Probably a buzzard. If so, it would have been a scavenger, living on dead animals, and not interested in taking your live hen. I think the bird of prey theory is unlikely, unless you have peregrines locally and your hen was very small. Or golden eagles, which is even more unlikely. What's the fox s...

Last year, there was a big political stink here about ridiculous claims. One of our TD's (equivalent of your Mp's), fell off a swing in a hotel. The swings are sort of photo props, it seems. So you can sit on the swing, and, well, look like you are just having great fun, I suppose. Anyway, reports s...

I don't actually know for certain that hawks would take a hen. But, I know there are some fairly large birds of prey around here, although I don't know what kind they are. Coming home one day from a walk, there was a hawk of some kind sitting on the gatepost as I was coming in. Just sitting there, w...

Omg that is just so awful. I'm so sorry LadyA. 😥 It's awful to think of her fear when she was taken. But, tbh, my hens aren't pets, so although I do chat to them as I feed/water and check them every day, I'm not attached to them. It's never nice to lose one to illness or anything, and it's horrible...

Good grief!

I think Marigold might have something to say, as a large shed might be a better solution for so many hens and might be more manageable to clean. You can easily add your own perches and put some nestboxes in. That's what I would opt to buy and do, if I knew what I know now ;-) I'd go for a shed too....

For the first time in all my years keeping chickens, I've lost one. No, I don't mean it's the first time a chicken had died! I mean I have, actually, lost one! Yesterday, I was working in the veg garden, which is toward the front of the property. I looked up, and there was a chicken on the front law...

I don't think there's an issue with the "shelter spot". My hens tend to congregate down n a clump of willows. Every batch of chickens I've ever had, has made a sort of "den" down there. They have shelter from wind, and in Summer, it's nice and shady. The coop though does need more than cleaning. You...

Definitely the coop and shelter needs sorting out. I've noticed over the years I've had chickens, that they definitely lay better if their coop, bedding and nest boxes are clean and dry. The mixed grain, my six get a very small handful between them, twice a day. If the weather is very cold and wet, ...

Tweetypie wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 05, 2020 11:11 pm

You wouldnt believe this after what I wrote a couple ofdays ago. I started with a sore throat and mild cough today. I wonder if it has been passed on via the forum

Oh no! Hope it's a mild dose, and you are soon back to full health again!