Bad news on the chicken front, Yoko, my lead sex change girl has been murdered by animal(s)/bird(s) unknown.
She was found in the garden, under a large fir tree with no head and a large amount of damage to her back. We have no idea what got her, but options are:
Fox: unlikely, as other four chickens were fine;
Buzzard: possible, but murder took place under trees and body left behind;
Cat: unlikely, although they could have eaten bits after the kill;
Dog: More probable, but no idea how it got into the garden.
Reason for thinking dog is that
a) we back onto a nature reserve/footpath along the old Great Central and dogs are all over the place down there. No obvious sign of ingress but possible.
b) two large piles of poo near the dead chicken, which upon forensic examination (ie poking with a stick), contained bits of carrot. My neighbour Squirrel, who is well up on animal poo, says it's not fox, badger, cat or bird poo and looks like semi digested dog food.
The other birds are fine, although a bit shaken, but next door's kitten Coco was missing and later found up a tree beside the corpse, frightened half out of her wits, so we think she witnessed the event. Coco however, is not telling...
Garden now full of white feathers, any suggestions on getting rid of these as they are getting into the ponds? They're mainly on gravel so sweeping isn't an option.
Oh well, let's hope whatever it was doesn't come back and I'll get some photos of the other sex change lad(y) and the good news is that it wasn't one of my three laying birds!
Sex change chicken
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- oldherbaceous
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Dear Chantal, sorry to read about Yoko, sounds like the work of a terrier or jack russel.
Regarding the feathers, do you know anyone with a leaf blower?
Regarding the feathers, do you know anyone with a leaf blower?
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
- alan refail
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Sorry to hear of your loss, Chantal.
I would go along with OH and suspect a dog. Though if the head was bitten off and there were feathers around it might just have been a fox that was disturbed before it could do any more damage. Foxes usually kill all they can catch then take them away one by one to bury.
[smug country dweller mode] Our rural foxes never come out in the daytime - they are far too timid. Dogs off leads are never a problem as owners know they are as likely to be summarily shot as a wandering fox in the daytime.[smug country dweller mode]
I would go along with OH and suspect a dog. Though if the head was bitten off and there were feathers around it might just have been a fox that was disturbed before it could do any more damage. Foxes usually kill all they can catch then take them away one by one to bury.
[smug country dweller mode] Our rural foxes never come out in the daytime - they are far too timid. Dogs off leads are never a problem as owners know they are as likely to be summarily shot as a wandering fox in the daytime.[smug country dweller mode]
- oldherbaceous
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One more thought, i remember when i was a lad and working on one of the local farms, they were losing the odd chicken in the way you described, it turned out to be a very large Tom Cat.
The only difference was, i can't seem to remember the feathers being everywhere.
The only difference was, i can't seem to remember the feathers being everywhere.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
- Parsons Jack
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oldherbaceous wrote:sounds like the work of a terrier or jack russel.
Hi OH,
Do you mind keeping me out of this
Cheers PJ.
I'm just off down the greenhouse. I won't be long...........
I'm just off down the greenhouse. I won't be long...........
- Chantal
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Hi all
I'm back to suspecting a fox, as I've now recalled that my neighbour (who also looks after my chickens) feeds the foxes every evening, on dogfood...
As for the feathers, they have sort of melted into the floor. On the chicken if they got wet they seemed waterproof, off the chicken and they're sort of sopping, and disappearing into the ground. Very strange.
I'm back to suspecting a fox, as I've now recalled that my neighbour (who also looks after my chickens) feeds the foxes every evening, on dogfood...
As for the feathers, they have sort of melted into the floor. On the chicken if they got wet they seemed waterproof, off the chicken and they're sort of sopping, and disappearing into the ground. Very strange.
Chantal
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles for me...
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles for me...
- alan refail
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Hi Chantal
[smug country dweller mode (again!] That's another thing we don't have - silly huggers who think it's kind to feed vermin [/smug country dweller mode]
[smug country dweller mode (again!] That's another thing we don't have - silly huggers who think it's kind to feed vermin [/smug country dweller mode]
- Chantal
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Not a she, a he that fed the foxes (note past tense).
Another chicken was murdered yesterday and Jim (neighbour) is distraught. Not only has he fed the foxes (and a couple of badgers) for the past 10 years or so, he has also been the main carer for my chickens. He now says he's never feeding them again!
However, it transpires that a Jack Russell was running around another neighbour's garden yesterday. It had come from the nature walk and as this particular neighbour has no end fence, into his garden and from there it's a very short hop for an agile dog to get into my garden.
We'll never know.
Anyway, this all means two things. Firstly, I'll never find out if my birdies were going to change sex as they're dead. Secondly, the remaining three are moving out to join Rocky in Worcestershire. Until they go, probably tomorrow, they are confined to barracks with the door padlocked. I am not losing any more!
Another chicken was murdered yesterday and Jim (neighbour) is distraught. Not only has he fed the foxes (and a couple of badgers) for the past 10 years or so, he has also been the main carer for my chickens. He now says he's never feeding them again!
However, it transpires that a Jack Russell was running around another neighbour's garden yesterday. It had come from the nature walk and as this particular neighbour has no end fence, into his garden and from there it's a very short hop for an agile dog to get into my garden.
We'll never know.
Anyway, this all means two things. Firstly, I'll never find out if my birdies were going to change sex as they're dead. Secondly, the remaining three are moving out to join Rocky in Worcestershire. Until they go, probably tomorrow, they are confined to barracks with the door padlocked. I am not losing any more!
Chantal
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles for me...
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles for me...
Hi Chantal. Oh that is awful news...both the loss of another chicken and the fact that you're sending them on evacuation and to safety.
I'm quite sure your neighbour is distraught but even if he stops feeding the foxes now, after 10 years of being used to getting food from there, I would think it will be an equally long time for them to get the message they are no longer welcome.
Dog or fox, it's a crying shame.
Cheers.
I'm quite sure your neighbour is distraught but even if he stops feeding the foxes now, after 10 years of being used to getting food from there, I would think it will be an equally long time for them to get the message they are no longer welcome.
Dog or fox, it's a crying shame.
Cheers.
Happy with my lot
- Chantal
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Well that's it, the end of my life with chickens. My remaining three girls are heading for Worcestershire as I type, for a new life in, I hope, safety.
I've shipped them out with their little coats (with their names on), their MSM cream for feather free zones and all their egg boxes as I'm ever the optimist.
It's going to seem very odd, as I've kept chickens for over 17 years, but it's the right thing to do for many reasons, not least the recent murders.
I've shipped them out with their little coats (with their names on), their MSM cream for feather free zones and all their egg boxes as I'm ever the optimist.
It's going to seem very odd, as I've kept chickens for over 17 years, but it's the right thing to do for many reasons, not least the recent murders.
Chantal
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles for me...
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles for me...
- alan refail
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Morning Chantal
You have my sympathies. It must be awful to have no chickens. I know I would be lost without my hens and ducks, and I've only had them for ten years. If I could I'd send you a dozen new-laid eggs every week.
You have my sympathies. It must be awful to have no chickens. I know I would be lost without my hens and ducks, and I've only had them for ten years. If I could I'd send you a dozen new-laid eggs every week.
- Chantal
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Aw thanks Alan. I'll be out in the garden this weekend and it's going to seem awfully empty. However, at least whatever I plant won't be scratched up or eaten
Chantal
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles for me...
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles for me...
- glallotments
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We visited an RSPB reserve last week and saw a pheasant that was partially male coloured as in the photos here.
I did wonder whether this was a juvenile and asked the RSPB guy there about it. His reply was a bit of a surprise. He said when the birds hormones changed with age females could develop male feathers etc. In other words the pheasant could be menopausal!! Could your chicken be menopausal?
I did wonder whether this was a juvenile and asked the RSPB guy there about it. His reply was a bit of a surprise. He said when the birds hormones changed with age females could develop male feathers etc. In other words the pheasant could be menopausal!! Could your chicken be menopausal?
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