Chicken bald back

[Millie-Annie]

 

I hope I have done this right and if not please let me know, as I dont want to mess up the message boards.

 

This is my four girls last summer.

 

It is pre bumpa bit days for the 2 ex-batts Dolly and Doris, which is why poor Octavia my Orpington is looking so sp"Ooops, word censored!"ly feathered down her front. Her back end was completely bald and the pair of them are tail less. Funnily enough they never feather pecked Clara my Brahma.

 

I still miss my girls so much, but we have decided not to have any more chickens for 12 months. We will clear the top end of the garden and next Spring start afresh. Plus when I have lost chickens before, due to the usual old age, chicken thing, it has been easy to replace them. This is so much harder. I dont want new girls, I want MY girls

 

I am hoping this might mean the fox will lose interest in my garden and hopefully might help keep my tortoise safe.

 

I would add they are not in their run in this photo, they are in the extension to their run. Their actual run was welded mesh not chicken wire.

[Grandmashazzie]

Oh they are lovely Millie Annie I feel your pain Try and remember the good times.

[Mars]

Millie-Annie

If you are using chicken wire, it doesn't stop the fox getting in

[Millie-Annie]

I'm not using chicken wire, that is why I took the time to point that out in my actual post. They were allowed out of the walk in run (welded mesh) and they used to free range the top of the garden and behind the summer house which is where I took this photo. The chicken wire wouldn't have mattered as they were free ranging anyway. Obviously I will never allow that again, but that is part of what I need to come to terms with, as free ranging was what I enjoyed them doing

[gavclojak]

Lovely lovely girls and it is very sad.

 

I wouldn't count on the fox losing interest and just because you don't see him for a while you can bet your bottom dollar he will mooch past and have a little look. Sorry if that sounds negative but it's a fact I'm afraid.

[Millie-Annie]

I do know that sadly gavclojak, but thank you.

 

What I dont understand is, the people two houses away told me when I first had chickens 8 years ago, be careful of the foxes, we feed them. But in 8 years I hadn't seen sight nor sound of one. I wonder what suddenly made this happen?

 

My tortoise is my biggest concern, but I am hoping without chickens to encourage him, he will just pass through as the tortoise wont smell. My fear is during the day when he is wandering round the garden, if the fox sees him then?

 

Every year about now I am worrying about him coming out of hibernation and will he be ok? This year a tiny part of me would be relieved if he didnt, as at least that would be a peaceful passing and I cant guarantee I can keep him safe.

 

I HATE that fox

[gavclojak]

I guess if you set up a nocturnal camera you would have seen the foxes in your garden, I have had hens for years and one morning a year ago I saw a fox on top of my run. I wrongly assumed we didn't get foxes It's only that one of my dogs needs putting in the garden a few times during the night that I see one, sometimes two foxes on my run roof.

Every night, regular as clockwork. They are there just waiting for opportunity to take advantage!

[Luvachicken]

I have a night time camera but have yet to catch a fox on it.

We have had numerous cats, a few mice and a rat but no sighting of a fox.

 

I think waiting until next spring is a good idea.

It will give you plenty of time to foxproof things.

 

I hope your tortoise stays safe.

[Millie-Annie]

That saying "you need to be lucky every night, the fox only needs to be lucky one night" is my mantra. I am going to buy a chicken shaped board and have that printed on it, to remind me

[Olly]

That is a brilliant saying, and it's absolutely true.