4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[joegg]

Had a very busy day today, chooks have had to stay in the run all day as ive been out. We returned from a school concert at about 8.15 this evening it was still light so the kids let the chooks out.

 

We went to bed and about 1.30 OH could hear the chooks, switched the house lights on and made some noise whilst running outside.

Maggie and Bellina were sat on the grass outside the run, i picked them up and put them in the kitchen - searched for Layla who was still in the eglu - also took in the kitchen. Looked over them and they seem fine- in fact trying to get at the food stored in the out house.

 

Took a torch out to make sure nothing was lurking and there was a huge hedgehog in the nest box! There was also an egg that i had neglected to collect it was untouched.

Scanning the ground i could see some of Maggies feathers.

 

Went back inside checked Maggie she had also shed feathers in the house but no sign of injury.

 

Ive put them back to bed and locked them in after removing hedgehog and the old straw from the nestbox.

 

I cant sleep now - worried about Maggie, hopefully this is just a benign lesson to me.

[joegg]

Just read this http://www.stuff.co.nz/4369957a4560.html

dont know if link will work.

[Egluntyne]

Am glad to hear your hens are OK.

 

Interesting article re the hedgehog, although I'm not sure that killing one would be acceptable in the UK.

[Snowy]

Wow, I didn't realise a hedgehog would attack a chicken! Although I suppose they would if they were hungry enough. Hopefully yours was just looking for a bed for the night Glad your girls are OK though. As you said, a valuable lesson - it could've been worse, thank goodness it wasn't!

[Cinnamon]

Maybe it was after the eggs & the hens,being daft creatures,knocked their feathers out in panic?

[joegg]

All three are happily eating there breakfast and scratching around, so no harm done.

 

But i really did think it was something more sinister last night, so repeat -

 

ALLWAYS TUCK THE CHOOKS UP AT NIGHT.

 

Just to reassure every one i would never kill any wildlife and i am particularly fond of hedgepigs.

[jomaxsmith]

How did it get into the run? I wouldn't have thought it would be able to dig its way in?!

 

Jo

[joegg]

For the first time i forgot to lock them in.

 

Run and eglu were left open we had all had a busy day and it slipped my mind, i wont be doing that again it really frightened me fortunately it was not what i initially thought but next time it could be much worse.

[jomaxsmith]

Oh no, easily done though - we've recently built our girls a 'summer run' to protect the garden and it is in no way fox proof and although I usually remember to shut them back in the Eglu run when I go out, hubby has left them in it. He got a bit of a talking to that day!

 

It's helpful to have something to remind yourself - I tend to shut our's back in the run when I put the boys up to bed at 7pm.

 

Hope you get over your fright soon!

 

Jo

[joegg]

Thanks!

 

The kids normally remind me when they go up to bed, in fact they are usually quite persistent about locking them up - we were all a bit tired last night.

 

Because of events last night im even more tired now - but i will not forget.