[northfifeduckling]

I'm so, so sorry, James! You have nothing to blame yourself for. We all have to live with this constant threat to our birds. It could also have been something of the weasel family, like a minx. They also carry them away. This is high season for them all feeding and teaching their young. Could be people, too, helping themselves to a free lunch, hope not! did the hen disappear from your land? Maybe getting a camera for the enclosure would help to find out what's going on?
We have also have heard a fox the other day really close, I'm on high alert since, but can't be here all the time!

[jameslindsay]

Thanks Kerstin, so far today all is well. As I said I have kept the ducks in but may just go and let them out. I can't keep them in their pen "just incase". I am very soft hearted when it comes to my animals and hate the thought of anything or anyone eating them. I am sure it has not been human involvement, the geese seem to be staying at home today which is odd but probably my imagination. See you later, I think now that very heavy shower of hail is over I shall let the ducklings out in their run.

[harry]

DONT KNOW WHAT SORT OF RUN YOUVE GOT BUT its got to be like Colditz to keep a fox out now they know where the food is.... trust me electric is the only way...

[The Relic]

also not trying to worry yea but
I had a hen taken about 4 months ago by a fox. decapitated her and left the body?? no problems until last week (so not sure about the if he knows theres food he will be back theory). Had 3 khaki campbells 2 female and 1 male. went out to lock them up last tuesday only to see a fox strolling by the back wall with one of them in his mouth. scared him and he dropped her. ran over she was still alive but had puncher wounds to her neck. ran back to the house wrapped her in a towel and went out to see what damage he had caused. was half expceting to go to the coop and find a bloodbath but not even a feather. the drake was down the bottom of the fields(never down there before) with what i thought was the other female. as i got closer the other duck flew away leaving me to try to coax the very nervous drake back up.as i was doing this the other duck landed in the next field so i went over to try to persude her to come back up but as i got closer i relised it was a wild duck (very strange as i never seen a wild duck on the land before) even stranger was that he landed right beside the body of my duck.when i got back up the chickens didnt seem 2 startled but i was minus my rooster. i went straight up to where i found the first hen that was killed (few months prior) and found once again a decapitated bird the body still there. the next day i had to bury 2 ducks and a rooster. there was very little duck feathers but where i found the rooster there was a feather fest. its the price we pay for free range but id have it no other way. such is life. saying that the chooks are on a 4 o clock curfew for last week.

[jameslindsay]

Been told today that there is a stoat on the river, so perhaps that is the culprit. As I said earlier something may not be right as the geese who normally spend most of their day on the water have been on our land almost all day. I am pleased to say that there have been no more losses today, long may that continue.

[catomell]

So sorry to hear about your losses - over the years I have lost more chickens, ducks and geese to outside attacks than I can remember. One of the most common culprits that I have to deal with is the badger - I really don't like them too much!! The badgers tend to take away one duck at a time, and drag it through a hole in the fence - whereas whenever I have had a fox attack, it has left piles of feathers around the place. Have also had a visit from a stoat, as has a neighbour of mine, but they tend to take yougstock only, and to add to all of that, just recently, I have been visited by a sparrowhawk that pinched a couple of chicks from one of my broody hens in broad daylight!!!
Said hen now has only one chick left, and at feeding time yesterday, couldn't find the little one anywhere, and assumed that it had been taken as well. However, when I went out to lock up last night, there it was tucked up nice and warm under Mum - where it had been is anyone's guess!!
Chin Up - unfortunately, by letting our birds roam free and act naturally, we also have to contend with outside influences over which we have no control, short of miles of electric fencing!!

[jameslindsay]

Thanks, glad your chick turned up. I let the geese out this morning and off they went onto the river so I decided to let the ducks out too. I can only hope that nothing else goes but have to be prepared for it if I want them to have the great life they have here. I have decided to get another few chicks now and I still have some 4 weeks old Aylesbury ducklings that will in the next few weeks be big enough to get out of their secure pen too and roam with the others. Hope your chick survives.

[jameslindsay]

This afternoon I bought another 3 Isa Warrens POL. I decided that I would like a few more so I now have 6. They are settling in well, the others will soon accept them I hope.

[harry]

DONT get into a false sense of security having a curfew this time of year with cubs to feed you can see foxes anytime of day looking for food......

[Farmer]

Hi,
Seems we've all suffered from a fox attack at some time, about a year ago I was late returning after a rare day off the farm and when I went to close the chuck run I found total carnage; the fox had killed all 28, there was blood and feathers everywhere - I gathered up the carcasses but only found 14 birds in total - my neighbour reckoned it was probably a mother and cub(s). Over the next week or so they attacked three of my neighbours pens up and down the lane - finally we formed a shoot and shot and killed seven foxes over one weekend - quiet for a while now but still early days for this season.

Just a thought, do you know if you have any Minks around, they are just as deadly and they do tend to carry off their prey - hope you catch the culprit soon.

Regards, Farmer

[The Relic]

shooting 7 foxes is a little harsh me thinks

[doganjo]

shooting 7 foxes is a little harsh me thinks

7 foxes for 28 plus valuable birds - I don't think that's unfair at all!

[jameslindsay]

Down the bottom of the beer garden was covered in thick bushes which would give any predators the ideal hiding place so today made a start on thinning it out. The goats had a great time running around, getting in the way and eating anything they found tasty. The new hens got a bit of a hard time from the others but they should settle down soon - I hope.

[jameslindsay]

This morning Kenny saw a fox on our land - bold as brass and now we can't find Matilda, the Rhode Islnad Red Bantam.

[exmoorlady]

sorry to hear about all your bird problems james. It s a bad time of year for fox attacks we have lost 4 chickens so far, no sign of them at all, no feathers so we are assuming its the fox, our best layers too. The local gamekeeper has killed plenty of foxes as they were taking lambs locally. Its hard keeping them penned up when they are used to free ranging but its the only way till the danger is passed. Good Luck hope you find matilda.