Chickens killing my garden
 

On Oct 27, 12:25*am, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
"Judith in France" wrote in ...
On Oct 24, 9:06 pm, "Christina Websell"

wrote:
"Judith in France" wrote in
...
On Oct 23, 5:39 pm, "Christina Websell"

I am relieved that mine came home today Tina after staying out all
night, bad girls!!! I moved their Egu (Yes, I heard you cuss and the
quick intake of breath:-)), just a few feet away, the silly things
didn't like the move. I called them this p.m. and they scuttled
across the field to me like little old ladies, running, they got
double helpings of food tonight.

---------
It worked for ages with no roofs on, 6 feet high, but then one fox managed
to climb in and kill one of my favourite hens along with her 6 14 week old
pullet chicks.
Yes, all pullets! Wasn't I lucky? Until that moment.

None of them had been taken for food, they were all left in the run with
their heads off. 7 bodies and 7 separate heads. I wept when I cleared them
up.

Oh dear, Tina, I'm sorry, how awful!!!!! *I lock the Eglu at night but
they are totally free range during the day, I have been out walking
and often walk into them coming back to the village. *I am down to 1
egg a day now, the weather has really picked up and was so warm today
that I was in tee shirt and leggings. *Will they continue to lay do
you think whilst the weather is warm.

---
No, it's more about day length.
-----

My neighbour has a lot of hens, last year the fox got into the hen
house one night, he killed all the chickens, about 20 or more, and
left them as you describe, bodies and heads. *Why do foxes behave that
way, killing one and taking it away to eat, I understand but not
wanton slaughter.
----------
If foxes get into your hen house they will always kill them all, even if
there are 50 or more they will kill the lot. *Why? *I have no idea.
It's why me and Mr Fox do not agree. *If he took only one it might be
different, but as he doesn't it occasionally means Mr Fox Man comes to tell
him the error of his ways.

Tina

Presumably now, with your construction, the fox can't get in? We have
a problem here with birds of prey, my neighbour, a old lady who has
kept chickens all her life, said, that during the day, there are at
risk, it is not unusual for the odd hen to be taken in this way. Have
you experienced that?

Judith

Chickens killing my garden
 

Christina Websell wrote:
If foxes get into your hen house they will always kill them all, even if
there are 50 or more they will kill the lot. Why? I have no idea.

Sickening, isn't it?
Someone explained it to me once, but it didn't make sense. They said it
was to do with if they killed one, the rest would be gone the next day,
but if they killed them all they could come back and they would still be
there later, I think. I presume they would prefer fresh meat, but they
are scavengers, so I guess they are happy to leave the other 20 or so
dead ones in their 'larder' for later. (although I'd expect someone
else to come along and finish them off for them first!)

Chickens killing my garden
 

On 27 Oct, 10:42, wrote:
Christina Websell wrote:
If foxes get into your hen house they will always kill them all, even if
there are 50 or more they will kill the lot. *Why? *I have no idea.

Sickening, isn't it?
Someone explained it to me once, but it didn't make sense. *They said it
was to do with if they killed one, the rest would be gone the next day,
but if they killed them all they could come back and they would still be
there later, I think. *I presume they would prefer fresh meat, but they
are scavengers, so I guess they are happy to leave the other 20 or so
dead ones in their 'larder' for later. *(although I'd expect someone
else to come along and finish them off for them first!)

They often bury corpses. I have found chickens from the breeder half a
mile away buried in our veg patch

Jonathan

Chickens killing my garden
 

Judith in France wrote:

... moving chicken houses

Following the thread I gather that chickens don't like their home being
moved. I'm planning on making moveable timber shed big enough for three
or four chickens. On wheels. How far can it be moved without upsetting
the chickens? I thought it would be a good idea to have a mesh floor and
be able to move it a few feet so the droppings fall on fresh ground.
I don't know much about chickens at the moment. I plan to make the
chicken house and get chickens sometime in the Spring of next year.

--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

Chickens killing my garden
 

On Oct 27, 1:18*pm, David in Normandy
wrote:
Judith in France wrote:
... moving chicken houses

Following the thread I gather that chickens don't like their home being
moved. I'm planning on making moveable timber shed big enough for three
or four chickens. On wheels. How far can it be moved without upsetting
the chickens? I thought it would be a good idea to have a mesh floor and
be able to move it a few feet so the droppings fall on fresh ground.
I don't know much about chickens at the moment. I plan to make the
chicken house and get chickens sometime in the Spring of next year.

--
David in Normandy. *
* *To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
* *subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
* *by a filter and not reach my inbox.

David I am a mere novice in keeping chickens. Christina is the person
to ask and also I believe Sally keeps hens. I know Mary Fisher used
to have an Eglu and kept chickens but Mary hasn't posted here for a
while. I sent an email to Omelet today, who make the Eglu, as someone
on another group, not Tina, said something about keeping my hens the
way I do that concerned not just me but my husband who is now reading
everything on Omelet's website. I have sent Omelet her post and
asked them to comment. I'm sure Omelet will be concerned about her
comments as it could well affect their reputation and sales. I will
ask for literature to back up any claim they may make, if there is
only a small doubt that the way I keep chickens is damaging, I will
go along the route of a fixed house and ask Tina for advice so that
they have total freedom during the day.

Judith

Chickens killing my garden
 

David in Normandy wrote:
... moving chicken houses
Following the thread I gather that chickens don't like their home being
moved. I'm planning on making moveable timber shed big enough for three
or four chickens. On wheels. How far can it be moved without upsetting
the chickens? I thought it would be a good idea to have a mesh floor and
be able to move it a few feet so the droppings fall on fresh ground.
I don't know much about chickens at the moment. I plan to make the
chicken house and get chickens sometime in the Spring of next year.


Ours have been moved around quite regularly, within the garden (most
recently only about 3m and still in the same 'bark chippings' area, but
still the 'house' bit has moved) and they've never had a problem with
it.

Chickens killing my garden
 

On Oct 27, 2:44*pm, wrote:
David in Normandy wrote:

... moving chicken houses
Following the thread I gather that chickens don't like their home being
moved. I'm planning on making moveable timber shed big enough for three
or four chickens. On wheels. How far can it be moved without upsetting
the chickens? I thought it would be a good idea to have a mesh floor and
be able to move it a few feet so the droppings fall on fresh ground.
I don't know much about chickens at the moment. I plan to make the
chicken house and get chickens sometime in the Spring of next year.

Ours have been moved around quite regularly, within the garden (most
recently only about 3m and still in the same 'bark chippings' area, but
still the 'house' bit has moved) and they've never had a problem with
it.

What I can't understand is how our chickens, who roam over acres of
land and then find their way back, get confused when the Eglu is moved
a few feet. Fortunately we are nowhere near any main roads, they roam
all over the lane into the village, no main roads as the village is a
dead end, with 6 houses in the Bourg, you come into it and you have to
go back the same way. Also our neighbours' chickens roam all over
their fields, but mine keep to our fields, now that is odd, they do
not mix.

Judith

Chickens killing my garden
 

Chickens killing my garden
 

On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:18:44 +0100, David in Normandy wrote
(in article ):

Judith in France wrote:

... moving chicken houses

Following the thread I gather that chickens don't like their home being
moved. I'm planning on making moveable timber shed big enough for three
or four chickens. On wheels. How far can it be moved without upsetting
the chickens? I thought it would be a good idea to have a mesh floor and
be able to move it a few feet so the droppings fall on fresh ground.
I don't know much about chickens at the moment. I plan to make the
chicken house and get chickens sometime in the Spring of next year.



David, I have only had hens for about a year and a half so IANAE, but when we
merely turned our hen house round 90 degrees they were very reluctant to go
in that night. If you want to move it, I suggest do it at night while the
hens are inside.

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Posted through uk.rec.gardening

Chickens killing my garden
 

On 2009-10-27 19:02:21 +0000, Sally Thompson said:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:18:44 +0100, David in Normandy wrote
(in article ):

Judith in France wrote:

... moving chicken houses

Following the thread I gather that chickens don't like their home being
moved. I'm planning on making moveable timber shed big enough for three
or four chickens. On wheels. How far can it be moved without upsetting
the chickens? I thought it would be a good idea to have a mesh floor and
be able to move it a few feet so the droppings fall on fresh ground.
I don't know much about chickens at the moment. I plan to make the
chicken house and get chickens sometime in the Spring of next year.



David, I have only had hens for about a year and a half so IANAE, but when we
merely turned our hen house round 90 degrees they were very reluctant to go
in that night. If you want to move it, I suggest do it at night while the
hens are inside.

Sounds a bit like moving bees - there are specifics for doing so. I
think it's either 3' or 3 yards for them but forget the details now.
It sounds as if both hens and bees take some kind of mental picture of
their homestead and its location to help them get back to it.
--
Sacha

Chickens killing my garden
 

On Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:23:13 +0100, Sacha wrote
(in article ):

On 2009-10-27 19:02:21 +0000, Sally Thompson said:

On Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:18:44 +0100, David in Normandy wrote
(in article ):

Judith in France wrote:

... moving chicken houses

Following the thread I gather that chickens don't like their home being
moved. I'm planning on making moveable timber shed big enough for three
or four chickens. On wheels. How far can it be moved without upsetting
the chickens? I thought it would be a good idea to have a mesh floor and
be able to move it a few feet so the droppings fall on fresh ground.
I don't know much about chickens at the moment. I plan to make the
chicken house and get chickens sometime in the Spring of next year.



David, I have only had hens for about a year and a half so IANAE, but when
we
merely turned our hen house round 90 degrees they were very reluctant to go
in that night. If you want to move it, I suggest do it at night while the
hens are inside.

Sounds a bit like moving bees - there are specifics for doing so. I
think it's either 3' or 3 yards for them but forget the details now.
It sounds as if both hens and bees take some kind of mental picture of
their homestead and its location to help them get back to it.


Sorry to follow up my own post, David, but I was wondering why you think it
is a good idea to have a mesh floor? My hen house has a slide-out floor and
it is the work of 5 minutes each morning to remove the night droppings. The
floor is covered by a thick layer of shavings, which provide good absorption,
but also good insulation to keep them snug in the winter. Also, they walk
over those shavings to their perch which helps to dry them a bit in very wet
weather before bed. I would have thought a mesh floor would be a bit
draughty and cold for them, and also it is probably less work to clean the
droppings from the house than to move what will be a very heavy hen house
(even on wheels!).

Getting very OT here, so feel free to email me if you want.

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Posted through uk.rec.gardening

Chickens killing my garden
 

Sally Thompson wrote:

Sorry to follow up my own post, David, but I was wondering why you think it
is a good idea to have a mesh floor? My hen house has a slide-out floor and
it is the work of 5 minutes each morning to remove the night droppings. The
floor is covered by a thick layer of shavings, which provide good absorption,
but also good insulation to keep them snug in the winter. Also, they walk
over those shavings to their perch which helps to dry them a bit in very wet
weather before bed. I would have thought a mesh floor would be a bit
draughty and cold for them, and also it is probably less work to clean the
droppings from the house than to move what will be a very heavy hen house
(even on wheels!).

Getting very OT here, so feel free to email me if you want.


What you say makes sense. I will ponder the design of my shed a bit more.

--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

Chickens killing my garden
 

"Judith in France" wrote in message
...
On Oct 27, 12:00 am, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
"Judith in France" wrote in
...
On Oct 25, 12:11 pm, David in Normandy
wrote:



Christina Websell wrote:
You were lucky that you got them back, if any of mine were out
overnight
that would be the end of them, down the throat of Mr/Ms Fox. I don't
know
if foxes are such a nuisance in France as they are here though, they
didn't
seem to be in Germany.

I plan to keep some chickens here in Normandy sooner or later, but my
French neighbour thinks I will lose them. Seems he kept some at one time
but foxes broke into his barn and killed the lot. I get the impression
they were very clever and determined to get to them in what he thought
was a secure place. We are surrounded by miles and miles of open
countryside and forests here, so lots of wildlife.

--
David in Normandy.
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted
by a filter and not reach my inbox.

I too am surrounded by open countryside, we live in the Foret National
Livrados. I'm sure Tina will have a small fit but I would buy an Eglu
if I were you David, they are guaranteed fox proof. Mine only sleep
in it, during the day there are totally free. You can get a long run
with them if you don't want them roaming the countryside. It's Eglu
by Omelet, they have a website.

----------
No, no, no.
Get a wooden shed and attach a weldmesh run, put paving slabs as a floor
if
you want fox-proof.
Eglus are small plastic things that get wet inside from the chickens
breathing in it overnight. They are not at all suitable. Just a
manufacturer jumping on the bandwagon of the new chicken popularity. "Want
to keep chickens, keep them in one of these Eglus"
Except don't.

I cannot say how annoyed I get about it.
Judith, your chickens liked their Eglu so much that they refused to go
into
it when you moved it a few feet. I don't blame them.

Tina

LOL Then how do you explain that a wooden one on wheels was moved in
someone's garden and they refused to go into that. I know that you
are I will never agree on the Eglu so we have to agree to disagree.
BTW there are vents in the Eglu so that moisture does not build up.
It seems that yours are not free range and I want free range. Of
course I understand that you can't because of the fox problem but just
as you dislike the idea of an Eglu, I dislike the thought of hens not
being able to roam.

---
Oh, so do I dislike the idea that they cannot roam. It used to be possible
but now it isnnt. Once upon a time it was quite safe to let your chickens
out during the day here as long as you shut them up as soon as dusk came.
Now the ferking foxes come in the day so after some mega raids I had to
reluctantly put them into huts and runs.
I did try trapping for a while, with a vermin controller coming to shoot
them in the catch-alive traps. I did that for 3 years. We got 39 very
quickly. Three in a week.
It got pointless. They would never stop coming after my chickens so now my
fowls are safe with runs made of weldmesh, roofed and with paving slab
floors.

Tina

Chickens killing my garden
 

"Judith in France" wrote in message
...
On Oct 27, 12:25 am, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
"Judith in France" wrote in
...
On Oct 24, 9:06 pm, "Christina Websell"

wrote:
"Judith in France" wrote in
...
On Oct 23, 5:39 pm, "Christina Websell"

I am relieved that mine came home today Tina after staying out all
night, bad girls!!! I moved their Egu (Yes, I heard you cuss and the
quick intake of breath:-)), just a few feet away, the silly things
didn't like the move. I called them this p.m. and they scuttled
across the field to me like little old ladies, running, they got
double helpings of food tonight.

---------
It worked for ages with no roofs on, 6 feet high, but then one fox
managed
to climb in and kill one of my favourite hens along with her 6 14 week
old
pullet chicks.
Yes, all pullets! Wasn't I lucky? Until that moment.

None of them had been taken for food, they were all left in the run with
their heads off. 7 bodies and 7 separate heads. I wept when I cleared
them
up.

Oh dear, Tina, I'm sorry, how awful!!!!! I lock the Eglu at night but
they are totally free range during the day, I have been out walking
and often walk into them coming back to the village. I am down to 1
egg a day now, the weather has really picked up and was so warm today
that I was in tee shirt and leggings. Will they continue to lay do
you think whilst the weather is warm.

---
No, it's more about day length.
-----

My neighbour has a lot of hens, last year the fox got into the hen
house one night, he killed all the chickens, about 20 or more, and
left them as you describe, bodies and heads. Why do foxes behave that
way, killing one and taking it away to eat, I understand but not
wanton slaughter.
----------
If foxes get into your hen house they will always kill them all, even if
there are 50 or more they will kill the lot. Why? I have no idea.
It's why me and Mr Fox do not agree. If he took only one it might be
different, but as he doesn't it occasionally means Mr Fox Man comes to
tell
him the error of his ways.

Tina

Presumably now, with your construction, the fox can't get in? We have
a problem here with birds of prey, my neighbour, a old lady who has
kept chickens all her life, said, that during the day, there are at
risk, it is not unusual for the odd hen to be taken in this way. Have
you experienced that?

No, there are no birds of prey here big enough to take a chicken.
My friend in Germany has problems with goshawks, is that what is taking your
neighbours chickens?

Tina

Chickens killing my garden
 

X-No-Archive YES

The bird is called a Buse, which I presume is a buzzard?

Judith