Following the loss of several of our chickens to Mr Fox, we have come up (or rather Sheila has) with a stop-gap solution to our chicken housing issue. Since our chickens had become breakfast, lunch and tea for that "bloody" Fox, we had been keeping them locked up in their coop during the day for the time being and until I could build a more permanent run for them! This morning, Sheila suggested that we utilise one of the stables for them and so off we went to remove them from the coop and with a chicken under each arm, Sheila shipped them to the newly prepared stable, all kitted out with a deep spread of fresh straw, a refilled drink dispenser and a topped-up feeder. They were most appreciative of their new, spacious home and to give thanks for this, one of them duly delivered an egg in a straw-filled cardboard box, converted into a nesting box! That's breakfast taken care of then!
We have also been having a spot of bother with a few mice which have taken up residence in the small barn. This is the main reason we purchased our little kitten but since she appeared not to be doing her job, I had planted a couple of mouse traps around the barn and "hey presto", I got a result with two mice which had decided that a piece of carrot was too tempting a morsel to ignore! It will be the role of kitten to catch the next one, I hope!
As the weather looks to be dry on Saturday, we will be conducting the 6-monthly Lambivac session for the alpacas with the toenail cutting exercise to follow.....a busy day ahead!
I thought you might like to have a look at the latest photograph of Ice Cool Lad in the snow. He is a real "smasher" and has certainly left a great impression on a number of our alpacas here!
Well, that's all for today so goodnight all and will return soon.
Eggs from your own hens really are something special :-)
ReplyDeleteHow good cats are at catching mice really varies a lot. We had one who caught one mice every five minutes or so, and another who just enjoys watching them run around ;-)
Ice Cool Lad looks really good :-)
Ice Cool Lad looks very good!
ReplyDeleteThe chicken solution sounds a good one. We have been lucky with our chickens so far as most are in with the wethers and our Caedmon has a pathological hatred of foxes and since he attacked two (which managed to escape) they haven't been back!Unfortunately, our chickens have given up on egg laying.
I've just treated myself to a hen house and run from Solway Recycling, it should arrive within 10 to 14 days. I'm looking at getting some Cream Legbar or Araucana hens as I quite like the idea of blue or green eggs. We're fortunate that because there are a lot of phesant shoots around us, the foxes are kept to an absolute minimum, so hopefully my hens will be safe.
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