Gigi Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Hello everyone, nice to meet you all. We got our friendly chooks a month ago and I love them dearly. They settled in immediately, were laying 4 days later. We get 1-2 eggs a day from the 3. My boyfriend doesn't even eat eggs but he fell in love with the snazzy design of the eglu and loves the hens too. He acts all tough but I hear him talking to them....so sweet. London Feed - i've seen a posting about feed distributors but it said nothing about London...any ideas for central or east London. Any other Hackney residents want to share an omlet delivery? Fox attack On Saturday we came within seconds of losing our best layer to a fox at 3pm. Luckily I was on my way out to get the washing and heard a commotion, squawking, neighbours dog barking, i instinctively knew what was going on and ran shrieking down the garden just in time to chase it off and find a dazed chicken limping. No blood shed but she lost half her tail. there was a HUGE pile of feathers. she went straight into her eglu for the rest of the day and I locked the others in the run too. I don't know who was more upset, me or the chicken but i do know who drank 2 glasses of wine to calm her nerves. The fox actually had THE NERVE to come back 5 minutes later and stand one foot away from the run, gazing longingly through at the other 2 who were scratching around in their bark (they were strangely UNperturbed). my boyfriend and i watched in amazement from the lounge doors, 15 foot away. Now i know, these Hackney foxes are totally brazen, i cannot have the chickens in the garden unless i am sitting right there - it's not enough to be in the house, looking out occasionally. I don't blame the fox for trying, survival is tough, but I have learnt a lesson now, and they will NEVER get their grubby paws on my ladies. take care Gigi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Hello and welcome Gigi . Nice to have you with us. Phew! What a close shave with the fox! At least you know he's there now so can keep the girls nice and safe from him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Hello Gigi, That really was a close shave with the fox - bet you are so relieved you got there in time (I'm surprised you only drank two glasses of wine afterwards, not two bottles!). My boyfriend keeps threatening that the Chickens will end up in the oven if they don't start laying soon (we've only had them about three weeks!). ....then I find him sneaking to feed them grapes!! Men are so funny! Hope you find a food supplier, you don't have any city farms near you do you? They might offer you advice of where to get food if they have chickens.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Hi Gigi! Welcome to the forum. What a lucky escape for your girls! Poor thing! Good job you got there in time! We lost one of ours to a fox mid afternoon too, although we're in the middle of nowhere. It does seem urban foxes are more brazen, and s/he will be back, so you are very wise to keep them in the run all the time you are not out there. They really don't mind, so don't let them kid you otherwise. Can I also suggest you think about a fox watch? Its a bit of gadgetry which (I say this tentatively) does seem to keep foxes away. Do look at the sticky at the top of this section on foxes also: Lots of good ideas. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Phew, a narrow escape, Gigi. Yes, these urban foxes can be very bold and cunning, maybe even if you are in the garden, it's not worth the risk under those circumstances. What an introduction! I'm glad that you were so quick witted, and hope they make a full & swift recovery. Oh, and welcome to the forum! Hope you have a lot of fun here as well as with your chickens, we're a friendly bunch. There's a topic somewhere today about Foxwatch, which may be of interest to you. I can't help about feed in your area, but there are certainly some members nearby. I don't know what they do about supplies, but hopefully one of them will drop by here soon. You could trawl through the memberlist & send a pm to people with a relevant location listed. Best wishes, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine C Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 ....then I find him sneaking to feed them grapes!! Men are so funny! Aren't they just. They pretend they're not bothered and then you catch them out E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 I don't know who was more upset, me or the chicken but i do know who drank 2 glasses of wine to calm her nerves. Gigi Yep - my chickens enjoy a glass or two as well Glad things worked out okay - I wont let my girls out unless I'm with them and I have 7ft fences all around my garden and a foxwatch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Urban foxes are evil and afraid of nothing. There are too many people who give them food, and they are half-tame. I only let my hens out into their net run if I am in the garden, but even this can be risky. One day I started talking to my neighbour over the fence. I turned around, and about six feet away from me a fox was about to get under the netting. I shouted, and he retreated in disgust, sat down in the vegetable patch, and washed himself in the hope that I would go away soon. The foxes don't even run away when I come out. Here is "my" fox glaring at me: Do take great care if you have an urban fox. I would recommend making it difficult for the fox to get near the sides of the run, just in case. And watch out for any signs of digging if you have light soil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Welcome to the forum Gigi I agree with every one else's opinions about urban foxes, they are very determined and tenacious creatures and having discovered the hens are likely to be keeping a watchful eye on your garden.... just in case it can snag itself a chicken dinner I'd be very cautious about letting the hens roam in the garden unless you're there and watching very closely. What a close escape though, well done you for getting there so fast and scaring the fox away I can't help with feed suppliers in the Hackney area, but I know for sure that there are forum members in your area, so hopefully they'll respond to your posting soon. Alternatively you could check the members list for folk in your area and PM them. I seem to remember that Aunty e is in the East End somewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Welcome aboard Gigi!! What an introduction to chicken keeping you have had. Do hope that you and your hens have a quieter time soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Welcome Gigi, so glad to hear yours tale had a good ending, but of a shocker though, urban foxes are a real apin, they have no fear and are very clever. I don't begrudge them a life, they just need to keep away from our chooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted November 4, 2006 Share Posted November 4, 2006 Hi gigi, Hackney city farm or freightliners city farm (highbury and islington) can both supply you with feed, but it's generally best to give them a call first in case they're waiting for a delivery and can't spare a bag. I can dig out the numbers if you like, but they're both online. They're jolly nice and will sell you other stuff as well like straw and mixed corn. The 20KG bags of feed cost £8ish and the straw is a pound a bag. Spitalfields city farm and freightliners will both sell you poultry grit and oyster shell. I can probly sort you out with anything else you find you need, I'm near shoreditch high st, so not too far. Welcome! And I find lobbing bricks at foxes works quite well, they haven't been back since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted November 4, 2006 Share Posted November 4, 2006 Hi Gigi! - we're in Finsbury Park & so are quite close to you too! We've used both these city farms when we've needed some food quickly, but I don't think they have much choice. We usually get sacks of food from Hertfordshire as OH drives out there for work. He could always get an extra sack for you when he's going (but this won't be for a while yet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigi Posted November 4, 2006 Author Share Posted November 4, 2006 I loved reading all your friendly welcomes and stories, thanks all esp. Aunty e and kannie for the tips and very kind offers of assistance. Hackney city farm - of course! Most convenient. And gives me a good excuse to spend some quality time with the pigs there, they are adorable. really i don't know why i live in london, i would be much happier on a smallholding. though i almost certainly have a very naive romantic notion of it and it's probably back-breaking grind! ps. forgot to mention big bonus of my eglu owning experience so far is that OH insists on doing all the 'mucking out' because apparently chicken poo is to be avoided during pregnancy (i'm 4 months). I think this is probably excessive, i mean, i'm not going to eat the stuff. Does anyone know if this is a valid fear? if y'all tell me it's not worth worrying about i think we'll keep it our little secret anyway...I enjoy too much the role of meddlesome cleaning supervisor from the comfort of my deck chair, enjoying a nice hot drink and watching conrad labouring away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted November 4, 2006 Share Posted November 4, 2006 Never heard that one before! Perhaps Gina, or Purpleeglu or Bunnee or Homer and Marge can answer Babies seem to be catching on this forum ..... Congratulations by the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted November 4, 2006 Share Posted November 4, 2006 I think with sensible hygiene precautions, mucking out the chickens shouldn't be a danger, but def. keep up the idea for OH's offer to do it! However, I do know that dried chicken poo was used as a treatment for a sore throat. But I haven't tried it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
