Laugh at my expense (with a serious question too)

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone

At the weekend I bought a couple of hens to add to the two I already have. Remembering the fun I had tracking down an escapee on day 1 last time I clipped their wings (only 1 each) as soon as I realised these new ones were pretty nimble. I've been putting them into the house at night but there's been a few arguments with the older hens so the new one's are none too keen on going into the house at night. Yesterday evening, one of the new hens vanished from the garden. I searched everywhere and got my neighbours to do the same but to no avail. I was convinced we'd seen the last of her but this morning she reappeared from nowhere 07

Tonight I watched her closely as she flapped her way up to the top of the children's climbing frame and then, after several false starts, got herself into my plum tree, about 8 feet off the ground. I never thought to look that hight last night!

She seems pretty happy there at the moment but should I let her stay there or should I encourage her to go into the house even though I know she's going to get beaten up for a few nights.

Oh, and on the subject of the house, I have the sort of house that has a built in run underneath a raised house. It's really only big enough for the four hens. It stands on a ring of slabs so a fox shouldn't be able to dig into it. Should I close the pop hole at night as well as fasten the run or is it going to get too warm now it's full to capacity and the nights are warmer?

Hope I've given someone a laugh

Helen

 

[podstable]

I didn't even laugh! I'd put her in the house (somehow) as it will only be a night or two before she disappears to a fox.For the same reason I would shut the pop hole as well as the run---make sure though the house is well ventilated.Foxes are so clever that any defences you have should be put to use.------dont go falling out of the tree! Ros

 

[foxy]

Sorry I laughed! :roll: Do hope you are down from the plum tree safely (as well as your errant hen!)
But yes I agree with Podstable the henhouse is a much safer place for the little madam!
Might be worth checking the house for red mite though in case that was why she was reticent to roost in the hen house.

 

[Chuck]

She is very vulnerable when she comes down from the tree in the morning at first light and will be very vulnerable to a fox. She needs to be shut in a secure house at night.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your advice. Podstable, you may not have laughed at my naivety but you'd certainly have had a good giggle at me, balancing myself and a torch on the top of the climbing frame whilst trying to reach a reluctant hen. It was a scene worthy of The Good Life!

Foxy: highly intuitive of you. I had discovered red mite in the hen house the day before. I've had a hen broody in there for a couple of weeks (she's not sitting on anything but she's determined!) and so it's been a bit more difficult to clean the house out. When I lifted her out of the house a couple of days ago I found mites on her (and me!) so gave them all a good dousing with lice and mite powder and gave the house a good scrub and dusting with diatom. The red mites were in the divider between the nest boxes. I'm sure it'll take a few more goes to get rid of them. Currently thinking the plastic houses that I so didn't like the look of wouldn't have been such a bad idea and feeling very sorry for my hens. Pretty sure the new one's reluctance is largely down to the fact that they're getting beaten up by my non-broody hen though. She's being really quite mean to them but maybe her unsettled state has much to do with the dreaded mites :-(

Thanks again to you all.