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

[Scottie]

On Monday evening, my friend called in a bit of a state to say a stoat had killed 3 of her chickens and could I "board" the other 3 while she tried to sort out better run facilities for them - she has an enormous garden and they've been freeranging for years without any attacks.

 

Realising that introducing new chickens wasn't a great idea, I heard myself say "yes, that's fine - just bring them over." We put the 3 new ones into bed with our 6 and it was quiet overnight.

 

Next morning, a wee bit of fighting from our lot towards the new ones - I decided to let them all out into the big run so they could escape if necessary, and just hoped that the stoat wouldn't find his way to our garden. I teach on Tuesday in the local school, so came home at playtime, lunchtime, 3pm to make sure there wasn't any blood.

 

At 5pm they all took themselves off to bed.

 

Same routine yesterday and today. I've got food and water stations all over the place, so I think that must be helping.

 

My son suggested to me on Monday that I post on the forum, but I was too embarassed, knowing that the advice would be - DON'T DO IT!

 

Anyway, so far so good. I think we may end up keeping them so will have to think of new names.

 

Sorry for the long post - by the way, the new ones are: another cuckoo marans, a Light Sussex and a Buff Sussex bantam.

Sheila

[Townie]

What a lovely friend you are . I hope the new girls continue to settle well with you.

I don't know much about stoats, what size are they and can the get in to an eglu run?

 

Townie

x

[Ain't Nobody Here]

What a shame about your friend's chickens . Did she actually see the stoat?

 

I agree, what a great friend you are! I'm glad it's going so well . And I'm glad that you plucked up the courage to post here too . It's nice to hear the success stories sometimes!

[Scottie]

Unfortunately, she did see the stoat - the little bantam ran past her window with it hanging off her neck! My friend ran out and chased it away and then locked the 3 hens in their henhouse for the whole day as she didn't want to let them out just in case it came back. She had thought it was a fox that had killed the others - different occasions, each time the head had been removed - not nice at all.

 

Anyway, still quiet this morning - it's started raining here so they might all stay together in the shelter instead of at different ends of the run - we'll see what happens!

 

Sheila

[Topdollar]

Good luck Sheila, this story deserves a happy ending.

If there where more neighbours like you the world would be a better place

[Paola]

Fantastic you managed to help a friend like that in her hour of need I just would not have the room

 

I have put the newbies in with my original ones from day one and it has worked for me, however others are not always so lucky.