Thank you for sharing this story, not only do you not place blame on the dog but you took responsibility and accountability for your part. You have always seemed very true to yourself and family. Thank you again for being well balanced on your platform. We need to continue to show grace and compassion when sharing our lifes fir others to view.
How heartbreaking. 😞 I'm not gonna lie, though, I legitimately got chills when you said the dog lunged at your hubby. All I could think about was one of your kids being the one to be out there first. Thank God Almighty for his protection!!!
So very sorry for the loss of your beloved chickens. We built our chicken and duck runs using 1/2 inch hardware cloth. We dug a foot down and laid the wire and curled it upward and then wired it to the sides as well as put it on top. The top also has roofing over it to keep it all dry. All the windows on the coops have hardware cloth attached with screws and washer so we can keep the windows open during the day. Our coops open to the runs and the only way in is through the run door which is secured with latches at the top , bottom and and carabiner lock in the middle. The coop also has a door that we open to clean the coop but it is always locked until we clean. Even the outside nesting box area is kept under lock and key. We let the hens and the ducks free range in the afternoons when we are sitting outside with them. One day we had to run inside for just a minute. A neighbors dog broke through our deer netting around the backyard and dragged one of our ducks out into the neighbors yard and literally just ripped it apart and left it. We secured our deer netting fence and set out security cameras. That same dog came back over and over again. We showed the video to the neighbor and they immediately took the dog and had it put down. When we leave our property all the coops and runs get a padlock on them for safety reasons. The things we do to keep our animals safe.
Oh my goodness! This story broke my heart! I feel terrible for your sweet babies and birds too 🙏 I'm really relieved though that you found some of the birds alive. I'm so very sad for the rooster💔
Thank you for sharing your story Kelsey. I’m sure it wasn’t easy. So very sorry for what went through. It’s a lesson for all of us. You and Matt handled it so well. Praying God’s peace and protection over you. ❤️🙏🏻Val C
What a week! Hugs to you and your Littles. You pointed out important things I have not thought of...knowing your neighbors, the preparedNess roosters provide if I have need to let my hens eggs hatch out. Thank you for sharing. I will be making changes here. Praying you have better weeks ahead!
This just happen to us. Dogs came in and killed 4 of our big chickens. We knew exactly where the dogs came from. So the owner were left a very aggressive note to deal with their dogs or we would if they came back to our yard.
So sorry this happened! We unfortunately have had very similar experience growing up on the farm. In our instance the dog didn't survive. They call it the sss rule. Shoot it, shovel it and shut up about it. The dog owner had been warned to keep the dog on their property but they didn't make any effort to keep their aggressive rabbit eating dog away from the inevitable. Everything happens for a reason. Lessons were learned. Life improved and the story can be told for others to learn as well. While life is precious, a bad dog is a bad dog. What a blessing on the favorite chicken!!! ❤ Thank you for sharing the tough stuff too. 🌿
We had friends that had a dog that kept killing the neighbor's chickens. They were warned multiple times that they would shoot the dog if an opportunity arose (on the chicken property). This is 100% legal where we live. Our friends were shocked that the neighbors followed through. It wasn't a mean dog, just a dog doing dog things. Our friends could have prevented this. I blame them for their dog's death, not the dog or the neighbors. In this case the neighbors called our friends and said, come collect your dog. They were driving home the point. Our friends were looking for sympathy from us, they didn't get it.
I don’t understand why people don’t realize that it’s the dog owners responsibility to keep their dog under control. If it’s a danger to people or livestock, it needs to be addressed permanently.
Our stories are so similar! I lost 2 chickens a few weeks ago to a stray dog who also severely injured a third but she ended up healing and is ok now. I thought they were all 12 were gone too and one by one they came out of the woods at dusk. We lost our rooster last Fall to a neighbor's dog attack. They have a covered and protected sand run and a dirt run that is covered with bird netting, but we just fenced in a third run for free ranging without fear of dogs attacking again. Thank you for sharing your story 🥰
That was so traumatic for you all. I felt I was sitting in your kitchen, listening to your story. So sad for your rooster. Similar event happened many years ago with a dog, but all ours came back in dribs and drabs. One was missing for weeks and had been living under a trampoline in a garden several streets away. Just a chance remark from that person to a neighbour and we got her back. xx
Awwwwww Kelsey, so sorry for all the chicken drama and horror that you have dealt with. My heart went cold when you said the dog bared his teeth and lunged at Matt 😮. My heart breaks for all of you. Yes this is what homesteading is all about but not this kind. When a dog (a pet to someone else) attacks something that is yours and a pet to your children. Sending prayers for healing. I’m happy you were able to get more of the kind of chicken you like. And I’m hoping everything stays calm. Bless you
My thumbs up equates to a big hug to you Kelsey and your family. I struggled to not cry as I listened to your recent life unfold and my heart hurt for you. Thank you for your honesty in sharing what must have been still quite raw and difficult. Very thankful for your faith that made a difference during this time. God bless you and keep you xx
Sorry for your loss. We have had dogs come into our yard also. So this year I adopted one adult goose and raised a goose from a baby. They are great protectors, have already chased away dogs from the yard. Geese are real protective, so friendly to us but anyone else they really check them out!😂
Predators are a homesteader's nightmare--I feel for you. We have had out share too--and it is always heartbreakin, especially for little ones. It's so hard for them to understand. So thankful things turned out as well as they did, and inpray that the neighbor takes care of his dog.
I’m so sorry,an I know where your coming from.We we’re dairy farmers,an I had chickens but like you said they become part of the family. I loss chickens to a dog which was heartbreaking but I didn’t give up.We had a lot of chickens and never had another problem with dogs.Now we are in our eighty’s and miss those days so much.God Bless you my sweet friend and your family.There is no better life than what you’re living.❤Barb
I’ve been there and I know exactly what you’re talking about when you say it’s an emotional roller coaster when stuff like this happens. Big hugs to you and the kids and I hope you find another Nutmeg.
I had that happen and 2 weeks later 1 of 5 missing came back home and was just sitting outside the coup waiting to get back home. So glad you found them. Blessings
We have a farm here in Idaho and I think the hardest part of farming/homesteading, is when things happen to our animals. I am so sorry that you all that this happened...God bless you all...Sherri-Idaho
Homesteading is hard but rewarding. Sorry you had a tragic event happen. We have had similar things happen over the years. I am glad you found the remaining chickens. Life lessons are tough.
Hey Kelsey, so much chicken drama! Sad life lessons for your babies. Not sure if youve heard of this but you can dunk chickens in water to bring them out of broodiness. Im sure there are tons of YT videos if you do a search. Broodiness can be really stressful for them, especially after the stress they went through with the dogs. Chickens are sensitive and can actually be scared to death. Like just die of fright. So maybe next time you have a broody chicken, give the dunk a try. It snaps them out of it and doesnt hurt them. Thanks for this real life video showing the sometimes rough side of homesteading. I love all your videos and feel like you welcome us into your home which is really sweet. God bless your family.
Oh sweet Kelsey, my heart hurts for you all, especially the children. I’m so grateful that most were spared and are doing well. I’m glad that Matt is okay all things considered. We are still without chickens and a big part of the reason is because our attention has been needed elsewhere which has made for less time in getting extra projects done like the coop and run set up both in general but also in making sure it’s set up in such a way that the chickens will be safe. We live in an area that has very high predator pressure from the air and land. Free ranging will not be the norm because of the hawks, owls and eagles we have here. We have on many occasions seen owls out in the trees making their calls during the day. Most of their activity is in the nighttime but oddly we’ve had them out in the day. We once had an eagle swoop down and grab a duck likely from a neighboring lake and proceed to sit in a tree for a couple of hours and eat everything but the head. It was heart breaking for me and yet I’m well aware that it’s completely natural. We also have coyotes, raccoons, possums and large critters that live in the ground that come out during the day and gather greens and take it back to their holes. I don’t know if they’re a threat but there are enough other threats to deal with. Like you I just want to do what I can to keep my birds safe. So the coop and run will have to wait until later this fall or next year so that we can create barriers as best as possible. We have a coop already that we purchased used so it’s really a matter of building a run and making a couple modifications to the coop. I pray that the chickens will adjust to the new birds and all will be calm once again for the flock. Thank you for sharing this painful part of the homestead with us. It’s a good reminder that life is fragile and even when we do all we can to keep our animals safe, things happen that are out of our control. You sweet friend are a blessing. Lord, bless Kelsey and her family this week. In Jesus name, Amen. 🤗🩷
God love you all. Wow. That's a lot of an adult let alone a child. Sounds like you all are doing what you can to process, heal and move forward. I pray the neighbor deals with the dog. Thanks for sharing. I hope we can help you all in some way
Heartbreaking story. But that is how life is, so many different emotions all in one situation. Farm kids learn about life and death very early. It will help them as adults.
😢 listening to you brought tears to my eyes. I’m not really a pet lover ( I have my reasons) but I can imagine the sadness your babies felt and y’all as well. Thank goodness for your neighbor❤ keeping y’all in my prayers
So sorry to hear of your(s) heartache! Prayer brought your babies back home! Yay! I told my husband as tears ran down my cheeks for your loss, that you should be a writer… you draw us into your feelings with such heart…I hope your new chicks get adopted in soon… When you were telling us about Toast being broody, I 💭 I bet she takes the new chicks as her own… her passing was a shock… I had hopes til the very end! Hugs from Ohio!
It's so heartbreaking. I hope they take care of that dog. Unfortunately, life is heartbreak and happiness. So concentrate on the happy times to get through the sad times.
I am so thankful for this video! I watched it the other day, then today my chickens were attacked by a coyote in broad daylight! We saw it chasing one chicken and all of our chickens scattered! Watching your video helped me understand the chickens might just be scared and in hiding. So far only 2 of 7 have returned but I have hope the others might find their way back tomorrow 😢.
Sorry you lost Nutmeg. Your sweet babies will appreciate things more growing up that way. Your cat had me laughing while he was aggravating you. All I could see was his tail.
Thank you for sharing. I listened to this in the presence of my husband. I want chickens, and I need his help when we get them. It's good to know that its not all glamorous.
So sad,we lost 24 birds overnight a few weeks ago ( foxes) found 3 beaten nearly to death cockerels the next morning,thankfully two survived with a lot of tlc, also thankful the fox didn't find our two broodies in another box nearby. I've bred silkies for years for colour,every one of my coloured boys and girls are gone :😢 the grandchildren here loved everyone and had names for them, that was very very hard.
So sorry for your loss of your birds. I also lost one of my hens, she was broody as well. I tried my best to get her out, but living in Deep East Texas and it being triple digit weather, I really think she got to hot. But I buried her in my small animal grave yard. She did bless me with eggs. She was one of my Rhode Island Reds. It's harder with children though. My thoughts are with you. God Bless!
Eleanor is so courageous and precious having such a heart for her pet chickens, and Grant not far behind learning to care and tend to the animals that provide food and companionship ❤️that’s tough, I’ve had predator pressure ramp up lately with losing some to neighbor dogs, a fox attack a couple weeks ago, and one suddenly pass away a couple days ago (I’m thinking heart attack or maybe the excessive heat). I’m glad your kids aren’t discouraged or at least learning to appreciate the life these chickies provide. ILY, I enjoyed the chore/lack of multitasking format😂❤️
So sorry for all the upsetting/hard things that you've been going through. I'm also glad you shared the story since it does give us a broader look at real life on a homestead and appreciation for your lifestyle - so beautiful yet so ugly sometimes. When a dog gets livestock it's totally different than when you harvest for a purpose. Even if the dog was starving, it's an unnecessary tragedy and normally caused of lazy and uncaring owners. Accidents happen but they didn't even offer to pay for the dead chickens! I used to walk my dog - a little 13 pound sweetheart twice day down our HOA neighborhood where dogs were required to be under owner's control or behind fences. Two horribly aggressive (shepherd and husky) would charge at golf carts, kids on bikes, old women walking, anything they wanted but I usually grabbed my tiny dog and held her until they went back in. One time I didn't know they were loose and one grabbed my dog (on her leash) and shook her badly. The other went for me so I was unable to help her. Finally the young boy in that family called his father outside - they did go in then. He apologized and said he would pay for the vet bill. My dogs back was arched up and she couldn't walk normal. I was sobbing and went to the vet where the bill came to just over $100, which he paid and my dog did get better after awhile. I quit walking her! Kids didn't play on our street, people didn't walk. We had a chain fence where she could go out without a problem but I loved to take time to let her walk and smell and see. We both missed it but couldn't take a chance as they continued to let them run free. Police said they couldn't do anything unless photos where taken when it happened! They pinned our sweet older neighbor into her car (while in her garage) as she was trying to back out. They tried to get through her window. Her husband heard her screaming and came out and nearly choked the dog to death and the other ran away. We were all so happy when one dog was killed out on the highway and the other got cancer and died. I absolutely hate it for those dogs - it wasn't their fault and I hated my joy at their death but all due to the owner not training them nor caring for other people. I hate your kids had to realize that lesson but they will probably never forget how important animals are and how we should show respect for their needs - sounds like they are wonderful with animals already and understand the difference between raising animals for pets or for food. Your a great Momma.
So sorry that happened. My neighbor told us if their dogs ever get to bothering our chickens that he would “get rid of” the dogs himself. I hope the neighbor knows he will likely need tied up.
I am sorry for your family's loss. Life is tough. So proud of you for fighting through the pain of the loss and concentrating on the grateful parts. My neighbor had a similar issue last year. She had chickens and wanted a rooster. My friend had a rooster that needed to go to a good home. The rooster was wonderful with her great grandchildren. It had been hand raised by my friend. I received a call at work with my neighbor crying and telling me that "Roo" had been killed. The coop door was closed when she found him. I told her to call the police. I got home and went directly to my neighbor's house. It was determined that this could not be an animal attack. A human killed the rooster. I think someone was trying to steal the eggs and the rooster did his job and paid the ultimate sacrifice. None of the chickens were harmed. We all now keep close watch in the neighborhood. Roo is remembered fondly and with honor.
Hi Chelsea so sorry to hear about the dog attacking your chickens. We used to live on a property before we had to move into town and we had chickens turkeys and geese. Our dogs grew up with all of these animals and never attacked or chased them. We had made our enclosures so that they were fox and dog proof, but they didn’t stop them from trying. Lay of the land here in rural New South Wales Australia is that if your dog goes onto another person‘s property that person has the right to shoot your dog on site, if they are attacking livestock. Our dogs used to go out of a night to chase the foxes off because you could hear them sometimes. But we only had a handful of incidences where we had to put a dog down. that was not ours for trying to harm the livestock. It sickens you to see a defenceless animal ripped to shreds and especially when it was just for sport!
@@seedandsparrowhomestead Thank you so much. Loss on a farm is an important thing to go through. It is wonderful that you are present for the kids. Have them talk about it. Make a craft, so that they know their love is felt, even if it is in tears at the moment. As that is all that extra love is.... it weeps from our eyes. My parents always added the chore that equated to the challenge at the time to my list so I could have time to process. This way I learned that even though we are going through things, there are others who depend on us to keep them safe and fed too. Hugs and if you need anything....
I'm an old dinosaur with a lot of chicken miles on me. Change that latch. A dog or varmint will jump up onto the door and that latch you have could pop off. Racoons are trained when young on how to lift them up. A second upgrade would be to put a cheap door spring on the door so there is always tension keeping it closed. That way, if the latch isn't fastened, the door won't swing wide open. Everybody that has kept chickens has forgotten to latch them in at some point. The spring is your backup. Your decision to help the rooster yourself was spot on. Good common sense not to spend a fortune and probably loose the bird anyways. Look forward to a new cock of the walk. Just be sure not to keep a mean one. I stand by the "one strike and your out" law. Good sense not to fire your weapon unnecessarily because it appears you have neighbors close. Very dangerous in the case of a ricochet. A baseball bat or an iron pipe will work. I'm surprised your husband didn't beat the stuffing out of that predator. I had to deal with a bad neighbor dog a while back. He was bad because the neighbor was neglectful. I had to carry a piece of iron with me on my property. I finally cracked and yelled at the neighbor, telling her that the next time her dog attacked me I would shoot it. I then called the police so she would know I was serious. The policeman went to the neighbor and told her if I called again, and I hadn't killed it already, that they would take the dog and put it down. She finally learned and kept it leashed. Fast-forward a few years later. Her dog died and she got another one. She kept it fenced in, but one day it dashed out while she was going in. I was on a step ladder pruning a plum tree when I spotted her new dog running toward me. It them put its paws on the steps of the ladder, looking straight up at me. However, it looked happy and its tail was wagging. I climbed down and greeted the young fella. He was a really nice dog! I had a rope with me so I tied it to his collar and walked him home. When the owner saw me with her dog she nearly had a heart attack. I told her that it was okay and that she had a nice dog. That was the first time she ever talked to me in the 10 years she had been there. She always avoided eye contact with me or anyone else. We all have days that suck. It was just your turn this time. Tighten up the ship and keep sailing. One other point... I almost always "walk the fort" before retiring for the day. You would be surprised just how often you spot something that needs attention. If I lived close to you I would give you a new cockerel. I've genetically engineered them to not attack humans. I did that after my first born was spurred in the leg while feeding the chickens. It never happened again. All the best to you and your family.
Wow so sorry. Totally could have been prevented. So sad for the dog that was probably starving but even sadder that the chickens were not protected in that moment. ☹️
As hard as it is, death is a part of life and will be until Jesus comes. We try to shelter our children, but they learn a lot from how we handle adversity. It seems you handled it well and your children will be better equipped to handle the next lesson that comes their way. Thank you for sharing. Oh, we lost about eight chickens at one time when a series of mistakes (none of them mine, thank the Lord) allowed a raccoon to get in and stage a massacre! We were down to four hens and a rooster. One of the hens was so traumatized she didn't lay for a week or more. Life on a farm can be hard, but the Lord knows how much we can stand. Hang in there.
So sorry for your sad experience! we had a similar thing a few months ago . A friend of mine called and begged me to take and bottle feed two week old lambs because she knew I had extra goats milk. I resisted because that's one animal my husband said"never again to. I relented,. I feed them for 6 weeks, they were doing great. My grand kids loved to come and spend time with them. one morning when I went out to feed them, they didn't meet me at the gate. I could see a white blotch at the other end of the pen. It was the shyer of the 2. The other sweet tame one has never been found. We suspect our neighbor's dogs but it had been raining hard all day the day before and into that morning so the only sign was dig marks under the fence and a broken gate where they left. Those dogs are getting quite a reputation in the neighborhood. They attacked another neighbor's dog and killed at least one. I just subscribed to your channel. I've been canning over 50 years but i'm still learning new new things, like meals in a jar. Thank you!
So sorry all of this happened!! I'm sure it was especially hard for the kids. Hopefully the four you're trying to integrate will be accepted soon. I had a chicken not long ago that was newish to my main flock that got cornered by some other chickens. If my husband hadn't been outside and heard the drama I have no doubt they would've killed her. We have three different flocks so we immediately put her with a younger smaller group and they were all immediately fine. Thankfully she made a full recovery! I'm glad you were able to get the four of the breed you love! Also, chicken math is real lol! I started with 8 and now have 33 haha! I just hatched 7 silkies in an incubator to add to 4 other silkies.
That's really sad. Stay strong, stay brave, and be kind to yourself. I only wish you had ended this video by telling us what you did about the dog. You know he will come back, don't you. Once they have done that, they will not stop. Please do something about that. Best wishes 💐🥰🙏🇿🇦🤔
It always hurts when you lose your animals, I am so sorry. I’m glad the rest were saved. That dog will probably have to be put down if they can’t keep him restrained. He is too dangerous if he tried to bite your husband.
In my state we are allowed to eliminate the problem on site when they are attacking/harassing livestock. Sounds like this may be a continuing issue. I’m so sorry that happened to you.
I’m so very sorry for your loss and the whole experience you and your family had to go through. Two summers ago we had the same issue with a neighbour’s dog…thankfully he didn’t kill any but seriously injured 5 of them. Our coop gate was closed, we have no idea how he got in.
CHOCOLATE ORANGE ZUCCHINI CAKE Favorite Recipes of the Sutton Families & Friends Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups flour (unsifted) 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 cup cocoa 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 3/4 cup soft butter 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 2 tsp. grated orange rind 2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini 1/2 cup milk 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts Recipe instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa, baking, powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. With mixer beat together the butter and sugar until they are smoothly blended. Add the eggs; one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel, and zucchini. Alternately stir dry ingredients and the milk into zucchini mixture, including the nuts as a last addition. Pour into a greased & floured 10 inch tube pan or Bundt pan. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn out on wire rack to cool thoroughly. Drizzle glaze over top. Cut into thin slices to serve. GLAZE: Mix together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp. milk and 1 tsp. vanilla; beat until smooth. I like to replace a tablespoon of the milk with 1 Tbsp. orange juice.
I shouldn't comment, but I feel the need. I would have been off to the vet. I tent to throw cost to the wind. It's not always a good decision.. I would always wonder if he would have lived. Sorry for your loss.
Everyone has to make their own decision using wisdom and discernment. It wasn’t easy but a 1.5 hour drive and potentially hundreds of dollars was not an option for us. We did the best we could on our own and his passing was peaceful.
I get what you’re saying but as Kelsey said, she’s not an animal person and probably doesn’t see Nutmeg as family. It would have been more humane to euthanize than let him linger in pain in my opinion. People make the best decision they can with what they’ve got.
@@lillypatience from what we could tell after we got him cleaned up, he didn’t seem to be In pain and showed signs of pulling through. If we thought he was in pain we would have put him out of his suffering by cervical dislocation, it’s the most humane method. A 1.5 hour drive and hundreds of dollars really wasn’t an option for a “maybe”. He was most definitely loved by all here but sometimes hard decisions must be made.
@@seedandsparrowhomestead yes totally understand the financial aspect of it and glad you didn’t see signs of pain. RIP to all three and glad Nutmeg was able to protect the others.
Kelsie, I’m just starting the video but had to stop and tell you to look up using O2 in sugar and salt. It will turn them into bricks. Please go do a quick Google and see what you think. I’m assuming you could still have time to open them up if you decide to. Just wanted to FYI. 😘
Thanks! I’ve done both with and without and can’t say I’ve seen any difference, but I use pure raw cane sugar so maybe it’s just for white sugar or for much longer storage(I rotate through tin a year)
Fencing would be helpful in keeping your kids, flock and property protected from wild dogs... what about getting your OWN dog, trained to keep your flock and kids safe on your unfenced property? Maybe a budget friendly option?
I was wondering this as well, if she possibly became depressed or maybe the stress was too much and finally caught up with her, it could also be possible she was injured internally during the incident. It would have been impossible to tell from just looking at her, animals are so good at hiding pain unfortunately 😢 Regardless so sorry for your loss ❤
What about the dog? Do you have plans for if you see him on your property again? I farm and have neighbors with dogs, and I have a dog. It is understood among all of us that if someone's dog should get out of line, it will be summarily dispatched. That dog was aggressive toward your husband, who is lager than it, I doubt it would have any problem being aggressive towards your children. I wish you all the best and now I Must do my research on Sapphire Gem chickens, which I've never heard of! I have a flock of 36 and one of them is a Crested Polish that follows me around and "talks" to me. I'd love to increase my flock with other chickens who are friendly.
It’s heartbreaking when this happens. We are close to a national park, so we have had coyotes and raccoons. Last year we lost 5 ducks to a pack of coyotes. We got to them and my husband hit them with his BB gun. We got things fixed, so we think it’s more secure now, but it’s not the first time this has happened. We also lost 4 chickens to raccoons this year, and we had 2 rats getting into the brooder, it was a horror show of 3 day old chicks. We lost 4 and one was hurt but has survived. For us it means that we won’t have baby chicks in the garage. From now on they will stay in our living room until they are old enough to go outside. This is not the first time it has happened, and we have had to realize that we can only do our best and hope it’s enough. The animal pens has both a metal net floor and fixed with nets everywhere. They are dog outdoor pens, that we have secured hardware cloth to the bottom of. If this isn’t enough, the only thing we can do is to get a guardian dog. I hope we don’t have to, since we like you have a small homestead 1/2 acre. As for roosters, the hatcheries often will give you a rooster for free. In my chicken group they have rooster roundup events, where unwanted roosters go to those who want them. You can check and see if you have a group like that in your area. We have 2 roosters for our 25 chickens, and it works. Last time we had a raccoon get in, they were able to protect the ladies until we got out there. We have security now, so we wake up of problems happens at night.
So sorry your family has to go through such pain. This is the third video I’ve seen that chickens have been killed by predators. How awful! I know people say that’s what happens with livestock. That don’t make it easier. I’m so sorry.
So sorry and grateful for your families heart and love!💕
Thank you for sharing this story, not only do you not place blame on the dog but you took responsibility and accountability for your part. You have always seemed very true to yourself and family. Thank you again for being well balanced on your platform. We need to continue to show grace and compassion when sharing our lifes fir others to view.
I am so sorry this happened. It sounds horrible. Chickens just have a way of being funny that is quite endearing. Prayers for you and yours…
Awww poor Nutmeg.😢 so brave protecting his girls.
I know 😢
How heartbreaking. 😞 I'm not gonna lie, though, I legitimately got chills when you said the dog lunged at your hubby. All I could think about was one of your kids being the one to be out there first. Thank God Almighty for his protection!!!
Yes, praising the Lord for His protection! I’m thankful for my hubby who is a protector himself, he made sure we were safe.
I think its the hardest part of homesteading! Much love to you and your babies!
So very sorry for the loss of your beloved chickens. We built our chicken and duck runs using 1/2 inch hardware cloth. We dug a foot down and laid the wire and curled it upward and then wired it to the sides as well as put it on top. The top also has roofing over it to keep it all dry. All the windows on the coops have hardware cloth attached with screws and washer so we can keep the windows open during the day. Our coops open to the runs and the only way in is through the run door which is secured with latches at the top , bottom and and carabiner lock in the middle. The coop also has a door that we open to clean the coop but it is always locked until we clean. Even the outside nesting box area is kept under lock and key. We let the hens and the ducks free range in the afternoons when we are sitting outside with them. One day we had to run inside for just a minute. A neighbors dog broke through our deer netting around the backyard and dragged one of our ducks out into the neighbors yard and literally just ripped it apart and left it. We secured our deer netting fence and set out security cameras. That same dog came back over and over again. We showed the video to the neighbor and they immediately took the dog and had it put down. When we leave our property all the coops and runs get a padlock on them for safety reasons. The things we do to keep our animals safe.
Oh my goodness! This story broke my heart! I feel terrible for your sweet babies and birds too 🙏
I'm really relieved though that you found some of the birds alive. I'm so very sad for the rooster💔
Thank you so much friend ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for sharing your story Kelsey. I’m sure it wasn’t easy. So very sorry for what went through. It’s a lesson for all of us. You and Matt handled it so well. Praying God’s peace and protection over you. ❤️🙏🏻Val C
What a week! Hugs to you and your Littles. You pointed out important things I have not thought of...knowing your neighbors, the preparedNess roosters provide if I have need to let my hens eggs hatch out. Thank you for sharing. I will be making changes here. Praying you have better weeks ahead!
Im so sorry 😞 hugs to you and the kiddos ❤
Thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
This just happen to us. Dogs came in and killed 4 of our big chickens. We knew exactly where the dogs came from. So the owner were left a very aggressive note to deal with their dogs or we would if they came back to our yard.
Thank you for sharing. Sorry for the issues that you have gone through.
So sorry to hear all that you went through !! :( Yes we do become attached to animals, even more than we realise at times. God bless you all ~ Linda
Im crying watching this video. My prayers are with your family.
So sorry this happened!
We unfortunately have had very similar experience growing up on the farm.
In our instance the dog didn't survive. They call it the sss rule.
Shoot it, shovel it and shut up about it. The dog owner had been warned to keep the dog on their property but they didn't make any effort to keep their aggressive rabbit eating dog away from the inevitable.
Everything happens for a reason.
Lessons were learned. Life improved and the story can be told for others to learn as well.
While life is precious, a bad dog is a bad dog.
What a blessing on the favorite chicken!!! ❤
Thank you for sharing the tough stuff too. 🌿
Thank you! We totally agree and are prepared for that.
I’m so thankful it wasn’t worse, it was tough as a mom!
We had friends that had a dog that kept killing the neighbor's chickens. They were warned multiple times that they would shoot the dog if an opportunity arose (on the chicken property). This is 100% legal where we live. Our friends were shocked that the neighbors followed through. It wasn't a mean dog, just a dog doing dog things. Our friends could have prevented this. I blame them for their dog's death, not the dog or the neighbors. In this case the neighbors called our friends and said, come collect your dog. They were driving home the point. Our friends were looking for sympathy from us, they didn't get it.
@@marybk882I agree! People these days seem to think their dogs are more important than just about anything.
I don’t understand why people don’t realize that it’s the dog owners responsibility to keep their dog under control. If it’s a danger to people or livestock, it needs to be addressed permanently.
@@marybk882I’m glad you didn’t give them sympathy. If they had taken control of their dog, the dog would still be alive. 100% the friends fault.
I’m so sorry for your loss 💔💔💔
Thank you ❤❤❤
I'm so sorry to hear this 😢 thank God it wasn't worse!
Yes! Praising God for his goodness ❤️
This is so heartbreaking. I'm so sorry about all of this 😢 Better days ahead!!
Our stories are so similar! I lost 2 chickens a few weeks ago to a stray dog who also severely injured a third but she ended up healing and is ok now. I thought they were all 12 were gone too and one by one they came out of the woods at dusk. We lost our rooster last Fall to a neighbor's dog attack. They have a covered and protected sand run and a dirt run that is covered with bird netting, but we just fenced in a third run for free ranging without fear of dogs attacking again. Thank you for sharing your story 🥰
I’m so sorry! It’s such a tough thing! I’m so glad you had most of your flock return safe as well! Thank you for sharing and watching, blessings ❤️
That was so traumatic for you all. I felt I was sitting in your kitchen, listening to your story. So sad for your rooster.
Similar event happened many years ago with a dog, but all ours came back in dribs and drabs. One was missing for weeks and had been living under a trampoline in a garden several streets away. Just a chance remark from that person to a neighbour and we got her back. xx
Awwwwww Kelsey, so sorry for all the chicken drama and horror that you have dealt with. My heart went cold when you said the dog bared his teeth and lunged at Matt 😮. My heart breaks for all of you. Yes this is what homesteading is all about but not this kind. When a dog (a pet to someone else) attacks something that is yours and a pet to your children.
Sending prayers for healing. I’m happy you were able to get more of the kind of chicken you like. And I’m hoping everything stays calm. Bless you
Thank you so much ❤❤❤
Thank you for sharing your lives.
Thank you for coming along friend ❤️
I am so sorry for all of you. Losing pets is very hard. You are all in my prayers.
Grateful you are all safe. Blessings to your family! ❤
Thank you ❤️❤️❤️🤗
My thumbs up equates to a big hug to you Kelsey and your family. I struggled to not cry as I listened to your recent life unfold and my heart hurt for you. Thank you for your honesty in sharing what must have been still quite raw and difficult. Very thankful for your faith that made a difference during this time. God bless you and keep you xx
So sweet for you to share! I know how hard it must have been for your children. Thanks for sharing .
Sorry for your loss. We have had dogs come into our yard also. So this year I adopted one adult goose and raised a goose from a baby. They are great protectors, have already chased away dogs from the yard. Geese are real protective, so friendly to us but anyone else they really check them out!😂
Predators are a homesteader's nightmare--I feel for you. We have had out share too--and it is always heartbreakin, especially for little ones. It's so hard for them to understand. So thankful things turned out as well as they did, and inpray that the neighbor takes care of his dog.
So sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing and showing that side of life.
Thank you ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for sharing your life. Sorry for your losses! You Are Amazing!!!!
Thank you friend ❤️❤️❤️🤗
I’m so sorry,an I know where your coming from.We we’re dairy farmers,an I had chickens but like you said they become part of the family. I loss chickens to a dog which was heartbreaking but I didn’t give up.We had a lot of chickens and never had another problem with dogs.Now we are in our eighty’s and miss those days so much.God Bless you my sweet friend and your family.There is no better life than what you’re living.❤Barb
Awe, I’m so sorry you & your family had to go through this ordeal, I can’t even imagine. Prayers sent, especially to your daughter!
I’ve been there and I know exactly what you’re talking about when you say it’s an emotional roller coaster when stuff like this happens. Big hugs to you and the kids and I hope you find another Nutmeg.
So very sorry for your loss. May God's blessings help you and your family to heal and find peace.
Sometimes life is tough-but I believe that your children will be more resilient as they grow. Much love from Oklahoma ♥️🇺🇸♥️
Thank you for sharing. God bless your little family.🙏🏻
I’m so sorry for your loss. Glad to see you bouncing back with new ones
I had that happen and 2 weeks later 1 of 5 missing came back home and was just sitting outside the coup waiting to get back home. So glad you found them. Blessings
Nutmeg is a hero!
❤ ohhh what a hard time you've had recently im praying for you and your family.
Thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
We have a farm here in Idaho and I think the hardest part of farming/homesteading, is when things happen to our animals. I am so sorry that you all that this happened...God bless you all...Sherri-Idaho
Homesteading is hard but rewarding. Sorry you had a tragic event happen. We have had similar things happen over the years. I am glad you found the remaining chickens. Life lessons are tough.
Yes it is! I’m so thankful it wasn’t worse but man it was a tough day, especially as a mom.
Thanks for sharing this part of your life with us. Totally real. Keeps me coming back. ❤
So glad that you didn't lose all of the chickens and that your husband didn't get hurt from the dog. So sorry you had to go through all of that.
Sorry for your losses and drama ❤
Thank you ❤❤❤
I absolutely love any of your videos. I pray God blesses you and your family.
Thank you so much! Blessings ❤️
I’m so very sorry to hear of this; very traumatic. When you went outside with your fire arm I was so scared that dog would go after you!
I am so sorry about yalls chickens and I pray that the dog stays completely away from yalls farm❤️
Hey Kelsey, so much chicken drama! Sad life lessons for your babies. Not sure if youve heard of this but you can dunk chickens in water to bring them out of broodiness. Im sure there are tons of YT videos if you do a search. Broodiness can be really stressful for them, especially after the stress they went through with the dogs. Chickens are sensitive and can actually be scared to death. Like just die of fright. So maybe next time you have a broody chicken, give the dunk a try. It snaps them out of it and doesnt hurt them.
Thanks for this real life video showing the sometimes rough side of homesteading. I love all your videos and feel like you welcome us into your home which is really sweet. God bless your family.
Oh sweet Kelsey, my heart hurts for you all, especially the children. I’m so grateful that most were spared and are doing well. I’m glad that Matt is okay all things considered. We are still without chickens and a big part of the reason is because our attention has been needed elsewhere which has made for less time in getting extra projects done like the coop and run set up both in general but also in making sure it’s set up in such a way that the chickens will be safe. We live in an area that has very high predator pressure from the air and land. Free ranging will not be the norm because of the hawks, owls and eagles we have here. We have on many occasions seen owls out in the trees making their calls during the day. Most of their activity is in the nighttime but oddly we’ve had them out in the day. We once had an eagle swoop down and grab a duck likely from a neighboring lake and proceed to sit in a tree for a couple of hours and eat everything but the head. It was heart breaking for me and yet I’m well aware that it’s completely natural. We also have coyotes, raccoons, possums and large critters that live in the ground that come out during the day and gather greens and take it back to their holes. I don’t know if they’re a threat but there are enough other threats to deal with. Like you I just want to do what I can to keep my birds safe. So the coop and run will have to wait until later this fall or next year so that we can create barriers as best as possible. We have a coop already that we purchased used so it’s really a matter of building a run and making a couple modifications to the coop.
I pray that the chickens will adjust to the new birds and all will be calm once again for the flock.
Thank you for sharing this painful part of the homestead with us. It’s a good reminder that life is fragile and even when we do all we can to keep our animals safe, things happen that are out of our control. You sweet friend are a blessing. Lord, bless Kelsey and her family this week. In Jesus name, Amen. 🤗🩷
God love you all. Wow. That's a lot of an adult let alone a child. Sounds like you all are doing what you can to process, heal and move forward. I pray the neighbor deals with the dog. Thanks for sharing. I hope we can help you all in some way
Heartbreaking story. But that is how life is, so many different emotions all in one situation. Farm kids learn about life and death very early. It will help them as adults.
Yes,the old saying “If you have livestock, you’re going to have dead stock” comes to mind.
😢 listening to you brought tears to my eyes. I’m not really a pet lover ( I have my reasons) but I can imagine the sadness your babies felt and y’all as well. Thank goodness for your neighbor❤ keeping y’all in my prayers
So sorry to hear of your(s) heartache! Prayer brought your babies back home! Yay! I told my husband as tears ran down my cheeks for your loss, that you should be a writer… you draw us into your feelings with such heart…I hope your new chicks get adopted in soon… When you were telling us about Toast being broody, I 💭 I bet she takes the new chicks as her own… her passing was a shock… I had hopes til the very end! Hugs from Ohio!
It's so heartbreaking. I hope they take care of that dog. Unfortunately, life is heartbreak and happiness. So concentrate on the happy times to get through the sad times.
Sorry and prayers to your family
I am so thankful for this video! I watched it the other day, then today my chickens were attacked by a coyote in broad daylight! We saw it chasing one chicken and all of our chickens scattered! Watching your video helped me understand the chickens might just be scared and in hiding. So far only 2 of 7 have returned but I have hope the others might find their way back tomorrow 😢.
Sorry you lost Nutmeg. Your sweet babies will appreciate things more growing up that way. Your cat had me laughing while he was aggravating you. All I could see was his tail.
Thank you for sharing. I listened to this in the presence of my husband. I want chickens, and I need his help when we get them. It's good to know that its not all glamorous.
😢So sorry for such horrible happenings!
I know where you’re coming from. We started out with a flock of 24 chickens, now we have three. Three lonely hens!
So sad,we lost 24 birds overnight a few weeks ago ( foxes) found 3 beaten nearly to death cockerels the next morning,thankfully two survived with a lot of tlc, also thankful the fox didn't find our two broodies in another box nearby. I've bred silkies for years for colour,every one of my coloured boys and girls are gone :😢 the grandchildren here loved everyone and had names for them, that was very very hard.
So sorry for your loss of your birds. I also lost one of my hens, she was broody as well. I tried my best to get her out, but living in Deep East Texas and it being triple digit weather, I really think she got to hot. But I buried her in my small animal grave yard. She did bless me with eggs. She was one of my Rhode Island Reds. It's harder with children though. My thoughts are with you. God Bless!
Eleanor is so courageous and precious having such a heart for her pet chickens, and Grant not far behind learning to care and tend to the animals that provide food and companionship ❤️that’s tough, I’ve had predator pressure ramp up lately with losing some to neighbor dogs, a fox attack a couple weeks ago, and one suddenly pass away a couple days ago (I’m thinking heart attack or maybe the excessive heat). I’m glad your kids aren’t discouraged or at least learning to appreciate the life these chickies provide.
ILY, I enjoyed the chore/lack of multitasking format😂❤️
So sorry for all the upsetting/hard things that you've been going through. I'm also glad you shared the story since it does give us a broader look at real life on a homestead and appreciation for your lifestyle - so beautiful yet so ugly sometimes. When a dog gets livestock it's totally different than when you harvest for a purpose. Even if the dog was starving, it's an unnecessary tragedy and normally caused of lazy and uncaring owners. Accidents happen but they didn't even offer to pay for the dead chickens! I used to walk my dog - a little 13 pound sweetheart twice day down our HOA neighborhood where dogs were required to be under owner's control or behind fences. Two horribly aggressive (shepherd and husky) would charge at golf carts, kids on bikes, old women walking, anything they wanted but I usually grabbed my tiny dog and held her until they went back in. One time I didn't know they were loose and one grabbed my dog (on her leash) and shook her badly. The other went for me so I was unable to help her. Finally the young boy in that family called his father outside - they did go in then. He apologized and said he would pay for the vet bill. My dogs back was arched up and she couldn't walk normal. I was sobbing and went to the vet where the bill came to just over $100, which he paid and my dog did get better after awhile. I quit walking her! Kids didn't play on our street, people didn't walk. We had a chain fence where she could go out without a problem but I loved to take time to let her walk and smell and see. We both missed it but couldn't take a chance as they continued to let them run free. Police said they couldn't do anything unless photos where taken when it happened! They pinned our sweet older neighbor into her car (while in her garage) as she was trying to back out. They tried to get through her window. Her husband heard her screaming and came out and nearly choked the dog to death and the other ran away. We were all so happy when one dog was killed out on the highway and the other got cancer and died. I absolutely hate it for those dogs - it wasn't their fault and I hated my joy at their death but all due to the owner not training them nor caring for other people. I hate your kids had to realize that lesson but they will probably never forget how important animals are and how we should show respect for their needs - sounds like they are wonderful with animals already and understand the difference between raising animals for pets or for food. Your a great Momma.
Wow! I am so sorry that this happened to your family 😔 Thank you for sharing even when it's hard 💜
So sorry that happened. My neighbor told us if their dogs ever get to bothering our chickens that he would “get rid of” the dogs himself. I hope the neighbor knows he will likely need tied up.
Oh those poor chickens! And the stress on your whole family!
Hope the dog is gone!!! So sorry for you all. It’s a very sad thing. Thanks for sharing.
I am sorry for your family's loss. Life is tough. So proud of you for fighting through the pain of the loss and concentrating on the grateful parts. My neighbor had a similar issue last year. She had chickens and wanted a rooster. My friend had a rooster that needed to go to a good home. The rooster was wonderful with her great grandchildren. It had been hand raised by my friend. I received a call at work with my neighbor crying and telling me that "Roo" had been killed. The coop door was closed when she found him. I told her to call the police. I got home and went directly to my neighbor's house. It was determined that this could not be an animal attack. A human killed the rooster. I think someone was trying to steal the eggs and the rooster did his job and paid the ultimate sacrifice. None of the chickens were harmed. We all now keep close watch in the neighborhood. Roo is remembered fondly and with honor.
Maybe use a spring loaded door that closes behind you, just need to latch.
Hi Chelsea so sorry to hear about the dog attacking your chickens. We used to live on a property before we had to move into town and we had chickens turkeys and geese. Our dogs grew up with all of these animals and never attacked or chased them. We had made our enclosures so that they were fox and dog proof, but they didn’t stop them from trying. Lay of the land here in rural New South Wales Australia is that if your dog goes onto another person‘s property that person has the right to shoot your dog on site, if they are attacking livestock. Our dogs used to go out of a night to chase the foxes off because you could hear them sometimes. But we only had a handful of incidences where we had to put a dog down. that was not ours for trying to harm the livestock. It sickens you to see a defenceless animal ripped to shreds and especially when it was just for sport!
I am lucky number 88 to like this video.. so I shared it and now am commenting... Hugs from Esquimalt
Hugs from here in PA
@@seedandsparrowhomestead Thank you so much. Loss on a farm is an important thing to go through. It is wonderful that you are present for the kids. Have them talk about it. Make a craft, so that they know their love is felt, even if it is in tears at the moment. As that is all that extra love is.... it weeps from our eyes.
My parents always added the chore that equated to the challenge at the time to my list so I could have time to process. This way I learned that even though we are going through things, there are others who depend on us to keep them safe and fed too.
Hugs and if you need anything....
I'm an old dinosaur with a lot of chicken miles on me. Change that latch. A dog or varmint will jump up onto the door and that latch you have could pop off. Racoons are trained when young on how to lift them up. A second upgrade would be to put a cheap door spring on the door so there is always tension keeping it closed. That way, if the latch isn't fastened, the door won't swing wide open. Everybody that has kept chickens has forgotten to latch them in at some point. The spring is your backup.
Your decision to help the rooster yourself was spot on. Good common sense not to spend a fortune and probably loose the bird anyways. Look forward to a new cock of the walk. Just be sure not to keep a mean one. I stand by the "one strike and your out" law.
Good sense not to fire your weapon unnecessarily because it appears you have neighbors close. Very dangerous in the case of a ricochet. A baseball bat or an iron pipe will work. I'm surprised your husband didn't beat the stuffing out of that predator.
I had to deal with a bad neighbor dog a while back. He was bad because the neighbor was neglectful. I had to carry a piece of iron with me on my property. I finally cracked and yelled at the neighbor, telling her that the next time her dog attacked me I would shoot it. I then called the police so she would know I was serious. The policeman went to the neighbor and told her if I called again, and I hadn't killed it already, that they would take the dog and put it down. She finally learned and kept it leashed.
Fast-forward a few years later. Her dog died and she got another one. She kept it fenced in, but one day it dashed out while she was going in. I was on a step ladder pruning a plum tree when I spotted her new dog running toward me. It them put its paws on the steps of the ladder, looking straight up at me. However, it looked happy and its tail was wagging. I climbed down and greeted the young fella. He was a really nice dog! I had a rope with me so I tied it to his collar and walked him home. When the owner saw me with her dog she nearly had a heart attack. I told her that it was okay and that she had a nice dog. That was the first time she ever talked to me in the 10 years she had been there. She always avoided eye contact with me or anyone else.
We all have days that suck. It was just your turn this time. Tighten up the ship and keep sailing.
One other point... I almost always "walk the fort" before retiring for the day. You would be surprised just how often you spot something that needs attention.
If I lived close to you I would give you a new cockerel. I've genetically engineered them to not attack humans. I did that after my first born was spurred in the leg while feeding the chickens. It never happened again.
All the best to you and your family.
Hard for sure. So sorry 😢
Wow so sorry. Totally could have been prevented. So sad for the dog that was probably starving but even sadder that the chickens were not protected in that moment. ☹️
Dogs kill for sport too. If he was starving, the dog would have eaten the dead chickens.
As hard as it is, death is a part of life and will be until Jesus comes. We try to shelter our children, but they learn a lot from how we handle adversity. It seems you handled it well and your children will be better equipped to handle the next lesson that comes their way. Thank you for sharing. Oh, we lost about eight chickens at one time when a series of mistakes (none of them mine, thank the Lord) allowed a raccoon to get in and stage a massacre! We were down to four hens and a rooster. One of the hens was so traumatized she didn't lay for a week or more. Life on a farm can be hard, but the Lord knows how much we can stand. Hang in there.
Hugs and prayers ! Because of you I was able to use jewelweed oil on my husband's wasp stings and I am currently making calendula extract.
Thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️ You’re amazing! Great job 🤗
So sorry for your sad experience! we had a similar thing a few months ago . A friend of mine called and begged me to take and bottle feed two week old lambs because she knew I had extra goats milk. I resisted because that's one animal my husband said"never again to. I relented,. I feed them for 6 weeks, they were doing great. My grand kids loved to come and spend time with them. one morning when I went out to feed them, they didn't meet me at the gate. I could see a white blotch at the other end of the pen. It was the shyer of the 2. The other sweet tame one has never been found. We suspect our neighbor's dogs but it had been raining hard all day the day before and into that morning so the only sign was dig marks under the fence and a broken gate where they left. Those dogs are getting quite a reputation in the neighborhood. They attacked another neighbor's dog and killed at least one. I just subscribed to your channel. I've been canning over 50 years but i'm still learning new new things, like meals in a jar. Thank you!
So sorry all of this happened!! I'm sure it was especially hard for the kids. Hopefully the four you're trying to integrate will be accepted soon. I had a chicken not long ago that was newish to my main flock that got cornered by some other chickens. If my husband hadn't been outside and heard the drama I have no doubt they would've killed her. We have three different flocks so we immediately put her with a younger smaller group and they were all immediately fine. Thankfully she made a full recovery! I'm glad you were able to get the four of the breed you love! Also, chicken math is real lol! I started with 8 and now have 33 haha! I just hatched 7 silkies in an incubator to add to 4 other silkies.
Have you thought about a livestock guardian dog? They will protect your children as well
That's really sad. Stay strong, stay brave, and be kind to yourself. I only wish you had ended this video by telling us what you did about the dog. You know he will come back, don't you. Once they have done that, they will not stop. Please do something about that. Best wishes 💐🥰🙏🇿🇦🤔
I have the same story except it was 3 dogs. No more free ranging because I’m terrified. I’m so sorry this happened to you.
It always hurts when you lose your animals, I am so sorry. I’m glad the rest were saved. That dog will probably have to be put down if they can’t keep him restrained. He is too dangerous if he tried to bite your husband.
Oh no! What a terrible thing. Heartbroken for your family.
In my state we are allowed to eliminate the problem on site when they are attacking/harassing livestock. Sounds like this may be a continuing issue. I’m so sorry that happened to you.
I’m so very sorry for your loss and the whole experience you and your family had to go through. Two summers ago we had the same issue with a neighbour’s dog…thankfully he didn’t kill any but seriously injured 5 of them. Our coop gate was closed, we have no idea how he got in.
Thank you so much, ugh so many dog attacks in these comments ❤️❤️❤️
CHOCOLATE ORANGE ZUCCHINI CAKE Favorite Recipes of the Sutton Families & Friends
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour (unsifted)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup soft butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. grated orange rind
2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Recipe instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa, baking, powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. With mixer beat together the butter and sugar until they are smoothly blended. Add the eggs; one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel, and zucchini. Alternately stir dry ingredients and the milk into zucchini mixture, including the nuts as a last addition. Pour into a greased & floured 10 inch tube pan or Bundt pan. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn out on wire rack to cool thoroughly. Drizzle glaze over top. Cut into thin slices to serve. GLAZE: Mix together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp. milk and 1 tsp. vanilla; beat until smooth. I like to replace a tablespoon of the milk with 1 Tbsp. orange juice.
I'm so sorry about your chickens .breaks your heart ..you feed and care for them everyday
So very sad
Thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
I shouldn't comment, but I feel the need. I would have been off to the vet. I tent to throw cost to the wind. It's not always a good decision..
I would always wonder if he would have lived.
Sorry for your loss.
Everyone has to make their own decision using wisdom and discernment. It wasn’t easy but a 1.5 hour drive and potentially hundreds of dollars was not an option for us. We did the best we could on our own and his passing was peaceful.
I get what you’re saying but as Kelsey said, she’s not an animal person and probably doesn’t see Nutmeg as family. It would have been more humane to euthanize than let him linger in pain in my opinion. People make the best decision they can with what they’ve got.
@@lillypatience from what we could tell after we got him cleaned up, he didn’t seem to be In pain and showed signs of pulling through. If we thought he was in pain we would have put him out of his suffering by cervical dislocation, it’s the most humane method. A 1.5 hour drive and hundreds of dollars really wasn’t an option for a “maybe”. He was most definitely loved by all here but sometimes hard decisions must be made.
@@seedandsparrowhomestead yes totally understand the financial aspect of it and glad you didn’t see signs of pain. RIP to all three and glad Nutmeg was able to protect the others.
Kelsie, I’m just starting the video but had to stop and tell you to look up using O2 in sugar and salt. It will turn them into bricks. Please go do a quick Google and see what you think. I’m assuming you could still have time to open them up if you decide to. Just wanted to FYI. 😘
Thanks! I’ve done both with and without and can’t say I’ve seen any difference, but I use pure raw cane sugar so maybe it’s just for white sugar or for much longer storage(I rotate through tin a year)
@@seedandsparrowhomestead oh good! Maybe it’s the type of sugar you use!
Poor Nutmeg! Im so sorry!
Thank you so much ❤️❤️❤️
Fencing would be helpful in keeping your kids, flock and property protected from wild dogs... what about getting your OWN dog, trained to keep your flock and kids safe on your unfenced property? Maybe a budget friendly option?
i wonder if petunia was missing nutmeg, so sorry for your loss xx
Oh that’s a sad thought, perhaps! ❤️❤️❤️
I was wondering this as well, if she possibly became depressed or maybe the stress was too much and finally caught up with her, it could also be possible she was injured internally during the incident. It would have been impossible to tell from just looking at her, animals are so good at hiding pain unfortunately 😢
Regardless so sorry for your loss ❤
What about the dog? Do you have plans for if you see him on your property again? I farm and have neighbors with dogs, and I have a dog. It is understood among all of us that if someone's dog should get out of line, it will be summarily dispatched. That dog was aggressive toward your husband, who is lager than it, I doubt it would have any problem being aggressive towards your children. I wish you all the best and now I Must do my research on Sapphire Gem chickens, which I've never heard of! I have a flock of 36 and one of them is a Crested Polish that follows me around and "talks" to me. I'd love to increase my flock with other chickens who are friendly.
Sorry for all your chicken drama😢. Hope you find another kind. Lovable rooster
I don’t know for sure, but I’ve heard if a chicken goes broody you can put an ice pack under it to bring her out.
It’s heartbreaking when this happens. We are close to a national park, so we have had coyotes and raccoons. Last year we lost 5 ducks to a pack of coyotes. We got to them and my husband hit them with his BB gun. We got things fixed, so we think it’s more secure now, but it’s not the first time this has happened. We also lost 4 chickens to raccoons this year, and we had 2 rats getting into the brooder, it was a horror show of 3 day old chicks. We lost 4 and one was hurt but has survived. For us it means that we won’t have baby chicks in the garage. From now on they will stay in our living room until they are old enough to go outside.
This is not the first time it has happened, and we have had to realize that we can only do our best and hope it’s enough. The animal pens has both a metal net floor and fixed with nets everywhere. They are dog outdoor pens, that we have secured hardware cloth to the bottom of. If this isn’t enough, the only thing we can do is to get a guardian dog. I hope we don’t have to, since we like you have a small homestead 1/2 acre.
As for roosters, the hatcheries often will give you a rooster for free. In my chicken group they have rooster roundup events, where unwanted roosters go to those who want them. You can check and see if you have a group like that in your area. We have 2 roosters for our 25 chickens, and it works. Last time we had a raccoon get in, they were able to protect the ladies until we got out there. We have security now, so we wake up of problems happens at night.
I have 3 baby roosters, that I hatched out in May that I'm looking to rehome a few. I'm in the Skook. If you are interested let me know.
So sorry your family has to go through such pain. This is the third video I’ve seen that chickens have been killed by predators. How awful! I know people say that’s what happens with livestock. That don’t make it easier. I’m so sorry.