Sad news on the chicken front

[Ragdoll Lady]

The lady who we were getting the two chickens from has phone me in tears this morning to say that they have been murdered by a fox. The baffling thing is that there has been no digging under the coop run or biting through the wire. There is no sign of any blood anywhere just the odd few feathers. She has plucked up the courage to check her entire garden (poor lady) and found nothing at all. Its so strange as no neibours have found the remains in their gardens either. Those poor chickens I am so sad for them. The strange thing was I couldnt sleep at all last night and kept thinking of the chickens and the thought of a fox attack had crossed my mind last night but asI dont know the lady I couldnt have phoned her in the middle of the night to warn he could I!

[Ragdoll Lady]

[goodlife]

Fox don't always neck their pray..but will take it as whole into 'nest'  if it has cubs to feed..if they don't, then you normally see the nasty murder scene.
Sorry to hear your sad news..but if you have your set up ready atleast there is plenty of birds available this time of the year...or coming on soon..

[detailista]

could it have been a theft rather than a fox ?

[Ragdoll Lady]

could it have been a theft rather than a fox ?

You know I am having the same thought. The coop and run was untouched not dug under or anything. IT seems a bit strange to me but as goodlife says maybe they were dragged off to their nest. I hope they were stolen and being loved somewhere else.

[elhuerto]

I think if there were feathers around it probably was a fox - sorry to hear that, we lost 6 last year from a fox attack. But as Goodlife says, it's a good time to get hens and there's plenty of ex-battery hens looking for a good home.

[poppie1]

i'm so sorry to hear about your loss,could you pm your location?
there are quite a few people local to me,my self also included that may be able to help you restock.

[Paulines7]

So sorry to read about your chickens and hope you find some others soon.  You will also need to ensure that your coop is fox proof. 

If there was no digging under the coop and no broken wire, how did they get taken?  Was there a roof on the coop and how tall is the fence? 

If there was no way in other than by through a door then it definitely sounds as though they have been stolen by a human. 

[peanuts]

We used to keep chickens for many years when we were in UK.  Twice we lost some to the local fox.  The first time he bit through the ordinary chicken wire, and the hole was surprisingly small, so we nearly missed it.  We replaced this with chainlink fencing which  was always effective.   We only had chicken wire as a roof to the run, though, and the second time, amazingly the fox got on top of the wire, bit a tiny hole and came down into the run, and still managed to get out, goodness knows how, with two chickens.  I think they can squeeze through much smaller holes than we can imagine!

[marcusesmum]

I always shut my chucks in as soon as they go in to roost for the night
my girls only die from old age
marcusesmum

[Ragdoll Lady]

We went to the house yesterday to see the people who lost the chickens. The coop and run were on a hard base and there was not evidence of a fox being able to get in at all. Only a few tiny feathers on the grass. Looks to all of us that they were taken as there has been a spate of pets going missing. The coop and run being only 3 months old we went ahead an bought it from them along with the chicken food, medicines,bedding feeders etc. They gave us some strong galvanised foxproof wire and posts to make a closed off run area too. They even sent us away with a dozen eggs. I am feeling really choked looking at those eggs and thinking what happened to those poor birds.  We will modify the coop and run and make it like Alkatraz and get set up properly. I am going to book a place on a Hen keeping course and then get some chickens. Thank you everyone for your kind words and support. :)

[goodlife]

Oh..I'm glad you are not put off of the events. It's not nice, but then again..fox have to feed their young ones too..nature is cruel.
Sounds like the previous owners have looked after you with the extras..I bet they were feeling horrid too.
I'm pleased to hear that you are going to do it properly..going to hen keeping course..It is really sensible way going about it..particularly if you don't have anybody living close by who could take you 'under their wings' for start with and help you go along. But even then,,,we are here if/when you have some questions to get answered ;)
Good luck with getting your set up and running...oh, one more thing..it is good idea now to get your coop really really well cleaned to get rid any hiding pests..mites etc....it is all worth it in long run... :)

[Ragdoll Lady]

Oh..I'm glad you are not put off of the events. It's not nice, but then again..fox have to feed their young ones too..nature is cruel.
Sounds like the previous owners have looked after you with the extras..I bet they were feeling horrid too.
I'm pleased to hear that you are going to do it properly..going to hen keeping course..It is really sensible way going about it..particularly if you don't have anybody living close by who could take you 'under their wings' for start with and help you go along. But even then,,,we are here if/when you have some questions to get answered ;)
Good luck with getting your set up and running...oh, one more thing..it is good idea now to get your coop really really well cleaned to get rid any hiding pests..mites etc....it is all worth it in long run... :)

Thanks for your offer to help with any questions I will definately have Goodlife. The coop and run is all dismatnled in my garden waiting for me to clean it. Yes I have noticed a few red mites. IT has a meneral felt roof too which is a great place for them to hide. What is the best thing to clean it with and treat for red mite?

[elhuerto]

I know some people swear by regular cleaning using Dettol - haven't tried it as can't get it here but might be worth a try.

[jonny211]

I have used Dettol diluted with an equal amount of water and it did seem to work. Now I use a pyrethin based insect killer, I get one you dilute yourself to make a strong batch.

Good luck with the mites, if you can seee one then it's bound to have 10,000 mates hidden away.

[goodlife]

Every time I chance a  new flock of birds I use any of the commercial mite clear products..I'm not sure about dettol as it is antibacterial..would it really kill mites?
Anyway..I spray with mite spray...let surfaces dry and depending how much time I have before next lot comes in, Ideally a week later I do it again.
And if I really feel 'murderous' in between sprays I even torch the surfaces with flame gun ;D
Now I've painted my chicken shed with white emulsion  (inside) several times..to seal as many cracks and seams to leave as few hiding places for the mites. And touch wood..when I've been doing my cleaning,,,there haven't been a single mite visible for my eyes.
So now I only spray few 'test' places..just to see if anything crawl out and otherwise I just use mite powder, sprinkling it around floor, perches and in nest boxes before change of bedding.
After that decorating job it been much, much easier to be on top of the mite population ;)

[jonny211]

I've thought about a thick coat of emulsion, do you get any condensation with this?

Like the sound of the flame gun... Ripley vs the aliens?

[goodlife]

No condensation...but then again if you do, there is not enough ventilation in coop/shed.
Now that i've painted my chicken shed..there is no flamegun action anymore...Ripley won...she burned them, poisoned them and then drowned them ;) ;D..I'm not violent person but it did feel good :-X