[MiriMaran]

Last night we had a visit from Mr Fox who chewed through the onduline roof of our chick ark and took the White Leghorn mum and 5 chicks!

But as my 7 year old said "its very sad Mummy, but the fox has to eat too!"

[Daisys Mum]

I always thought mine were safe if I shut them in every night, I never imagined foxy could chew through the roof. I have lost loads through letting them have the run of my 6acres, so have had a run built for them, looks like Colditz, and am dreading the bill. One day one of the girls was s**t picking in the field and the fox came right up to within 10 feet of her and made off with one of my best layers.

[little blue]

 
Oh dearie me, and other non-offensive platiudes.  Poor hens. did the fox eat them, or just kill?
Your little 'un is very philosophical, bless him.
(tell the boys I had to do a dissection demo at work today - Rattus norvegicus they'll like that!)

[MiriMaran]

Oh Ruth they'll be very envious!  Oliver took Snuffle's skull into school today for show and tell.  He was mister popular with all the boys in the playground, but the head looked a bit green when he showed her.  Apparently, his talk was fantastic and told his class everything, explaining what happens at the abbtoir and how I cleaned the skulls e.t.c.  His teacher was very impressed with his knowledge.  This was all slightly undermined by being sent to the head later on in the day for bad behaviour, but I guess that restores the balance of normality!

On another note the school nearly had to get the fire brigade out yesterday as Harry got his finger stuck and they couldn't free it - eventually ice cubes and fairy liquid did the trick!  I've also had text messages from a mum requesting I keep Harry away from her child - how am I supposed to do that when he's at school with her child and I'm at work!

Are you sure you want to have children?  Or maybe its just my children aren't normal!

[little blue]

Haha, they're great your two! But probably hell to live with (like my husband!)
Dare I ask where Harry stuck his finger?!

[MiriMaran]

Don't know!  Apparently he was bored waiting in the dinner queue and stuck his finger in some sort of metal thing with holes in it.  As you know, he had to go to A&E last year for sticking a seed down his ear.  He attends A&E on a yearly basis, but hasn't been this year yet!  Time will tell.......

[doganjo]

Very short sighted and prude of a mother that other one is.  Tell her to get a life, because that's what your kids have!  Her own kids should be allowed to have a life too and if they want to be friends with Harry that's up to them.

[MiriMaran]

She's very scarey though!  The problem is they are both highly volotile children that know how to push each others buttons, but at the end of the day when Harry is at school he has to learn to cope with all his classmates and me interfering would make things worse.  I approached the Mum and tried to have a chat with her, but she dead batted me!

[little blue]

stuck-up cow!! (oops, it'll probably turn out to be someone I know!)
Dont let it bother you, your boys are just as boys should be - full of mischief, inquisitive, risk takers. Too many nowadays are brought up proper wimps...

Are you going to replace your hens?

[MiriMaran]

I don't know - I'd like some more Cream Legbars as the two I have haven't provided any eggs for that last 3 months unless of course there's a huge pile of eggs somewhere I don't know about!

[marigold]

Really sorry to hear about your loss. It must be really frustrating when you've got the chicks this far.
Your boys sound great. - Proper boys