Scotty Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 Just a quick warning to all... You might have seen the item on Country File earlier last week regarding people stealing hens from people's back gardens... This happened to us on the 20th of November (Benfleet, Essex). My husband and I went away for the night (my birthday), we fed/Checked the girls before we left; made sure they were all locked up in their Eglu etc and left. Sunday morning we arrive back home, go to let the girls out and we are 1 missing... no sign of a fox attack just mysteriously only had 3 hens left... We found a few "belly" feathers in the front garden but other than that no sign at all of our little hen. The police were obviously called, not necessarily because a 50p ex-bat hen had been stolen but more because of the security and unusual circumstances around this theft ... we've now had cameras put up (I was concerned that if people are getting into the garden, and we thought that "we were very secure because of Fox attacks" what might they leave laying around? - what with small children and other pets... Im not taking any chances!) currently I can say there have been no other instances. But just be vigilant! Scotty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 Sorry to hear that you've had one of your girls stolen, how bizarre to just take one, do the police think it likely that whoever did it was disturbed? I wondered if they were planning to take the lot Eglu and all, what a worry for you. I haven't been watching Countryfile so I wasn't aware that hens were being stolen, thank you for the warning and I'm sorry that you had to find out the hard way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 How awful for you and how very strange It might be more understandable if it were a rare pure breed perhaps but an exbat? It doesnt make sense does it and so would have me ringing the police too to see if they could make anything of it. Glad you've upped your security now and hopefully it was just a peculiar one off and thats an end to it. Good luck and hugs to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted December 9, 2010 Author Share Posted December 9, 2010 I'll doubt we'll never know if they were disturbed! we all tend to live in double glazed houses with the telly on loud! - so I'm guessing "Ooops, word censored!"ody heard a thing! (the police did do a round of door knocking in any case). The thing is we are constantly worried about Foxes getting in so have raised the fences to over 8ft - we never thought this might happen. anyway I wanted to share just so "Ooops, word censored!"ody else has to go through it. The other thing to consider is that Dot had been on a massive course of anitbiotics so hoping that who ever took her, if she did end up in a pot... well she had the final laugh on them! thanks all. Scotty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 i have been fretting all afternoon about a large piece of glass found in the girls FR area - piece of milk bottle which wasnt there yesterday. OH thinks I am being over anxious - what is it with men and their chicken loving wives. I suspect the neighbours grown up son who I think is an alkie might have chucked it over - I think he watches me from the bedroom window. Girls seem ok wish I was. Sorry you lost your little hen. I am thinking of padlocking the run door but they could still open back of Eglu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 OH and I have been discussing putting a lock on the WIR, but then the cube is outside the run, so girls could be got at through the cube Dreadful to hear of girls being taken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted December 9, 2010 Share Posted December 9, 2010 Had the same on Boxing day night 2 years ago. Poor Frenchie got had by the fox due to someone elses stupidity. They opened the shed & Frenchie the friendliest must have let them scoop her up. We then think they played football with her & threw beer bottles at her. She must have escaped their antics then a family found her head in the alley the next day. Hence the huge padlocks & CCTV now. I sooo worry about the eglus & cube though. If only they locked. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txswanie Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 This is so horrible, playing football with a chicken and stealing peoples pets. I think I live in a bubble, I don't lock my front door most of the time. I only have to worry about coyotes and raccoons. Good luck with the security and sorry that you lost your girls. People really can be scum. Colette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerlady Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 It's a sad fact of life that there is scum out there who think it ok to be cruel to animals... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue-DiamondChick07 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 How terrible! You're not that far from me either. You hear alot of strange things in my job, people aren't very nice sadly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 This is so horrible, playing football with a chicken and stealing peoples pets. I think I live in a bubble, I don't lock my front door most of the time. I only have to worry about coyotes and raccoons. Good luck with the security and sorry that you lost your girls. People really can be scum.Colette. Nicely summed up Collette. I'm not that bothered about Coyotes or Racoons here but I recognise the rest of your post. Good Luck everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 I live in Essex too although not that close and I leave the front door open when I go out sometimes. I can't imagine having to worry about someone running off with one of my animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tara Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Am very sorry and l hope she has not come to any harm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
