We had another night time visitor last night. Hubby and I heard a noise around 1am and both get up to go see what it was. I thought it was the chooks, he says the cat has the bandicoot. He goes out the back door I go out the front. He says again the cats there, something went in your garden still thinking a bandicoot. I walked out the front towards where I usually see the bandicoot but know straight away that is wasn't that. I smelt fox and sure enough looking around we find the feathers with blood and then I remember that I didn't shut the chookshed door or the gate to the chicken pen. Go in the pen and see more feathers then find the black chook, dead. No other chook, no chickens...
This fox has come right up in the yard near the house and through 2 open gates to get to these chooks.
I feel angry with myself as I
kinda knew that I should shut the gates...I didn't 'cause I was so sore and tired and in bed by half past eight and I couldn't be bothered getting up again and going outside. Husband says they'll be right but I should have shut the gates.
This morning we hear chicken chirping so I get up and I find 1 little chicken in the garden, all cold and alone. I have it in a box but it will be lonely now and is at that stage of few feathers so now I may need to set up a light for it for nights and we don't have any of the globes that give off heat only those stupid new things. So I'm feeling out of sorts for all kinds of reasons this morning. AND!! The crows are back stealing the eggs. Not sure where from but I see them flying off with eggs and want to shoot them in the head!
Off for another coffee and I think I need a *chill pill*
So sorry to hear about this, it is heartbreaking...The foxes are certainly busy this year Barb. A lot of blogs I follow have had this problem.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Tania
That makes me heartsick! Put the chick in a very small cardboard box and put jars of hot water at one end. The chick will stay far away if it is too warm and move closer as the jars cool. Or, heat a brick. Wrap either in cloth to retain some heat. Cover the box.
ReplyDeletePoor little chick. It's a wonder it survived the cool night air.
Was it only one fox that got them ALL?
This is why three hens come inside in a cage at night after a raccoon got the other hen last year.
It is always rotten when the foxes or dogs get one, or more of the girls. and even worse when you know you feel responsible for not shutting the gates. The same thing happened to me...and I lost my beautiful rooster too. I NEVER leave the door open now...even if I have to get out of bed. It was a hard lesson for me and an even harder one for the rooster and three hens that were taken. *sigh*
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