[smasters]

Hi everyone
  The family and i are really enjoying keeping our three chickens and so far we have had no problems...... until yesterday. When i went to let then out of the coop in the morning instead of the usual mad rush to get out they refused to come out. It took them about twenty minutes to come out and then they huddled together in a corner. They seemed a little subdued all day but ate and drank as normal. One decided to lay in a flower bed and i later found an egg in their run, they all usually lay quite happily in their choosen nest box, even waiting until an egg is removed to deposit theirs. Last night they flatly refused to go back in the coop. I'm thinking red mite!!!! I scrub out monthly with Johnstons hutch cleaner and liberally dust everywhere with Diatom powder, topping this up weekly when i refresh the sawdust. I went out after dark and checked but couldn't see anysign of red mite. I eventually threw more diatom powder in plonked the chicks in and went to bed. Let them out this morning and they seem fine and back to normal. I plan to purchase some poultry shield and re clean the coop and treat for red mite despite not finding any. Could they have been spooked by a fox a neighbour says she's seen around the village? or do people think i should go for red mite treatment? Would really appreciate some advise.

[joyfull]

could be fox or even a rat trying to get in that could have spooked them - check all underneath for gnaw marks. In the meantime treat the whole shed/coup for red mite just in case 

[Big Jen]

I would think a rat or other vermin was probably what spooked them.
Check again for red mite, try wiping a white tissue around the perches and if any sign of red on it you have mites.
I was cleaning a chick pen yesterday, never saw any mites but noticed a few tiny streaks of red on my hands! So full fumigation followed!!!!!
Jenny

[8doubles]

Have you checked for red mite, if they are present in numbers you will find some under the perch or underside of the roof. Look for red-brown clusters of mite the largest individuals being pin head size. If the chooks are badly bitten by mite they stop laying and become anaemic (sp?) losing colour in the comb.

If you are lucky it was cats or foxes mooching around the henhouse making them lose a nights sleep and not red mite.

[joyfull]

If you are lucky it was cats or foxes mooching around the henhouse making them lose a nights sleep and not red mite.

Wow thats the first time that I've heard having foxes mooching around being called lucky!   

[8doubles]

If you are lucky it was cats or foxes mooching around the henhouse making them lose a nights sleep and not red mite.

Wow thats the first time that I've heard having foxes mooching around being called lucky!   

If you shout at a fox it will scarper,       
try that with red mite

[joyfull]

sorry 8doubles but that is often not the case. They will often grab a chicken in full view of you (even when you are shouting) and then scarper. If they have young to feed their need for food overcomes any fear of us (as it would with any living animal trying to feed it's young)  .
However back to red mite blast your coop with whatever you can legally do so on a regular basis to make sure you stay on top of them 

[Sassy]

A good way to check for red mite is to fold a small piece of white paper in half and insert it into cracks and crevices and move it backwards and forwards, if is comes out red, well you know the rest.

[smasters]

Thanks everyone, think i'm going to assume i've got red mite and treat as they seem fine in themselves but slept near the coop door last night away from the perches and nest boxes, so i'm going to strip it down today and give it a spray with poultry shield just in case.  bang goes my day off.

[joyfull]

but your chicks will love you for it 

[smasters]

Yeah but grubby won't when he realises he won't be getting his roast lamb dinner 

[8doubles]

sorry 8doubles but that is often not the case. They will often grab a chicken in full view of you (even when you are shouting) and then scarper. If they have young to feed their need for food overcomes any fear of us (as it would with any living animal trying to feed it's young) 

I think most animals can tell if another is a threat , foxes especially. No point in shouting at a fox if next door is calling it into the garden to feed it.
None of my neighbours feed foxes so they are still wary of humans, with me very rightly so.
As far as rural foxes go you get old foxes and bold foxes , but no old bold ones.