[JANEVANS02]

Not sure if this is right place for this but if not can someone please move it for me.

I am in Devon and went down the road to my paddock this morning to find yet again the 2 legged vermin had paid me a visit, they opened all my pens and sheds left me 2 Xbred cockerels and my old large hens but stole my breeders and young stock bantams.

The first time they stole from me was on Good Friday then 4 months later on 6 August so I thought I would be safe  until another 4 months but this time they came back again after only 6 weeks and took all the birds I had purchased to restock after their last visit plus the rest of my breeders.

Words cannot explain how I feel because they have left me with no option but to give up keeping bantams as I cannot afford to keep replacing them.

Needless to say I have contacted the Police and neighbourhood watch again but on the previous occasions nothing came of it so I do not hold out much hope this time.  I cannot understand why people would risk being caught for the sake of stealing birds which are mostly not worth very much because 3 of the birds they took I only bought two weeks ago for £5 each just to keep as pets and they gave me such pleasure because they were so tame, words fail me.

It would be interesting to know if anyone else in the Devon area had any taken ?

[joyfull]

so sorry to hear this  xx

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh Jane, I am sorry.  that's a big problem when your birds are not right with you isn't it?

We are lucky, all of ours are in the garden.  I'd be worried 24/7 if the turkeys were down the road in a paddock!

[wolverine]

That sucks!!!!!! If you find out who it is and need a hand kicking some chicken stealing asses I'm in !  my chooks are my babies  I can't imagine how bad you feel.
Don't give up could you not padlock the houses?

[Thrift]

How horrible Jane !!  It's bad enough getting any object stolen but when it's livestock it's unforgivable.

Padlocks sound a good idea though if you are not too disheartened to try again.

[JANEVANS02]

The first time they stole my bantams I did have very strong padlocks but they just cut them off so no point putting them on and if they are that determined they will just cut into my huts and sheds. The only answer is to stop keeping them or hope they get caught some time soon.

[Craig69]

I would keep an eye out for people selling them. I know it would be difficult to tell if they were yours, but it might give you an idea !
Don't know what part of Devon you are, but i always look at the notice board at MVF & every now & then see Bantams for sale.  www.birdtrader.co.uk is another place you could keep an eye on!
Could you not put some CCTV signs up to see if that would put them off, as it probably the same people doing this?

[8doubles]

A couple of well placed Dobermans would do the trick.

[RichardA]

So sorry to hear about this. Geese or Lhamas are said to be the best watchdogs.
R

[NormandyMary]

Have you thought about contacting the local paper or your local TV news? At least then, if anyone is being offered birds not from reputable breeders, they may be able to dob the b****rds in.
You never know, there may be other keepers in your area suffering like you, who are at their wits end too.
I really feel for you, but please try and contact the media, if only to warn others that these scum of the earth are around.

[pigeonpie]

I really feel for you.  Friends of ours had all their cockerels they had been rearing as thank yous for people just a few days short of cull day last December.  The police said that it was a gang of our caravan living friends and were stolen to order.
As NormandyMary said it might be worth contacting your local papers and making people aware of what's happened in case they know or saw anything suspicious.

[animal mad]

We had one of our fields wiped out  5 months ago now so i know how horrible it is, if there is anything i can do. i live in somerset and would be happy to give you some young stock to start again as i have plenty of growers. dont let them beat you i was going to give up to but people on this website changed my mind. i have a lot of bantams from silkies,orpingtons, welsummers and pekins just let us know.
Vicky       

[evie2]

So sorry Jane, I agree with what's been said, police, media and keeping a lookout for adverts.  You may not be the only one and it all builds up a picture of events which can be very helpful.  Is there any way you can bring your chickens closer to the house?

As a friend was told by the police after being burgled 4 times over a couple of years, burglars will wait until you replace the stolen goods and return.

I hope you don't give up chicken keeping, maybe a few geese or ostrich could help


 

[Thrift]

I wonder could the birds be marked in any way ...... a blue or green splodge on the back the way sheep are marked.

It might make them less saleable and easily recognised. Terrible the efforts one has to make in order to simply keep a few chickens. 

[joyfull]

the blue/green/red that you see on sheep is to show that they have been mated (tupped) different colours to show which ram (tup) did the tupping. The coloured pigment is a powder that is mixed with an oil and the ram wears a raddle on his chest so he will mark the ewe during the process.
Not too sure that this would work with chickens as they preen themselves and therefor could clean it off, plus it could clog their feathers together.