Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Henriettasmum]

The foxes were out today! And calling late evening. Hyper vigilant fox watch season seems to have started early. All hens in the flock should be laying by the mid next week which is good. Withholding over next Friday, looking forward to being inundated with eggs again!

Do you use a fox light? We don't have foxes here, but do have a family of dingoes on an adjoining property, however, no problems at all since the fox light was installed inside the main pen.

 

[SunflowerTheBun]

Yes, Melbourne, VIC, AUS.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Yes, Melbourne, VIC, AUS.

 

[SunflowerTheBun]

Thank you! I've been surfing this site for about a year and a half and loving being a part. Wish I'd signed up earlier!

 

[LuckysMum]

hOI! (anyone get the reference?

)
I'm new (kinda, I've been stalking a long time now)
Can I join? I'm from Melbourne.

you already know what a great forum this is.

 

[satay]

Yes, Melbourne, VIC, AUS.

 

[Teila]

Howdy folks

Hi there Sunny welcome to BYC and the thread, lovely to meet you.

I appreciate your cat deterrent suggestions Anniebee. Unfortunately, we do not have a totally fenced yard. While the back garden has a mix of colorbond and wire fencing on three sides; access is available from the front, no gate. The house is sideways on the block so the back door is on one side and the front, the other. We actually use the front door more for accessing the back yard and the chickens than we do the back .. if that makes sense.

We are smack bang in the middle of suburbia but only minutes from a Wetland Reserve. We probably do not get any more visitors than others do, but only leaving home maybe once or twice a week and being on such a small block, I tend to notice pretty much everything that goes on here.

My neighbour out the back and one neighbour on the side both have a cat but, like me, they are responsible cat owners; Happy is an indoor cat and Tangles is an indoor cat who is lead trained and gets to go for walks etc. However, we also have Versace from across the road who wanders the neighbourhood at will, a big ginger Tom with folded ears who comes from up the road somewhere, a black and white cat who comes from down the road, a grey and white who comes from the corner neighbours' plus others who I have no idea where they come from.

This morning, while I was feeding the girls, LuLu and Blondie were standing to attention and growling so I followed their line of sight which lead to a grey cat with a red collar, watching them from the back hedge. I have not seen this one before and have no idea where it came from, but that is just another one we can add to the list.

I do not blame the cats … I blame the owners!

I got to thinking about our intruders after you mentioned “you sure do have trouble with intruders” and yep, we have way too many door to door sales people, dogs and cats. Wildlife visitors include Possums, Crows, Ibis, the occasional rat, Cane Toads, Turtle Doves, Rainbow Lorikeets, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, Myna birds, Magpies [both large and small] and many others.

As mentioned, I am happiest at home, do not wander far and probably could be described as borderline recluse. I do not mind the wildlife that visits [except the Crows

] but I day dream about being smack bang in the middle of nowhere and where I do not have to deal with the thoughtlessness and inconsiderations that seem to be par for the course in suburbia.

Climbing down off my soap box now ….

 

[SunflowerTheBun]

Speaking of cats, foxes and what not, we have about 3 cats around our neighbourhood, but here they are not allowed out at night. Also, the cats are very nice and friendly with me - I don't think they'd ever dream of hunting chooks. There are also foxes in the area, which is our main worry, but we haven't had any trouble from them so far. The coop has chicken wire on the bottom and hay on top, so foxes shouldn't be able to chew through that without hurting themselves. In fact, the main predator around here are birds themselves! I'm not sure what type they are, I know minor birds nest in our trees and swoop us, but these ones are bigger and try to attack our other birds, finches, canaries and budgies. (They don't seem to go for the king quails haha) Does anyone else have birds in their area like these?

 

[Fancychooklady]

Speaking of cats, foxes and what not, we have about 3 cats around our neighbourhood, but here they are not allowed out at night. Also, the cats are very nice and friendly with me - I don't think they'd ever dream of hunting chooks. There are also foxes in the area, which is our main worry, but we haven't had any trouble from them so far. The coop has chicken wire on the bottom and hay on top, so foxes shouldn't be able to chew through that without hurting themselves. In fact, the main predator around here are birds themselves! I'm not sure what type they are, I know minor birds nest in our trees and swoop us, but these ones are bigger and try to attack our other birds, finches, canaries and budgies. (They don't seem to go for the king quails haha) Does anyone else have birds in their area like these?

Could be ' Butcher birds ' . We have sea eagles , a wedgee and this rather lovely but annoying white goshawk. I forgot to mention the egg thieving Ravens and a very large owl. I've seen a butcher bird kill a rat bigger than itself, and just last week the kookaburra stole my silkie eggs. Seems everyone is looking for a free feed .

 

[SilkieChickStar]

Well I am devastated. My little Faverolles Charlotte passed last night. I knew she wasn't right.

What is the process of getting someone to investigate what happened?

I'm so sad