Kitchen Garden Forum

Yesterday I noticed a lot of apples on the lawn but they weren't from the tree they were near which is a different variety. On closer inspection there were two with large bites out of them. OK we've had them stolen before but not for a long time and I wasn't really bothered as it's such a good crop. Then when I went to feed the hens they were all upset and one had been fastened in the greenhouse. The eggs had been taken from the nest boxes and smashed on the path. The most upsetting thing was when I let them out in the morning I noticed a lot of small blue pellets in their food hopper and all over the floor. I think they were some natural worming pellets but I can't be sure and then I found the lid of a new bottle of Tomorite. The containers had disappeared and I've no idea what they did with the Tomorite so I cleaned out their water containers and swept up all the pellets. At least they weren't slug pellets.

The hens are still nervous but don't appear to be ill so fingers crossed they haven't been affected.

Two teenagers in grey hoodies were seen leaving the garden and someone else saw them with a large bag of apples.

I'm thinking of ways to improve my security. A bit late I know. Padlocks, camera, alarm . Any suggestions would be appreciated.

OMG! PP when I started to read your post I thought slug pellets immediately - Whew! I'd go for sensor lighting, not too expensive now days. Make sure you report it to the police though, then they can trace their activity around the area! At least they were just silly but they will grow braver & the next chicken may not just be locked in your greenhouse!

We had activity on our site that progressed, police responded & hid out in sheds on the site & actually caught them. Yours is not that extreme just yet but still register it!

Scrumping is I guess something some of us might have done in our yoof, but vandalism is unforgivable, I'd make the police aware as has been said, it could escalate.

That is upsetting, Plumpudding, not a nice thing to know that has been going on, especially when it's slightly strange stuff.
Ask any neighbours to keep an eye out, but let's just hope it's a one off......now I think I know why you are up early....

And sorry about the other post in, Autumn bits and bobs, Plumpudding, as I had sent that, before I had read this topic.x

That's dreadful. You kind of expect it on an allotment, but no less disgusting, but not in your own back garden. You could try wildlife camera traps I suppose but they do show up and would probably get stolen (can they be disguised as bird boxes?), you shouldn't need to spend the money.

It's ok OH. I'm not on guard but it has made me a bit on edge. I think it was kids on their way home after school as it was about four o'clock. They left quite large foot prints on the garden but teenage boys can be huge. The hens look alright this morning and I'm hoping it was a one off. I'm going to buy something to lock the hen food hut and a padlock for the hen hut door. It's difficult to make the garden secure as we have a shared drive at the back and the garden is set back from the road so not in full view of the neighbours at the front.

I always think they will cause more damage trying to break in if you put locks on and I didn't think there was anything in the hut worth stealing. I'd not thought about someone doing something stupid.

I'd thought about a wildlife camera but thought , like you, that it was just something else to be stolen.

Report this to the school as well, they might be able to get to the bottom of it.

Rather worried now, I've gone through everything left in the hut and now think it could be slug pellets. The ferric phosphate pellets are much smaller than the others and they've vanished. They are supposed to be safe with children and pets so I'm hoping they didn't actually eat any which would be a first as they seem to eat anything. They still seem ok so I might not use their eggs for a week just to be sure.

I'll not contact the school or authorities this time as it can sometimes exacerbate the problem, but will do I c anything else happens.

Dear Plumpudding, how are things there? Do hope the chickens are fine and of course, you too.

Hi OH. No more problems. They'll know we're on the lookout now. The hens seem fine and are still laying well.
I've bought a hasp thing and a couple of padlocks for the huts so that's one of today's jobs if it stops raining.

That's good then, Plumpudding....hope the "hasp thing" goes okay...

My Mum had her honesty box on her little stall, broken into twice last week, there are some rotters about.

I was reading in the paper this morning that thieves had stolen 30 pumpkins grown by schoolchildren for their harvest festival which were designated to be given to a local food bank. Can you imagine the disappointment of the children and how this diminishesr their respect for the adults who did this? I wish we could bring back the stocks and other forms of public humiliation for those those perform these dispicable acts

"STOCKS"....Thats a good idea.

Well it it,s a better humiliation than public payback, making the offenders wear orange jackets and go round litter picking ! The other day some such offenders in our area were clearing footpaths of overgrowth and an elderly person congratulated them on their publicly spirited volunteering !