- Aug 14, 2010
- 9
- 74
- 92
I have 13 hens and one rooster. There’s a fox in our neighborhood, but two sides of our property face fairly busy roads, so he doesn’t usually come too close to our house, and I have fences protecting the yard. One fence is kind of flimsy - it’s really meant to keep the chickens IN, and it’s on the side near the busier road, so the fox doesn’t like to approach from that side. The other is much stronger, and about 4’ high. I know the fox can jump it, and it’s way over on the other side of the property from where I live, so I worry about it more.
I often let the chickens roam the yard during the day, if I'm home, and as it gets dark, they're supposed to put themselves to bed. They have a hutch inside a separate pen with a very strong six foot fence all around.
Sometimes the chickens pretend they’re teenagers, and stay out till the very last minute. I go out when it’s past dark and check on them, though I usually don’t count them. I close the trap door under the hutch, then close the door to the pen, and that's it.
I went through that routine, a couple nights ago, and was inside watching TV a couple hours after dark. Suddenly - way off in the distance, I hear the signature blood-curdling scream of a chicken being attacked. I leap up, jam on my shoes, grab my flashlight, and take off towards the far end of the yard - the side with the four foot fence. I’d hurt my foot, a couple of days earlier, and my shoes were crummy worn-out loafers, so I could hardly run. I also couldn’t clap my hands, which I usually do to scare off hawks, or the fox, because of the flashlight. The chicken was still screaming as I approached, and then I saw a shadowy figure dash off towards the four-foot fence. The screaming stopped as I gave chase and frantically flashed my beam this way and that, trying to locate them. I was pretty sure the fox had jumped the fence, since I couldn’t find him or the hen anywhere. I searched the area, hopped the fence and looked around the neighbor’s yard, and then went back to where the sound of the screaming had been. There, on the ground, a sight I hate to see - feathers. There were quite a few - mostly inside feathers, but some outside ones too. I looked for any sign of flesh, or blood, but didn’t see any. I went to the fence again, wondering how he could have jumped it with a three or four pound chicken in his jaws, but my heart told me - he could do it, I was sure - no problem. I went back to the house with a heavy heart - let them down again. It's a feeling I hate.
I slept badly. The next morning, I went to the door to get the day started, and one of the chickens is there, outside the pen. That's happened, once in a while; they can’t get out of the hutch until I open the trap door, but if they’ve avoided my roundup at night, they can jump out - that’s happened too. So I didn’t think too much of her, already being out. But then I wondered… was it possible? Could the hen have… escaped? I thought about the feathers… Come to think of it, there hadn’t been that many, really. Maybe the fox had jumped the fence without the hen… I looked into the hutch and tried to think; which one was missing? then I started counting. 11, 12, 13… and with the hen in the yard… 14! She did! She escaped! I couldn’t believe it. Could not believe it! Going to improve that fence, tomorrow.
I often let the chickens roam the yard during the day, if I'm home, and as it gets dark, they're supposed to put themselves to bed. They have a hutch inside a separate pen with a very strong six foot fence all around.
Sometimes the chickens pretend they’re teenagers, and stay out till the very last minute. I go out when it’s past dark and check on them, though I usually don’t count them. I close the trap door under the hutch, then close the door to the pen, and that's it.
I went through that routine, a couple nights ago, and was inside watching TV a couple hours after dark. Suddenly - way off in the distance, I hear the signature blood-curdling scream of a chicken being attacked. I leap up, jam on my shoes, grab my flashlight, and take off towards the far end of the yard - the side with the four foot fence. I’d hurt my foot, a couple of days earlier, and my shoes were crummy worn-out loafers, so I could hardly run. I also couldn’t clap my hands, which I usually do to scare off hawks, or the fox, because of the flashlight. The chicken was still screaming as I approached, and then I saw a shadowy figure dash off towards the four-foot fence. The screaming stopped as I gave chase and frantically flashed my beam this way and that, trying to locate them. I was pretty sure the fox had jumped the fence, since I couldn’t find him or the hen anywhere. I searched the area, hopped the fence and looked around the neighbor’s yard, and then went back to where the sound of the screaming had been. There, on the ground, a sight I hate to see - feathers. There were quite a few - mostly inside feathers, but some outside ones too. I looked for any sign of flesh, or blood, but didn’t see any. I went to the fence again, wondering how he could have jumped it with a three or four pound chicken in his jaws, but my heart told me - he could do it, I was sure - no problem. I went back to the house with a heavy heart - let them down again. It's a feeling I hate.
I slept badly. The next morning, I went to the door to get the day started, and one of the chickens is there, outside the pen. That's happened, once in a while; they can’t get out of the hutch until I open the trap door, but if they’ve avoided my roundup at night, they can jump out - that’s happened too. So I didn’t think too much of her, already being out. But then I wondered… was it possible? Could the hen have… escaped? I thought about the feathers… Come to think of it, there hadn’t been that many, really. Maybe the fox had jumped the fence without the hen… I looked into the hutch and tried to think; which one was missing? then I started counting. 11, 12, 13… and with the hen in the yard… 14! She did! She escaped! I couldn’t believe it. Could not believe it! Going to improve that fence, tomorrow.
(military) I suppose I looked like a crazy woman. Ditched the heels three steps out the door.
