My rooster survivedr a nightmare.

ljonski

Are there reports of mink in your area? So Sorry this has happened!

senileturtle

hachette wrote: »

The fencing was buried into the ground and was made out of tenis court thick wire over 7feet tall (not just mesh) with netting across the whole top area. Their house had an automatic door that closes itself at night so I think this must have happened in the morning. I guess I will never know what animal did this but I am not putting Rocky back there so have to wait until I can get something else sorted if I am to keep him and get him few girls. Rocky still not eating mostly seating in the house but has wondered out few times.

Well then I've no clue really. You didn't go into great detail about enclosure security in previous posts, hence my comments. If it's automatic, is there a chance it could've failed?

Maybe have the enclosure nearer to the house and only have them out when you're about? You'll soon know if there is something wrong as hens sound the alarm to warn the others when predator is near. Also, perhaps a motion censor based flood light if you don't have one already? A big bright light suddenly coming on may scare a potential predator from continuing with it's hunt.

Also, it is possible to keep hens in a large hutch (with small run preferably) indoors - that way they can go to bed at night indoors and be free to forage in their enclosure during the day?

hachette

ljonski wrote: »

Are there reports of mink in your area? So Sorry this has happened!

Nobody near me keeps chickens so I don't know if that happened to them. We have made a wild pond 2 years ago not far from where the chickens where kept. Apparently that is where minks like to settle.

Rocky looks so much better today and has been eating and going out of his house a lot so I think he will be OK

senileturtle

Forgot to mention, although disgusting, some animals will avoid human urine smell.

hachette

Rocky escaped with his life again. I have Rocky now in 6 ft aviary just outside my kitchen. This is just until I can sort something out near the house. I let him out today in the garden and he spend hours on patio looking through my kitchen door and also wondered a bit further on the grass. I was watching him most of the time. At about 3pm I heard my husband running into the garden shouting go away go away I run after him and there was a fox standing few meters away from Rocky who was clacking trying to scare the fox off. The fox came right close to the house and almost had him. This is going to be hard night I know fox will come back just hope the aviary is secure enough my husband seems to think so .

gettingready

Oh dear.... poor Rocky

hachette

Rocky has got 2 new girls, he loved them from a start. Just waiting for a new house in few days it will be near my house this time.:j

hachette

Rocky's and his new girs house has arrived and it has been set up yesterday. It is a eglu cube house with 3m run and I must say I am very impressed with it. It is very well made and defenitely fox proof. Also the good thing about it is that is has wheels so when the chickens eat all the grass in that area you can move it to new grass. All of them looked very happy in there today this may be only fraction of the amount of space Rocky had before but he does not seem to mind. Let's hope many years of happy life and being able to see them from my kitchen and bedroom window is great.

hachette

Rocky's and his new girs house has arrived and it has been set up yesterday. It is an eglu cube house with 3m run and I must say I am very impressed with it. It is very well made and defenitely fox proof. Also the good thing about it is that is has wheels so when the chickens eat all the grass in that area you can move it to new grass. All of them looked very happy in there today this may be only fraction of the amount of space Rocky had before but he does not seem to mind. Let's hope many years of happy life and being able to see them from my kitchen and bedroom window is great.

calicocat

hachette wrote: »

Rocky's and his new girs house has arrived and it has been set up yesterday. It is an eglu cube house with 3m run and I must say I am very impressed with it. It is very well made and defenitely fox proof. Also the good thing about it is that is has wheels so when the chickens eat all the grass in that area you can move it to new grass. All of them looked very happy in there today this may be only fraction of the amount of space Rocky had before but he does not seem to mind. Let's hope many years of happy life and being able to see them from my kitchen and bedroom window is great.

If i'm thinking of the same thing I looked at a while ago those houses look great.

Hope all happy in their new dez-rez.