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Smudge
Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 43
Location: Henhouse
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 Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 9:43 pm Post subject: What would have taken her? |
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One of our favourite hens was hidden away in the barn sitting on some eggs - when one day she vanished leaving feathers only. Her eggs went too. We had bred her ourselves so we are understandably upset. We don't tend to get foxes here - we are right next to a shooting/pheasant growing estate so any foxes tend to be despatched quickly....
We have had some rats move in (being dealt with) - could rats have taken her and all her eggs or is it more likely to be an opportunist fox?
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Kitsune
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 1077
Location: Manchester
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 10:22 pm Post subject: |
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I'd say fox - rats may have taken the eggs once she was gone but I think a fox would probably take them too. I don't think a rat could haul away a full bird - but I could be wrong.
Sorry you lost your hen |
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Itsybitsy
Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Posts: 1316
Location: Leicestershire
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 8:26 am Post subject: |
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I agree - fox.
A rat would take the eggs but not a full grown bird. It's never any good to be too complacent about foxes despite your proximity to competent shooters. A vixen feeding cubs will travel miles for food so it could have visited your place from 5 miles away. Make sure your others are well protected now, an easy meal will make sure she returns.
Itsybitsy |
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Smudge
Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 43
Location: Henhouse
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 12:48 pm Post subject: |
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| the others are and always have always been well protected - we were planning on moving her but she was well concealed - or so we thought (it took us all day to find where she was!). it won't happen again - i would risk losing the eggs before leaving one sitting in a risky place. |
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Itsybitsy
Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Posts: 1316
Location: Leicestershire
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| Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Smudge wrote: | | the others are and always have always been well protected - we were planning on moving her but she was well concealed - or so we thought (it took us all day to find where she was!). it won't happen again - i would risk losing the eggs before leaving one sitting in a risky place. |
That's good then that the others are well protected, it may have taken you a day to find her, but the fox would have sniffed her out in seconds.
Itsybitsy |
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