[rossivale]

Hi Guys n Girls

Sorry I have not been on for a long long while, I do popp in weekly for a catch up though  

My news is my old drake Horace passed away last week, he had a good old life though, he was 11.

My mum lost all three silkies on Monday, something actually pulled back some tin sheeting to get the poor little mites out!

I hope the pictures work, maybe someone could identify if it was a fox from the bite marks left on the plastic sheet?


The plastic sheet shredded.



Shredded plastic again.



Tin sheet pulled back, this is how it entered or frightened the poor hens out.





Comparison of bite mark to my thumb size.





What ever it was didn't take the hens, just killed and left them.

Many thanks Jo

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Jo, oh I am sorry to hear about Horace, but what a long life he had!

But I can't believe what the fox (or whatever it was) did to get at your Mum's silkies!  Poor things, they must have been absolutely terrified!

Nice to 'see'  you on here again!

[Vecten]

Looks like a fox to me, the bite looks about right. I feel for you, I lost all mine to a fox 2 years ago.

[Vecten]

Incidentally. When the fox killed mine he left all 13 dead and uneaten.

[rossivale]

Hi GrannieAnnie,

Horace had a great life with, at times upto 15 girls,
.

Vecten, thanks for confirming that you think it was a fox, you know how people talk, and badgers, minks etc were all mentioned, although these people never seen the bite marks etc.


Think I have the chicken chat bug again, so you will be seeing a lot more of me 

Jo

[joyfull]

hello and welcome back, sorry about Horace - he lived a happy fulfilling life with his ladies  .
As for your mums chickens that was some determined animal (and the only way to be sure what did it assuming it wasn't seen/caught on camera etc is to measure the canine teeth imprints.
An average fox  is 18 - 25mm spacing, mink is 9 - 11mm, stoat is 6.5 - 7.5mm and a polecat is 10 - 12mm - this obviously depends on sex and age.

[rossivale]

Thanks for that Joyful, that is really useful to know.

I have printed it out, and will be calling at mum's on my way home from work, armed with a ruler.

Thanks Jo