Guest Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 the idea of a piece in the local paper - they always love stories like this - would work wonders. The paper article should mention that the police have taken this seriously and mounted CCTV in your garden. Let's hope that they get zapped in the goolies! hmmm, I'd be dubious about this myself because 1) it advertises to ALL the local scum that you have chickens, not just the ones in question 2) if the particular scum bags in question can read, they'll just start wearing balaclavas or something- forewarned is forearmed! you could always write a letter to the paper as "name and address witheld" rather than an article though, asking anyone to contact the paper if they know anything then the paper could contact you. or you could do the article anonymously? just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Seriously...what about some barbed wire where they are coming in. Put a tiny note up (Elfnsafety). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Good ideas Poet and Egluntine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxanne Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Perhaps you need a sign by the chickens saying "Smile, our hidden security camera has just taken your photograph - Police will be notified". Sounds like you may have been targeted if it has happened twice. There is a section of society who think that anyone's belongings are fair game - I can't imagine what sort of parents bring up individuals who would take livestock from a garden. No morals. Only hope your predicament has a good outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 This is just awful. I'm so sorry you are having such problems with the scummier elements of our society. As long as you don't have any other pets and your chickens stay in the run, I'd be hugely tempted to booby trap the garden if I were you. My OH laughs at the idea that I padlock our side gate so that "Ooops, word censored!"ody can get our chooks, he thinks that cos he doesn't want them, "Ooops, word censored!"ody will!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChookKeeper Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 Thank you all so much for all your kind words, after my nice positive experience with the police last time, this time they have only just about bothered to reply. I had a message to tell me that they wouldn't be investigating it further without evidence... which may now be possible - I now have a couple of decent CCTV cameras up, and a night-vision one too. The lighting will be rigged up shortly to properly illuminate everything. I used 3 or 4 spare fence panels and propped them against the low fences, which I hope will cause a bit of difficulty getting in (assuming that is where they are coming in). I have also laid one or two carefully placed glass panes from the old shed... which I have naturally left out completely accidentally... I must have missed them a they are so hard to see... especially in the dark... I haven't heard anything about my chooks - am still looking in the park every day, but no luck yet. I have asked the police to send a crime prevention officer, they have said they will get the local beat officers to pop in and take a look at it all. A friend suggested contacting the RSPCA - which struck me as completely obvious, and yet something I hadn't thought of at all. If i found a chicken wandering around, and felt kind-hearted, I would contact the RSPCA, especially with all the TV coverage they have had recently. I'm going to phone them in the morning. Fingers crossed. On a slight up side, the previously stolen girl has today started laying again - it took the poor love a whole 6 days to recover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 I'd put broken glass or razor wire across the hole they're crawling through Sorry - this kind of thing brings out the worst in me! I'd be merrily stringing up an electric fence, cackling gleefully as I hooked it up to the super-duper-mega-plus-sized energiser after all you've been having a terrible time with 'foxes' haven't you? And when they get thrown across the yard by the mega-volts, I'd tell myself 'how lucky they are!'. Out here in the Wild West, chicken-nappers better be wearing a bullet-proof vest. . . Here's hoping the toads get bored with your hens . . . and sending you best wishes - from the home of Butch Cassidy Well said that Lady!! An Englishman's home is his castle, unfortunately he is not allowed to defend it! Well not legally anyhow. Nice to see you back Xraylady! Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 leave your bedroom window slightly open, the breaking glass might just wake you up and you can nab 'em, have a powerful torch to hand, shine it on them and shout very loudly- but hopefully they won't be back and you won't have to! Sounds like the locks and bolts on the cube will do the trick. the response from the police disgusts me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Have you contacted the lady who had several chickens taken last week? I wonder if she has had further thefts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 I like the idea of your security measures Steve - let's hope that they work. It reminds me of booby-trapping peoples lockers whe we were at school Do let us know how you get on - we might see the perpetrators on Crimewatch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMO Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 A few carefully and strategically planted holly bushes would also do the trick and very seasonal at the moment!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 My pyracantha has enormous thorns too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Hi Is there any news about your two girls? I really hope you get them back very soon. It's one of my fears too as it would be quite easy to get into my garden and when I voiced it I got "who is going to nick a chicken". This just goes to show that there are some very twisted individuals about Good Luck & Best Wishes x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickaboo Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 I'm appalled by this I'd be beside myself if it was me you poor thing. If I was you I would keep them indoors over night. Surely the police could finger print the cube?? They are breaking into your property the police should be taking it a little more seriously?? How about sitting up all night to catch them? Spot lights that are activated by movement in the garden? Electric fence? Reading this has cetainly made me consider my garden security, up untill now foxy was my only worry. I so hope your girls are found safe and sound, keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickaboo Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 Just had another thought! Could your girls go under cover and stay with with a friend untill this had died down and the lowlife who is doing it has got something else to occupy his (or her) peasized little brain ? They'l stop coming back eventually (or hopefully they'll get locked up ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Sorry to hear about your chicken-napping problems, Steve - I just found this thread after reading about your egg shortage. I hope the lack of posts on the topic means that you haven't had any more thefts! My pyracantha has enormous thorns too Mine too! A few years ago we had a problem with vandals climbing our back fence and lobbing stones at our conservatory (our garden backs onto a tall shrubbery edging a small park area, so it was an easy place to hide) - the police took it pretty seriously as there was a spate of vandalism on our otherwise quiet estate, but I never found out if the vandals were caught. We raised the height of our fence a bit, and for good measure I dumped a couple of sacks of pyrocantha prunings at the foot of the fence as well - a bit naughty but there was no legitimate reason for anyone to be that far back in the shrubbery! Thankfully we've had no problems since Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazel_L Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Oh Steve - that's pants - the low-life scum Told OH and he said that carpet gripper-rod was a good deterrent to people who climb fances (warning signs displayed obviously ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'm really saddened that this has happened to you again. I hope your chooks find their way back to you somehow. I know how gutted I would feel if anything happened to my hens. Keep positive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
