Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[JerseyHen]

Fox are supposed to hunt early morning and early evening.
I guess sunrise and sunset. Unless really hungry / lots of babies
to feed.

Given my recent fox troubles, I have done a significant amount of reading on them and chatted with several animal control and fish and game folks. I was told that while It is true that they are more active in the transition hours, it is spring and they have a den of kits to feed and will hunt whenever it is convenient. Apparently my hens were very convenient... So, being out in the day is not unusual this time of year and if it was not acting odd, probably ok (as heather points out). This years litters would have been born in march at the earliest (unless this odd winter had them birthing earlier than usual), so that puts them at 10 weeks tops. That is still pretty small in the fox world. I don't think they leave the den until they are around 8 weeks and then they usually hunt with the parents until they are around 7 months when they begin to go out on their own. I think you probably just saw a small fox. Was it a red or a gray?

 

[JerseyHen]

Anyone coming to the show this saturday want some rose of sharon? I have a bazillion seedlings popping up. Let me know, I will pot them up for you.

 

[Toxic Chicken]

I've been leaving my dogs out in the day time with my 2 older chicks when I let them free range. I know we have fox and hawlks so I'm hoping the dogs keep them away. We have a big raccoon problem tho, the darn things always messing with the garbage. My dad didn't think my little hen hutch is raccoon proof so he put the hutch in his shed at night. Well now the girls have claimed his shed lol. They hang out in it most of the day when loose. It's so funny they want nothing to do with the hutch now. I tell him it's his own fault he put them in there.

 

[Imprfctme]

Morning butt!

lol! Is this the same thing as morning hair? My butt looks bad enough anytime of day

 

[Imprfctme]

Given my recent fox troubles, I have done a significant amount of reading on them and chatted with several animal control and fish and game folks. I was told that while It is true that they are more active in the transition hours, it is spring and they have a den of kits to feed and will hunt whenever it is convenient. Apparently my hens were very convenient... So, being out in the day is not unusual this time of year and if it was not acting odd, probably ok (as heather points out). This years litters would have been born in march at the earliest (unless this odd winter had them birthing earlier than usual), so that puts them at 10 weeks tops. That is still pretty small in the fox world. I don't think they leave the den until they are around 8 weeks and then they usually hunt with the parents until they are around 7 months when they begin to go out on their own. I think you probably just saw a small fox. Was it a red or a gray?

The one today was a red fox. The one I saw about two weeks ago was grayish brown and larger. I really suspect it was chasing rabbits more than my chickens since I had literally chased off a rabbit in the exact same path the fox ran the day before. This fox didn't look like it'd be much of a match for a feisty chicken, not really big enough. Looks are deceiving though. I haven't been letting them out during the day at all, just happened to today because I put the chicks in their outdoor play area.

 

[highpointfarm]

Hey everyone, How was everyones day?

 

[smkchick]

At least Dr. Butt is not a proctologist...

 

[smkchick]

Hey everyone, How was everyones day?

Hi Caleb. Hope you had a good day and your chickens are staying clean!

It was such a nic.e day, I put the babies out in the yard in their new play pen. Then I let them into the run with the big girls. Wanda, my BR, really went after them. I've seen her peck at Shirley (my GC and best layer), so it doesn't surprise me. Bobby put together the "isolation chamber", so I'm going to keep getting them acquainted and try putting the babies outside this weekend.

 

[Cheeky Chick]

Hey everyone, How was everyones day?

Yesterday was a good day. Painted some of the interior of the hen house, brought the big girls outside for a few hours under close watch, and then my older sons track meet then my middle sons baseball game. Track meet=win, baseball=respectable loss.

Of course I stayed up too late and had to get up too early, so I'm running on pure coffee this morning.

How was your yesterday? And what have you planned for today?

 

[queenchick16]

Well my eggs arrived in the mail yesterday and are resting . I will put them in the incubator later this afternoon. I still cannot believe what I witnessed yesterday. I had the Mass chicks out on the drive way for a little sun and was also out here talking to my neighbor. As we were talking a huge crow landed on the wire above our heads. Of course a starling and blue jay came and started to scream at it . It did not move. It sat there staring at the container the chicks were in.I even said, "that thing is eyeing up my chicks." All of a sudden it swooped down in to the driveway headed right for them. We both couldn't believe it. I can't imagine what would have happened if I was in the house. I still can't believe it. Excited for tomorrow.