827 What a horrific day...not something you can just forget about. I am sorry for the expereience. What a horrific day…not something you can just forget about. I am sorry for the expereience.

]]> By: Taoist Biker http://maleesha.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/day-of-the-dead-farm-style/#comment-2826 Taoist Biker Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:32:51 +0000 http://maleesha.wordpress.com/?p=1097#comment-2826 I'm a hunter myself (or I am when I'm not living in the city) and I empathize - nobody delivers the <i>coup de grace</i> without feeling at least a little bad about it. At least nobody you'd want to invite into your home. I wouldn't rule out another suspect, but it could have just been the skunk, from what I understand. Either way, damn, what a crappy day. <em><strong>It could have been the skunk, but our "trapper/tracker friend" came out and after much staring at the ground and nodding while mumbling, he determined that it was a raccoon. Everyone needs a trapper/tracker friend.</strong></em> I’m a hunter myself (or I am when I’m not living in the city) and I empathize – nobody delivers the coup de grace without feeling at least a little bad about it. At least nobody you’d want to invite into your home.

I wouldn’t rule out another suspect, but it could have just been the skunk, from what I understand. Either way, damn, what a crappy day.

It could have been the skunk, but our “trapper/tracker friend” came out and after much staring at the ground and nodding while mumbling, he determined that it was a raccoon. Everyone needs a trapper/tracker friend.

]]> By: Mike http://maleesha.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/day-of-the-dead-farm-style/#comment-2825 Mike Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:52:17 +0000 http://maleesha.wordpress.com/?p=1097#comment-2825 How very unfortunate. What really is puzzling is the decoy. Was it actually a decoy or was that just what your mind had seen it as? Was it instead actually a dead duck? <em><strong>It was actually a decoy!! I have no idea why, but it was a cruel addition to the whole scenario. </strong></em> How very unfortunate.

What really is puzzling is the decoy. Was it actually a decoy or was that just what your mind had seen it as? Was it instead actually a dead duck?

It was actually a decoy!! I have no idea why, but it was a cruel addition to the whole scenario.

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