Is my pekin bantam male or female?

[katiegr]

Just to let everyone know what happened with our chickens this morning. We came down to let them out to freerange and discovered that the droppings tray had been pulled right out from the back of the eglu and one chicken completely disappeared, blood splatters and feathers in sight but nothing else. One other chicken had been badly damaged and we had to have her put down. I can't imagine how the fox got into the eglu apart from supposing that it somehow wrapped its mouth around the edge of the tray just in the right place and pushed the catch up. There was blood around the catch which I think must be the foxes. The tray itself was way back behind the eglu when we got to it this morning. Very traumatic for all concerned!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

How awful, I'm so sorry to hear about your poor girls . That's the first time I've ever heard of a fox getting in via the droppings tray . What bad luck .

[Chickvic]

Sorry to hear about your girls

[Guest]

how awful! How do you know it was a fox and not a two legged intruder?

[Lewis]

I've never heard of that either! Sounds very odd

 

I did wander if it was a person but that wouldn't explain the blood or feathers, maybe a badger

 

[katiegr]

I think it was a four legged predator because the metal clip on the dropping tray had blood on it, as if it had caught on something's mouth. We found feathers all around the back of the eglu and part of one of the other chickens half way up the garden... You're right, it is VERY strange and I think it must only have been pure chance that the clip was undone. Very unlucky for our girls. Interesting that someone should suggest a badger. We have definitely had a very big, tough looking one around here (my husband and daughter saw it mooching around the bins one night). There weren't even any obvious teeth marks in the plastic either. It's very mysterious in a horrible way!

[chelsea]

Sorry to hear about your hen

 

I can't even get my head around how a fox would get to a chicken via the poo tray as the gap is so narrow... how bizarre.

[Raina]

So sorry for you loss

[Redwing]

How awful I am sorry

 

What a fluke that it managed to open the catch

[Plum]

I'm so sorry to hear what happened. I guess when the tray is out it just had to reach in.

[docsquid]

I haven't (touch wood!) had a fox attack. But I did notice over Christmas when it was cold that one of the poo trays in the cube got difficult to pull out. It was getting frozen to the condensation on the inside of the cube itself. The tray was not frozen immediately the chickens got up in the morning, but the warm breath of the chickens caused condensation to form, and once they were out of the cube, and the door was open, the temperature inside dropped and the little bit of moisture froze, making the tray stick.

 

Unless you were very careful after cleaning, it was easy to slip the tray in but not fully click home the catch because of the build-up of ice. I did s"Ooops, word censored!"e it out, but of course the ice re-formed from the warm breath of chickens every night, and it tended to freeze little bits of spilt Hemcore to the cube as well, making the fit even worse.

 

It only affected one tray - the one they seemed to be using the most.

 

It made me think that it would be easy not to recognise that the tray was not clicked home, as it felt like it had gone back in. I'm much more careful now about ensuring it is fully clipped in when I empty it each day.

[kevtheplumber]

I honestly cant see how it is possible for a fox to get in the tray. Are you saying the fox actually got inside and dragged a chicken out? because I cant see how a chicken would fit through that gap either,

[katiegr]

I know Kev, I keep looking at it too. Someone suggested that it maybe was a mink or a stoat they might find it easier to get in through that hole. Whatever it was, something got in and got the chicken out through that hole. Not a nice thought.

[sandyhas3chucks]

oh gosh how awful, I think a stoat or weasel more likely, or a rat even?

No matter still dreadful all around!

so sorry for your traumatic loss

[marti1066]

Hi there,

 

how awful for you, I also had a visit from a fox who took my three lovely girls, and my white call duck, what a horrible sight to come down to, never want to see that again.

 

It sounds more like a rat that has got into your eglu, I have seen them in the really cold weather run into the run take the food and out again, but then I live on a farm and they are probably in the fields, when its cold they do anything for food, I have put traps down and poison but of course have to keep my girls in the run.

 

Not sure what I dislike the most Rats or Foxes!!.

 

Lets hope 2010 brings only nice things!

x

[kevtheplumber]

How old was the chicken because there is no way a chicken will fit through that gap unless it's been cut up. I could see how a chick would fit but a pol chicken it just doesn't work. If so there is a design fault

[emchook]

I have read about this before ! I had hoped it would be a one off !!

[katiegr]

Really, emchook? Where did you read about it, it would be interesting to compare notes. We've found Rose some new friends now; a one year old and a very frisky 21 week old. She seems to have forgotten about the others already!

[sandyhas3chucks]

I would glue a bolt on the back now for safety. It doesn't have to work like a real bolt but will stop anything pulling out the tray again.

Or a thumping great brick.

please God we don't want to hear about it happening again. x

[Egluntyne]

Sorry to hear it. Very upsetting for you.

 

TBH it sounds more like a stoat or weasel attack. There have been one or two reports of this sort of event involving this type of predator.

[Sheilaz]

Sorry to hear about this, what a shock.

The one incident I know of was early days, Claret's banty. It is a good idea to keep a heavy object behind the poo tray.

 

May I point out to everyone that bricks aren't heavy enough! A full watering can, or large planted pot, or something that we can move but can't just be swiped, are what's needed, bricks are useless.

 

Glad you've taken the positive step of new chickens & wish you happy days ahead!