Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[Wishing4Wings]

Congrats on the new babies, Cheeka!

Another great mama you have there.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

HAWKS AND FOX AND SKUNKS, OH MY!!!

We have been having major predator sightings lately. Bless the crows who chase off the hawks, though. Without them and the dogs, I would never let the bantams out. And they LOVE being out.

So funny, #2 son saw a couple of skunks in the chickens' yard last night, before dark. My hubs was very worried and wanted to chase them off. He was surprised when they didn't run away as he approached and hollered and clapped. Hahaha! I explained that skunks don't run away. They just wait for you to get close enough to spray!

It was a baby too. They'll empty everything they've got in one shot! Hubs grew up in insulated suburbia, so I have to excuse him. Not quite a city slicker, but close sometimes!

I'm not really worried about the skunks, but the fox! I saw one day before yesterday and it was big. Not afraid either! I got 15 ft from it before of slinked off into the bushes. We have gray fox here, and they are climbers. 6 ft fence is nothing to them. My best defense is the dogs. Belle was barking her head off the day we saw the big one out front. Neighbor just called to warn me that they lost a hen last night, probably to a fox.

 

[cheeka]

my gut told me not to let them out today. earlier, it was cloudy... then it became so nice that I couldn't win the argument with myself... and I stupidly, opened the doors. within 2 minutes, a fox came and stole my Stella. she was a 2.5 year old pink egg laying EE. I have her, the fox dropped her and took off through my neighbors yard. I never saw the fox, but I saw the flying feathers and the alarms were deafening...! my neighbor saw the fox... never again will I doubt my gut feeling.

on a brighter note, Esther has yet another hatch! a blonde one. 6 so far!

 

[karl69]

Cheeka, I let mine free range all the time from the time I leave for work (about 6am) until I go to bed 9/9:30pm. Granted I've only had them out a few months and only the one threat but I fortunately live in an area where I can take care of it.
Maybe you could find someone to trap the fox and the other predators. Their pelts have value.

 

[karl69]

So I've been noticing that ony of my RIR hens has been off by herself for the most part maybe it's me or she's just the bottom of the todom pole. She just 5/6ft away and wines until I leave.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Sorry about Stella. So hard to balance benefits with the risks. If we ever have an attack, I think it would be very hard for me to keep them penned up. Not being used to it, they would be very unhappy (and noisy).

Go Esther! How many eggs did she start with?

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Karl, it could be she's bottom of the pecking order or maybe she just doesn't like people! Seeing such individual characters in the flock was one of the biggest surprises. What does she do when you come out with a handful of treats?

 

[XxMingirlxX]

Sorry about all the fox incidents guys, I have lost too many hens to those vermin. I want to hate them, but they are just part of the circle of life so I can't. However that doesn't stop me doing everything in my power to keep my girls happy and safe. I have heard male goats keep foxes away.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Min, male goats keep a lot more than foxes away! You ever smell one?

 

[XxMingirlxX]

Min, male goats keep a lot more than foxes away!  You ever smell one? 

No but I was thinking of getting two pygmies