Looks like Henny's been taken

[Margaid]

Let the hens out of the enclosure about 8am. During the next couple of hours they were in and out. Couldn't see Henny but assumed she was laying. Went out about 11 to check for eggs, no sign of Henny and all the others were in the enclosure. A walk around their usual haunts revealed only a small handful of russet feathers and one flight feather in the cottage garden. There aren't any gaps in the sheep netting although it is low enough for a fox to jump. Henny was too big to go through the square holes and in addition she was wearing a poultry saddle. Couldn't see any sign of her although parts of the garden are very overgrown.

I still suspect mink as the feathers were close to the fence on the stream bank, but how did it get her way without further loss of feathers and some indication of which way it went - whatever it was? It's possible that she's hiding and in shock so I'll have to leave the enclosure open for now in case she comes back. It's 100 yards from the stream, up a steep 12' bank and with another small field in between so I hope it's far enough away - although one of the birds was attacked outside the caravan which is next to the field the enclosure is in. Maybe I ought to shut the enclosure to protect the others and just keep looking to see if she comes back.

I let them out because we are strimming all the rough ground around the buildings so there was noise and activity - unlike the Saturday afternoon when the previous attack happened. I had already decided that they were staying in if it was quiet here.

 

[Margaid]

it's 7.15 pm and there's been no sign of her. I shut the enclosure but kept checking all afternoon. The others are definitely subdued, initially they were all keeping together in a tight group as though they knew something had happened. Stupidly, I had forgotten that when the initial attack happened, she was in the nest box so was probably totally unaware of it. I think the others have been a bit less adventurous in their wanderings having been let out again - our workman noticed that they were staying fairly close to home.

If I can bear to do it, and can cope with all the pollen, I'll wade through the undergrowth on the stream bank - or the stream itself and see if there's any sign of her saddle. It was cream so should be easy to spot if it was pulled off near to home.

 

[foxy]

I am so sorry Margaid, rural foxes do tend to pick them off one by one without much evidence in some cases. I lose the odd duck because they fly out too early from their electrified enclosure, or I miss one at bedtime, perfectly safe within but the fox is never too far away..

 

[chrismahon]

Foxes are very bold. Heard of a tame seagull that used to come into someones house for a morning treat. The fox ran into the house, down the hall and snatched the seagull from the kitchen, right in front of the owner!!

 

[Margaid]

Sounds like something from Derek Tangye!

Been working on the electric netting to try and minimise any shorting due to it flopping and touching the grass. I reckon the only way to be sure is to have a support every metre and "guy" every other one to maintain the tension. I don't have enough to do that although I had bought another 15 or so - and some of those are a bit short, so we have put a guy rope on almost every alternate pole and where necessary, looped up the netting using cable ties so that the whole thing is taut and generally not touching the ground. It will be very quiet here at the weekend so I'm trying to nake them as safe as possible.

 

[Margaid]

Latest thinking is it may have been an otter. Been talking to someone whose relative has a small holding near the River Lugg. They were losing ducks, including muscovies, and geese. Huge commotion one night, managed to get a lamp on the predator which had blue eyes. Apparently the River Lugg near it's confluence with the Wye has one of the largest otter populations. I have heard a rumour that there are otters in the stream - I'll check with someone who will know.

 

[chrismahon]

And I thought Otters only ate fish Margaid. Would explain why their re-introduction in some areas met with major opposition.