Yesterday something, we don't know what, slaughtered 1/2 of our chickens, 3/5ths of our ducks and one of our geese. Now the other goose is across the road on the stream bed honking and won't come home. It might have been a wild cat of some sort or a fox, ermine or even a coyote. It was just awful. A few of the survivors are injured and I hope they heal. I hope the goose will come back; he/she (not sure which one lived) must be heartbroken as the mate is gone.
We captured the remaining chickens and put them in the locked up pen with the roosters where we think they will be safe; no more roaming free for awhile. The ducks are in the hen house and we're locking the door at night in hopes whatever it was can't get in.
It's so awfully sad, poor babies. Thank the stars the cats and dog were in the house! We've lost a few cats over the years to 'something' probably coyotes but we can't be sure. House cats seem to be the preferred snack of quite a few wild critters around here. We try very hard to get them all in at night cause that's usually when things go badly. this time however it was in the morning (around 11am) and we didn't even hear a thing. After the 'event' I did hear something making a weird moaning sound out behind the house in the tree line..... yikes.
~Nan