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[Rudies Roost]

Awww bless him! None of mine seem to like to get that close with me, they'll only come up and see me if they think I have food! Was only really Dave who would come for a cuddle.
I can't say I've ever actually seen any Thuringians for sale anywhere! Are they quite a popular breed?

Bit rare unfortunately. The lady I got them from as day old chicks last year (I only have 1 left, a hen thankfully, they must be hard to bring on) has sold her breeding pair...aaarrgghhh!! She can't tell me who to, to protect their privacy sadly. Super nice breed though! I'll do some internet searches in the Spring and hopefully stick some hatching eggs under any broodies.

 

[Rudies Roost]

I know that Manor Farm Poultry (in Lancashire) have quite a few different colours of Thuringians, although it might be too far a drive for you....

Thanks for the tip. They might ship or i can send a courier....I've done that before for a pair of Swedish Flower Hens down South! I have no limits!!

 

[RascalAndJemima]

Oh these fox stories are terrible - my worst nightmare! Did they come in the day or night and did they get into a pen?

 

[GGBEAR]

That's how I lost my first lot of chickens all 5 of them in may killed them all and took the 3small ones and left the 2 biggest minus their heads

Hate the dam things

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hiyah all! It's been a while since I've been on the thread....notifications not coming through as usual. I have been a lucky girly and have been in Switzerland for 2 weeks (went just after Xmas). Missed my chucks & ducks terribly but they were well cared for by my lovely neighbour (she also has chickens and I look after hers when she is away, its a good arrangement we have).

Ooops....didn't know about the extended restrictions. Mine have been happily free ranging since the 6th January. They're not in too bad a predicament on lockdown as they were locked in a huge pen (20m long x 8m wide) which is attached to their coop with fine grade netting all over it. Also, their food is in a treadle feeder which the wild birds can't access anyway. Only change i really made was to put the water in the coop...much to my ducks delight....little b's have been making a right mess!

Well, guess I must lock them back in there, they will not be amused. Big freezes due from Thursday. Frozen hosepipes are the bain of my life! It drives me mad dragging jug fulls of water to fill the duck pond and waterers.

@Yorkshirecoop and @rebrascora I hope you are now both revovered from your holiday illnesses? Did you get out on the hunt in the end? V. jealous if you did-I do miss those Boxing Day meets

Belated Happy New Year all and welcome to all the new thread subscribers.

Sasha xx

Long time no see stranger

Sounds like you have had a fab time
Yes I'm fully recovered now thank you but it was all self inflicted so I can't complain I'm back to being T total again and feel better for it.
I didn't go hunting but a few from the yard did on New Year's Day and they had a fab time. Even the quietist pony on the yard who used to do RDA groups was on a mission and thoroughly enjoyed himself out in the field. My friend said if she had known he was going to be like that she would have put something stronger in his mouth as she had trouble with the brakes!

Thank you all for the good wishes and support! I am starting to feel a bit better about it all, have been very fed up the last few days.
I am starting to think about cracking out the incubator again and trying to hatch some more. Last years hatchlings have started laying and they're such small eggs it's adorable! The one cockerel left out of my Scots Grey hatchlings has finally started crowing, but he scares himself (and the rest of the flock) silly when he does it! He flaps his wings and almost looks like he's having some sort of fit, though I'm sure he will come to terms with his new found voice soon enough. Bruce, who is the father of the rest of last years chicks, doesn't seem to happy with another cockerel around, but he isn't beating him up either, so at least that's a good thing. I am now left with the decision whether to keep Bruce and get rid of the other cockerel, or keep the little one and get rid of Bruce. I can't keep two around, I'll have far too many chicks!

Glad to hear you are feeling a bit better
Hard decisions to make on who to keep but I'm sure you will make the right one.

Hi. Welcome to all the new people & Happy new year everyone.

It really is sad when girls and boys are ill, but it sounds like everyone does try to keep them in the best health.

I had a fox attack at the weekend, and my rooster, who I thought was a wimp, must've taken it upon himself to stand up to it & protect his girls. Sadly the poor guy was dragged off into the night, and the girls are being brave without him.

Sorry to hear about the fox attack but it does sound like your guy did a good job of protecting his girls. Have you secured things more now? It will be back for the girls now it knows they are they.

So I realise foxes are only doing what's natural, but it's very sad. I'm sorry about Rudy x2...
My 5-yr old took it pretty rough - her favourite girl 'Mrs Brown' who always came up to and said hello to everyone also died. Postman, builders, amazon delivery guy - everyone loved her. I'm hoping one of the girls I have left will turn broody and I can slip some eggs under. Baby chicks would be very cute and might help her bond with another. Is broodiness a completely natural process, or can it be encouraged?

It is in general a natural thing but you may be able to encourage it with the right breed of bird ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/encouraging-or-discouraging-broodiness-in-your-hens

Oh these fox stories are terrible - my worst nightmare! Did they come in the day or night and did they get into a pen?

They will come day or night and chew their way in if they have to. I lost all mine to a fox once, it killed all 6 of my birds. Took 5 and left Amy dead on the decking for me to find. It got through our 6 foot perimeter fence, through the run and into the coop to get them. Some was my own fault as I didn't shut the pop door but I thought the run was secure. After that security was ramped up. It came back for three nights following looking for more birds but all it found was my other half with his gun so that was the end of it.

That's how I lost my first lot of chickens all 5 of them in may killed them all and took the 3small ones and left the 2 biggest minus their heads

Hate the dam things

Me too, hate them. They are out of control and there are more about than you think. Charlie and his dad were out foxing the other night and saw three of them in the space of two hours.

 

[GGBEAR]

@Yorkshire Coop I don't understand why its so wrong to cull them I understand there is a place for nature but if they are not kept under control disaster strikes.
I know when there was fox

hunting it kept numbers down I belive as long as its done humanly there nothing wrong with it: For instance I know of activists use to go wild regarding fox

hunting saying it was cruel how dogs ripped them to bits, I think thats not necessary I thing go out in the fox

hunt group with horses and dogs do the same as before let dogs get them out but then shoot them what's wrong with that?
Fox numbers kept down
Killed humanly
Sport aloud

 

[Rudies Roost]

@Yorkshire Coop I don't understand why its so wrong to cull them I understand there is a place for nature but if they are not kept under control disaster strikes.
I know when there was fox

hunting it kept numbers down I belive as long as its done humanly there nothing wrong with it: For instance I know of activists use to go wild regarding fox

hunting saying it was cruel how dogs ripped them to bits, I think thats not necessary I thing go out in the fox

hunt group with horses and dogs do the same as before let dogs get them out but then shoot them what's wrong with that?
Fox numbers kept down
Killed humanly
Sport aloud

Here, here. I hate them. Both of my attacks were in broad daylight. Mine are safe at night so i have no worries there. Our fences are now 10ft tall....yep, 10ft! Also, the pen is made of heras fencing fencing and now has a huge net all over it so any fox would end up in a right tangle if it tried!

 

[DancingWthDucks]

Here, here. I hate them. Both of my attacks were in broad daylight. Mine are safe at night so i have no worries there. Our fences are now 10ft tall....yep, 10ft! Also, the pen is made of heras fencing fencing and now has a huge net all over it so any fox would end up in a right tangle if it tried!

Last evening I setup my Bushnel Camera Trap next to one of my electric duck runs and I was pretty surprised to see a fox visit at 11:30pm and walk around the perimeter of the electric fence, too scared to touch it (although the battery was on charge, so if the fox had realised this, than my ducks would of become dinner....).

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

@Yorkshire Coop I don't understand why its so wrong to cull them I understand there is a place for nature but if they are not kept under control disaster strikes.
I know when there was fox

hunting it kept numbers down I belive as long as its done humanly there nothing wrong with it: For instance I know of activists use to go wild regarding fox

hunting saying it was cruel how dogs ripped them to bits, I think thats not necessary I thing go out in the fox

hunt group with horses and dogs do the same as before let dogs get them out but then shoot them what's wrong with that?
Fox numbers kept down
Killed humanly
Sport aloud

I totally agree but then again I'm pro hunting so I'm biased
The ones that Charlie and his Dad shoot go to defra to be tested. DNA and disease tests and the such. It reveals some interesting stuff.

Here, here. I hate them. Both of my attacks were in broad daylight. Mine are safe at night so i have no worries there. Our fences are now 10ft tall....yep, 10ft! Also, the pen is made of heras fencing fencing and now has a huge net all over it so any fox would end up in a right tangle if it tried!

That's the trouble they are so bold with their Day light attacks

Last evening I setup my Bushnel Camera Trap next to one of my electric duck runs and I was pretty surprised to see a fox visit at 11:30pm and walk around the perimeter of the electric fence, too scared to touch it (although the battery was on charge, so if the fox had realised this, than my ducks would of become dinner....).

Bet it was checking it out for a way in. I love those trail cams. Gives you an idea of their routines. Hope you have your battery connected back up!

 

[Rudies Roost]

Last evening I setup my Bushnel Camera Trap next to one of my electric duck runs and I was pretty surprised to see a fox visit at 11:30pm and walk around the perimeter of the electric fence, too scared to touch it (although the battery was on charge, so if the fox had realised this, than my ducks would of become dinner....).

My coop has a concrete base and they'd have 3 doors to get through before they got dinner but Gosh! An 23:30 ambush is quite something. Crafty swines, my O/h loves a shoot so he'd be waiting. Can't abide the foxes! Still, guess that's what country living gives you.........