[Mucha]

Hi,

We are new to this forum and to chicken keeping so please bear with us.  We live in North london and have had 3 hens and a cockerel since mid Feb.
 
That was until 2 two weeks ago. when Mr Sly fox attacked and killed one of our hens (right in front of our eyes and was just about to go for the other)... so naturally. we let the dog out to see off the fox. But you guessed it! Instead the dog thought it was killing time and attacked and killed our pride and joy Mr M (Majestic) The Rhodes Red cockerel instead of the fox as intended.

"Messy Matilda" (Sussex star) was the sole survivor. We have replaced the cockerel (Mr M "Majestic") with a Brahma cockerel (18 months old)and also introduced a 6 month old Brahma hen.. Messy is an independent chicken and will not accept Mr Brahma even though he continously favours her over the brahma hen.

Mr Sly Fox now waits in prey and has visited in broad daylight. And wont take shouting at him or stones As I write, my other half is outside double securing the chicken run. The advice we are looking for is as follows: Matilda now wants nothing more than being in our conservatory (thats where we kept her after the fox carnage and she appears to feel safe) she pecks at the occasional chicken feed but loves to eat from our dogs bowl and since she been doing that she has been having such a watery runny tummy.

"Messy" also tips the dog's water bowl over and clucks as she stands in front of the dogs cage proudly rosey. We think the dog food is whats giving her a runny tummy cos she is given the usual chicken feed like the other two whose dropping are ok....she also hasnt laid an egg for three days and the brahma cockerel really "does it to her" more than he does to his own breed .. Is Messy ill, unhappy and maybe given too much attention from us and the brahma cockerel?

[Aunt Sally]

Welcome to the forum Mucha  

You have had a sorry time haven't you  :cry:

Chicken psychology - not easy to understand.  Messy sounds very 'put out'.  I would certainly stop her eating the dog's food, it's far too high in protein, fat and salt for a hen  :!:   Make sure she has plenty of 'chicken feed' and lots of fresh greens, hang them up so that she has to reach for them, that should keep her occupied and more contented.

Why do you have a cockerel by the way  :?:  I would have thought that with only a few birds you would only want hens and so get more eggs.  I'm sure you know you don't need a cockerel to make eggs I think you should keep him away from Messy, she probably feels very bullied, poor thing.  She'll settle down I'm sure.  Introducing new birds is always a litte traumatic for them.  I'm  not suppried she wants to get away to somewhere 'safe'  :!:

Once a fox knows where it can get a free meal it will keep returning, even in daylight hours while, as now, there are cubs to feed :evil: We have a local fox who lurks about our gardens, so for my peace of mind I installed a FoxWatch, this is where I got mine FoxWatch  It's a sonic device triggered by foxy which emits a sound, tuned to their hearing that they don't like.  A friend of mine who has a dog says it does not affect it at all.  It's not cheap but definitly cheaper than replacing your pet birds  :evil:

Good luck, let us know how she gets on  

[purplebat]

Why do you have a cockerel by the way  :?:  I would have thought that with only a few birds you would only want hens and so get more eggs.  I'm sure you know you don't need a cockerel to make eggs I think you should keep him away from Messy, she probably feels very bullied, poor thing.  She'll settle down I'm sure.  Introducing new birds is always a litte traumatic for them.  I'm  not suppried she wants to get away to somewhere 'safe'  :!:

the problem with cockerels is it all depends on who you speak to, some people are absolutely adamant that you need a cockerel to get more eggs, this is why I took a cockerel, and ended up with that horrible situation, but I will say that since the cockerels gone I have had more eggs than ever, (well until some-one started thieving them that is!) so I think I proved the point to myself, and the hens have been more content on their own, but some people will nto accept it

[Aunt Sally]

Your absolutly right in my opiniom PB. My two hens have laid over 700 eggs between them in 15 months, that's about 5-6 each per week over the whole period including the dark winter months.  

If you have a large flock a few cockerels will keep them herded together but unless you get your hen to cockerel ratio right (Munty would tell us that) the poor hen birds suffer, getting 'trodden' on all the time, and can be put off of laying rather than anything else     I suspect that is what is happening to Messy  :!:

[Mucha]

Thanks for the advice much appreciated. Reason we have a cockerel is that we thought maybe naively that it would be good company for the hens. We are now considering adding more hens. Is there a guide line for the correct ratio of hens to the cockerel :?:

Meanwhile we are trying to keep Messy away from the cockerel and we've replaced the dog food with chicken feed in the conservatory for when she visits :!:

We are also considering an electric fence any thoughts on this :?:

Any comments most welcome :!:

Mucha

[Aunt Sally]

I've been looking for the recommended ratio for cock to hen unsuccessfully I'm afraid.  I'll keep looking  

[Mucha]

Thanks Aunt Sally.

[purplebat]

I think I can vaguely remember Munty saying one cockerel to about 8 hens; but I could be wrong (I quite often am   )

[garyansell]

Hi Mucha, Could I offer you a sugestion on how to deter Mr Fox, On our allotment site six of us keep chickens and five lots have had a visit from our Mr Fox. The only thing I have done that the others didn't do, was to hang human hair in ladies tights around the run and collect my wee for two days and pour it around the whole enclosure. sounds crazy but it has worked for me, its either that or the other chickens are tastier!!!! Good luck and all the best. Gary.  

[Mucha]

I think I can vaguely remember Munty saying one cockerel to about 8 hens; but I could be wrong (I quite often am   )

Thanks purplebat we will definitely be adding some more hens to our flock! and by the way who is Munty?  

Mucha & Grant

[Mucha]

Hi Mucha, Could I offer you a sugestion on how to deter Mr Fox, On our allotment site six of us keep chickens and five lots have had a visit from our Mr Fox. The only thing I have done that the others didn't do, was to hang human hair in ladies tights around the run and collect my wee for two days and pour it around the whole enclosure. sounds crazy but it has worked for me, its either that or the other chickens are tastier!!!! Good luck and all the best. Gary.  

Thanks for the tips Gary :!:  Will try the human hair.... would never have thought of that :!:  Grant says that the first stage of the pee maneouvre is to drink lots of beer first, so I am still waiting for the outcome on that one :!:

Mucha & Grant

[GrannieAnnie]

And Munty is our foremost knowledgeable person on here, about almost anything, especially poultry, but he is having puter problems at the moment.

But when he does get back online, there aren't many questions he can't answer!! Whether its about poultry, or growing, or composting, or killing cooking and eating!!!!

[Aunt Sally]

His user name is muntjac if you want to do a quick search for his pearls of wisdom  

[garyansell]

Mucha,
          Just got back from the allotment after checking the chickens, still no sign of forced entry. However, my fellow allotmenteer opposite my plot had another visit from Mr Fox last night, luckily no chickens taken as their coop is like Fort Knox but he did burrow under and into the run. My chickens are less than 50 ft away from theirs but were left untouched. So I'm going to patent my idea and sell my hair (if only I had some) Good luck. Gary  

[Mucha]

Mucha,
          Just got back from the allotment after checking the chickens, still no sign of forced entry. However, my fellow allotmenteer opposite my plot had another visit from Mr Fox last night, luckily no chickens taken as their coop is like Fort Knox but he did burrow under and into the run. My chickens are less than 50 ft away from theirs but were left untouched. So I'm going to patent my idea and sell my hair (if only I had some) Good luck. Gary  

Hey Gary,
Sorry been away and left the chooks with son who altimately would prefer our dog to the chickens.  They are all doing well. mr Fox has had a couple o attempted visits. Dont know but wish to believe you are right as all is well.
Respect.