Early yesterday morning, we saw a doe and two fawns from the kitchen window. So still and peaceful and lovely.
But sadly, this morning, discovered that a fox had somehow managed to unlatch the little back door to henhouse #2, and killed our three remaining hens (all that remained of our laying hens from henhouse #1 after the last fox attack the other week); fortunately, the three little chicks were left. Two dozen hens, killed in several weeks. Gah. I'll have to see if I can find farm eggs elsewhere, though none will be organic as ours were.
We're not sure what has happened -- the hen houses had been impregnable for 10 years, and we've never had such a problem with predators before (including black bears, which my husband had never seen around here previously in all of his 46 years).
Seems as though the animals are taking back their territory...
I am so sorry to hear this. It is so sad to have to deal with this and hope the kids are OK.
Dh and I tremble every morning on going to the hens, since the roadrunner hens refuse to roast anywhere other than a very low laurel hedge. We have been almost shocked that something terrible has not already happened.
As to the black bears, wow...that would be just amazing. We manage wild boars, which scare the pants of me and give the dogs and the horses a serious case of the jitters, but that is as wild as we get round here!
And I do agree re the animals taking back their territory. The diversity of wild birds is definitely on the up, the number of weasels, newts, grass snakes, adders, peregrine falcons and other birds of prey is rocketing and we have really weird, unidentifiable and exotic looking butterflies everywhere.
I know we humans are meant to be guilt tripping ourselves about the damage we are doing to the environment but around here, it really does seem as if things are looking up.
The kids are fine, but thanks for your thoughts. They've actually had quite an education in the balance of nature, as you put it so aptly (and which I much prefer to the "circle of life," now hijacked by Disney). And at least the baby chicks escape. Just how I'm not sure, though...
Early yesterday morning, we saw a doe and two fawns from the kitchen window. So still and peaceful and lovely.
ReplyDeleteBut sadly, this morning, discovered that a fox had somehow managed to unlatch the little back door to henhouse #2, and killed our three remaining hens (all that remained of our laying hens from henhouse #1 after the last fox attack the other week); fortunately, the three little chicks were left. Two dozen hens, killed in several weeks. Gah. I'll have to see if I can find farm eggs elsewhere, though none will be organic as ours were.
We're not sure what has happened -- the hen houses had been impregnable for 10 years, and we've never had such a problem with predators before (including black bears, which my husband had never seen around here previously in all of his 46 years).
Seems as though the animals are taking back their territory...
Dear Becky,
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear this. It is so sad to have to deal with this and hope the kids are OK.
Dh and I tremble every morning on going to the hens, since the roadrunner hens refuse to roast anywhere other than a very low laurel hedge. We have been almost shocked that something terrible has not already happened.
As to the black bears, wow...that would be just amazing. We manage wild boars, which scare the pants of me and give the dogs and the horses a serious case of the jitters, but that is as wild as we get round here!
And I do agree re the animals taking back their territory. The diversity of wild birds is definitely on the up, the number of weasels, newts, grass snakes, adders, peregrine falcons and other birds of prey is rocketing and we have really weird, unidentifiable and exotic looking butterflies everywhere.
I know we humans are meant to be guilt tripping ourselves about the damage we are doing to the environment but around here, it really does seem as if things are looking up.
Not that surprising that the hens refuse to roast!!!
ReplyDeleteDear oh dear...You can probably tell that it wasn't my turn to drive last night!
ReplyDeleteLoved the roasting comment : )
ReplyDeleteThe kids are fine, but thanks for your thoughts. They've actually had quite an education in the balance of nature, as you put it so aptly (and which I much prefer to the "circle of life," now hijacked by Disney). And at least the baby chicks escape. Just how I'm not sure, though...