Hello all.
Last night I went outside with a new puppy at 3 am and heard the girls flapping their wings and squawking so I went to investigate. I found them all outside the coop huddled in a corner in the run, obviously terrified.
I brought the adult dog out who showed no sign of anything untoward, and I reasoned if it was a fox sniffing around surely they be in rather than outside the coop. The coop has an enclosed predator proof run so I don't shut the pop hole in summer.
I can not believe it didn't occur to me to look actually inside the coop - I just checked the door of the run & coop was still firmly shut and there was no sign of forced entry around the run and went back to bed.
The fuss and bother continued at hours intervals but every time I went out with the dogs, nothing.
I'm new to chicken keeping so lay awake all night wondering what it could be, bullying - at 4 am? Red mite - all of a sudden? Fox - no evidence? Rats - unlikely.
This morning I went to let them out of the run to free range, there was lots of feathers around and one had a bloody beak which on inspecting them all I decided was damage due to the previous nights panic.
I checked the nestboxes and in there I found curled up fast asleep - a hedgehog!
He must have snuck into the run during the day, camouflaged against the woodchip and then made his way up the ramp and in when the girls where in bed.
I'm kicking myself for being so stupid not to check and assuming the problem was outside not in. Poor chickens. But the thing is now they are very wary of and nervous regarding their run and coop. My question is will they forget this trauma and go back in without any trouble? Will completely changing bedding & wood chip to remove all smell help?
Any advice gratefully received, and has anyone else had any hedgehog/chicken encounters?
Last night I went outside with a new puppy at 3 am and heard the girls flapping their wings and squawking so I went to investigate. I found them all outside the coop huddled in a corner in the run, obviously terrified.
I brought the adult dog out who showed no sign of anything untoward, and I reasoned if it was a fox sniffing around surely they be in rather than outside the coop. The coop has an enclosed predator proof run so I don't shut the pop hole in summer.
I can not believe it didn't occur to me to look actually inside the coop - I just checked the door of the run & coop was still firmly shut and there was no sign of forced entry around the run and went back to bed.
The fuss and bother continued at hours intervals but every time I went out with the dogs, nothing.
I'm new to chicken keeping so lay awake all night wondering what it could be, bullying - at 4 am? Red mite - all of a sudden? Fox - no evidence? Rats - unlikely.
This morning I went to let them out of the run to free range, there was lots of feathers around and one had a bloody beak which on inspecting them all I decided was damage due to the previous nights panic.
I checked the nestboxes and in there I found curled up fast asleep - a hedgehog!
He must have snuck into the run during the day, camouflaged against the woodchip and then made his way up the ramp and in when the girls where in bed.
I'm kicking myself for being so stupid not to check and assuming the problem was outside not in. Poor chickens. But the thing is now they are very wary of and nervous regarding their run and coop. My question is will they forget this trauma and go back in without any trouble? Will completely changing bedding & wood chip to remove all smell help?
Any advice gratefully received, and has anyone else had any hedgehog/chicken encounters?
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