Bastard stoat/weasel/mink has been to visit.

[Whojamaflip]

Dcs went out this morning to let out the hens - did the large egglayers fine, then went to the stable to put our pet cockerel and our 3 bantam hens out.

First I knew there was a problem was hysterical screaming from dd1. 2 of the hens were lying dead with no heads or wings and the third has completely disappeared.

They were shut in an indoor puppy cage in the stable where the cockerel has lived at night for the last 3 years. The hens only moved in with him a week ago as they were being picked on by the bigger girls. They all went in their own run outside during the day. The irony is they are brought in at night as their day run isn't particularly fox proof.

Its not a fox cos he wouldn't be able to get through the cage so its got to be something smaller. Dh says stoat or weasel or similar as the kill pattern fits.

How do I stop the little buggers getting any of the other girls? The cockerel has moved into the utility room tonight in the cat basket.

Any advice welcome

[quoteunquote]

When I build cages or enclosures for poultry , I build it to the standard I would to enclosure the predators, I never lost a single one in over thirty years to predators.

I use to volunteer for a wildlife rehabilitation charity , doing things like building pens for foxes ,badgers anything bought in, which needed to be kept in while on the mend,

I've kept working ferrets (cable and rabbiting) and rats as pets and food for snakes, and mice to feed reptiles,

work it back, build your run as if you wanted to keep foxes and ferrets in it, and your hen house as if you wanted to keep rodents, and ferrets in it.

[Whojamaflip]

Thanks for the info - we are re-building/repairing/ renovating the runs and houses tomorrow and will look at it from the pov of keeping the predators in instead - could be interesting

I think I'm really pissed off mainly as these are the first I have lost in 20 years to the buggers

Then we will be replacing the barbies...

[quoteunquote]

I'm lazy really, so obsess over the design of livestock enclosures, because I dislike having to deal with avoidable problems, I find it better to put in the effort in the first place than deal with things that might happen,

because eventually the something that might happens, does always happen,

I not very good at annoyed, so I do anything to avoid it.

[quoteunquote]

I do favour the ladder access high boxes, I make an insulated cube with sloping roof, that can be lowed to jet wash out , the ladders twist if foxes try to climb. because I don't have to put them away, it makes life easy.

[Soupa]

That is useful quote, need to redo our habitat after mr fox ate one of our ladies:(

[Backinthebox]

I have my chicken houses up high, within a 6ft fenced in area with electric fencing around that. I am not home every night to close a door for them. I've found that the stupid hens all jump out of their safe high up house to strut about screeching whenever the fox comes round sniffing. So I've come to the conclusion that having the houses up high does not much more than look impressive!