Guest Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Yikes! What a night! First of all the baby monitor wouldn't work in the bedroom, I'm guessing the range was too far, so we put it in the dining room and left all the doors open - at the back of 2am we could here a weird noise so got up to investigate to find the fox on the shed roof, trying to test her way onto the Perspex roof - it was like listening to Michael Flattley on ice through the monitor - scared her off, checked there was no damage (as best we could) and went back to bed, 3.23am - hens are sqwalking, out we shoot, slam the lights on and where is the fox - nowhere to be seen - we go into the run and check the girls - forgetting our booby trap of cans the girls are all fine but I can strongly smell fox, I look down and there wedged between the water barrel and the wall she is hiding - looking up she has fallen through a loose piece of wire. At that moment as angry as I was (thin pajamas, freezing cold, sleep deprivation etc!!) I realised that she is starving and is only trying to survive. We move the water barrel, open the gate and in a split second she is gone. I couldn't have hurt/harmed her. I can laugh now...but there I am standing freezing in pyjamas, with slip on open toe shoes on, as she runs past me I get a 'skoosh' of pee, my toes have somehow got hen poop in amongst them, I've got sticky fizzy juice down both legs from forgetting the can booby trap...and just when I think the night is done messing with me, I get hit in the face on the way back to the house by one of the low limbs of the monkey puzzle tree. So, at 3.47am I was in the shower washing off fox pee, hen poop etc, my pjs were in the wash and I was nursing a spiked face from the tree. On the plus side Mrs Fox didn't return - clearly the sight of me during the night was more frightening than anything else! The hens are all fine this morning, still the odd bit of pecking but ok. I think I may return to bed and stay hidden under the duvet. Feel free to laugh Gordon was hysterical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Oh dear ... a night to remember! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Golly Wendy! I didn't laugh; we've all been there Missus Renard is probably pregnant and very hungry after all the snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I was out talking to a neighbour who was walking her dog, she told me that her father lived in the house they are now in and always had bred chickens (she doesnt have any now) and that he swore by feeding the fox dead (male) chicks that he threw out, she said that he never lost a hen in all the years he had them despite having regular fox visits..if i honestly thought this would work i'd put down food for them...but it seems a bit to me? I swear even this morning after 2 showers i can still faintly smell 'eau de fox...' No way am i going to the shops today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Rub ketchup on it Wendy - I do that when my useless hound has rolled in fox poo or wee - it deodorises the smell to a certain extent, then I wash it in biological laundry liquid - smell gone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Lol...considering the amount of times these damned terriers of mine have been doused in ketchup to remove the stench of the filthy things they roll in, i dont know why i didnt think of that for my PJs!! A wee update on the girls - all is going well, they are very much integrating now as a group, there is less 'us and them' and more all of them together, however Ginger was just being downright nasty this morning so earned herself a time out (the naughty step for watchers of Supernanny!!) - i put her in the pen and let the others out to roam and peck around, they were given treats etc and she was ignored...she sat in the hutch and watched for a while - an hour later i let her back out with the group and harmony reigned. I've learned at bedtime that the way to go is to remove Ginger from the coop and allow the other three in first, this stops her standing at the opening and not allowing the RIRs to enter the coop - she is popped in last and always gets 'her' spot anyway - but it seems to cause less trauma for the others not to have her pecking at them. She is a little madam i never would have believed that sweet little Ginger would have been like that. The fox visited again last night - back on the roof - only to discover there is no way in - not even if you fall in, like last time... Still no as yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I laughed out loud when I read your 'incident' with the fox, cans, poo and tree. I have a sick sense of humour. Although I'd have been going mad if that was happening to me. How odd that someone would feed the fox to save the chickens. I don't think I'd do that. Surely it's only encouraging the fox to return and get cheeky? The fox might then turn up when you least expect it. And who's to say the fox may not enjoy the food left for him/her and then decide chicken would be nice desert? Interesting theory but I wouldn't want to try it. I have my fingers crossed that you will have eggs soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Just catching up on your new girls and all your adventures . Your girls are lovely but what a nuisance having a fox visiting already . Sounds like you've made your fab run very secure though . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 I can laugh now too! Yeah, i thought feeding the fox chicks was very weird too. Gordon has made wire panels that have jagged wire sticking up on the top of the run to hopefully deter any predators...i'd never intentionally hurt anything, but i cant leave the girls out when i'm not here if there is any chance anything could get into the run. We are surrounded by fields so i guess foxes were almost a certainty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Tonight - they went to bed by themselves - together!! Hurrah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Clever chooks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Sounds like they are all settling in really well!! Your location looks so very nice and rural, but I guess one of the downside is having the foxes find your girls so quickly, even though they are really nice animals... when they are not tormenting the chooks I guess we are quite lucky not to have ever seen a fox in our garden/neighbours garden, but we don't have the fabulous location you do Hope everything continues to go well with the new girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Just caught up on this thread. What a good read It beats the soaps and I just love all the pictures. What a pretty colour mix you have now . . . but what will you do come Spring when Morehens' disease really bites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Just caught up on this thread. What a good read It beats the soaps and I just love all the pictures. What a pretty colour mix you have now . . . but what will you do come Spring when Morehens' disease really bites. Yikes...will it hit me in the Spring??? Oh nooooooo.... I'm so pleased with the girls, they are so amusing to watch and friendly - although the RIRs are a bit rough when they feed out your hand..gloves are a necessity!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Just you wait until you go to your first poultry show Wendy!!!! shall I come along to be Prudence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2011 Share Posted January 5, 2011 Just you wait until you go to your first poultry show Wendy!!!! shall I come along to be Prudence? Oh yes, please I knew I would enjoy having them, but it's amazed me how much I enjoy them and how much I love them. I love watching their interactions, the relationship between the different hens, how Ginger will defend Babs if she gets a peck from one of the RIRs - how much they love routine, how they like to sit on high perches first thing in the morning watching the dogs - I can 'lose' an hour just watching them. It's official - I'm a anorak.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Just you wait until the warm evenings Let me know if you're ever down over the border and we'll arrange a gathering so that you can get to know some of us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 Sounds fab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 A poo question.... I read a thread on here about poo and how 'normal' varies a fair bit - I notice that mostly the girls do brown poos with a white cap - however I clean up a fair few yellowy slimy poos - how do i know the difference between dire rear poos and caecal ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Don't really but curry poos are fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Curry poos Ewwwww....I used to love curry sauce and chips - it's now not so appetising.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Every kind of poo you could ever wish to look at here Don't look if you're eating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Every kind of poo you could ever wish to look at here Don't look if you're eating! Oooo...cheers poop pics! It's been freezing here all day - it was still -7 at lunchtime - we've now got snow and it's howling a blizzard out there. I just went out to check on the girls and they are toasty and warm - 2 sitting on top of the other 2 - I guess the only downside of this togetherness will be the pooped on ones tomorrow morning!! Joy. This morning I hadn't shut the WIR door properly and was in the outside utility room filling up feeders/changing water etc only to discover the girls had come with me! Have realised (thankfully) that they follow wherever I go, we did several little trips and had a wander around the garden...we spent a very interesting time rooting around some leaf litter and looking for bugs in the dry stone dyke!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouldercroft Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 I love reading your updates Kalico It soooooo reassuring to me to see you going through all the things I did in October and November...if it helps the non-stop worrying relents into occasional worrying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Lol...it's reassuring for me to realise that I ain't nuts for worrying about these girls! Picture the scene this morning - it's 7.45am, I can see through the blinds it's just getting light, so, i leave my very cosy bed with my microwaveable warm Bagpuss Hotty, i pull on freezing cold boots and a jacket over my pjs, I slip/slide through the snow, out to the girls, my fingers are sticking to the padlock (it was that cold). I open the coop door and say 'morning girls, here's brekky' in a very cheery voice whilst 8 little beady eyes look at me in complete horror...i'm sure I heard naughty words being clucked. There's all the thanks I get! If they could have talked I swear a little henny voice would have said '...and shut the damn door....' So, I slip and slide back to the house and try to climb back into bed only to find that skinny Lurcher boy has not only taken my space and my pillow...but is also curled into Bagpuss hotty. Ho hum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
