the fox has visited !

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Dave
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the fox has visited !

Post by Dave »

at 1.30 am i got a phone call from the wife telling me to
unlock the dog flap and sort the dogs out when i get home.
Well whilst putting the rubbish out for the dustmen when i did get home i could hear
the chickens making a racket so of i went running down the garden
to find two dead
two not looking at all with it and other birds at
diferent points all over the pen/run wedged into the corners.
thats why the dogs were going mad
the wife had forgot to shut the coup up for the night !
gone down to have a look when i got up and:-
of the two that were not with it one seems a lot better and is
walking about in the partioned bit and she is feeding
the other one is still looking a bit dopey (i dont hold much hope )
and out of all the other 10 birds two are walking with a slight limp

quick memo to all
IF YOU DONT DO IT MAKE SURE YOU RING THE OTHER HALF
TO REMIND HER/HIM TO DO IT
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melons
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Post by melons »

It makes you think that Mr Fox must check "every" night doesn't it, because the one & only night you do forget (& we've all done it at some point), they have the flammin lot )de: or in your case a couple, I'm just really sorry to hear that.
I did it years ago with two beautiful big white ducks we had, the one & only night I forgot, dead :cry: then he started coming in the day & ruined free range hens forever for us.
There has been so many attacks recently it's making me really nervous, but probably not a bad thing, my girls are locked in, upstairs, in a hen house, in a roofed hen run, still worry for England about them :?
Hope the girls pull through Dave.
Cheers
mel x
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Speckledhen
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Post by Speckledhen »

Sorry to hear your news Dave.

Not a good way to start the festive season!! Hope the poorly ones make it. Keep us all posted.

Michele
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wendy
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Post by wendy »

So Sorry Dave.
This is the third attack I have heard of this week alone ! and one week before last.
As it is getting colder, they are having to look more for food.
It is something we all live with and hope to God we never have to deal with. I hope your wife isn't beating herself up too much.
Hugs to you both
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Dave
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Post by Dave »

i have been told i was lucky he did not
"do the lot"
so from now on birds stay in the pen when we are not about
and if we are about then they can come out and play in the run and the dogs can run about in the rest of the garden
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AnnaB
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the fox has visited !

Post by AnnaB »

Hi Dave
Sorry to hear about your loss. It is the only way to keep them safe and away from the predator's. I only have mine out if I am in the garden - if I go into the house, I put them into the run.
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Richard
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Post by Richard »

Oh dear, that's a shame - but there are very few of us which haven't worn the T-Shirt and spend days kicking ourselves and feeling guilty.

We are creatures as well and have our faults - mainly forgetfulness.

Keep at it.

Richard

(Dave, do you mind us moving this to chicken keeping?. Always a learning point)
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Jodi
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Post by Jodi »

Thats awful Dave, sorry to hear. Hope the others pull through Ok - I bet your wife feels like shi# too.

:cry:
Jodi
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Citrine
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Post by Citrine »

oh dear. Its not nice is it? Hope the 'dazed' girlies are on the mend.
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Dave
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Post by Dave »

one of the walking wounded seems a little worse
the other limping one seems to be getting on ok
the other two seem not to bad fingers crossed
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Citrine
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Post by Citrine »

Hmm, have you checked them over? I know when mine got attacked, I didnt notice Rosemary had wounds for a few days. :oops:
Or, it might be shock.
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Dave
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Post by Dave »

it could be just the shock(hopeing)
there is not to much damage to the birds
no more than when they have had a fight before and recovered
i think i have been quite lucky
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Citrine
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Post by Citrine »

How are they today??
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Richard
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Post by Richard »

Yeap, hope they're getting better.

They do take a few days to get over a fox attack. Usual signs seem to be......anti-social, not the usual mad rush about when you feed them, tend to sit around inside their house, sit quite still with shallow chirps.

If they are not injured, they'll be OK.

Main thing is not to get over paranoid about it. Saying that, I haven't had the experience for two years nearly, but still go up the garden every morning half expecting something.
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Dave
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Post by Dave »

THE SODS BEEN BACK!!!!
one chicken is missing!!!!a few feathers scatered
one chicken on its side half dead
if they were all in last night(i'll ask the wife if she counted them in )
then it means he has payed a vist during today
i have one small hole in a bit of mesh on the side and there is a white feather on it but i would be serprized if he got in through it
but he must off
but why did he not kill them all they normally do!!

new score
fox 5

me
now i'm pi*&
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