Hopton House Blog Comments
Chickens
Posted by Karen Thorne on 17/06/2010 18:22:14
We have very happy hens here at Hopton House. They have nearly 2 acres to wander around in and are allowed to live out their natural lives - well mostly ( see below )! As a result we get some lovely eggs, all with bright golden yolks as a result of all the fresh grass and other natural things that the chickens find to eat.
Unfortunately not all the chickens behave themselves and lay in their nest boxes, so we have to wait for their telltale squawking and run immediately to where they are and locate the freshly laid eggs.
One question I'm often asked by guests is "Do you have problems with foxes?". We do, indeed, have at least one fox that comes into the garden every night. Provided the hens are safely locked away in their coop ( they take themselves to bed but have failed to cotton on that the last one in should lock the door behind them ) then they are safe.
At this time of year, though, the foxes have young and are desperately looking for food for their cubs. We have a garden full of baby rabbits, eating our plants, but a slower moving succulent hen is a delicacy and easier catch. The wild flower meadow is at its best and highest so it is easy for a fox to jump into the garden and not be seen during the day.
Normally Mitsi the BnB Dog is pretty hot on security and will immediately see off any daytime foxes but occasionally there are lapses. Last week we lost a chuck late evening ( the moral of the story there my dear hens is to get off to bed briskly and not wander round the long grass in the paddock ).
This week, whilst chatting to guests in the dining room, I looked up at a commotion and saw a small fox cub in the garden. We both stared at each for a while before we both came to our senses. I let Mitsi out and the fox disappeared. Unfortunately I suspect the cub was a decoy whilst Mum went and helped herself to breakfast, as there was nothing left of one of hens but a pile of feathers.
To be honest, whilst I do get upset to see the end of a hen I also see it as the way of the countryside. The foxes here never seen to take more than they can eat.
Here we have a picture of Toffee, who is loved by all our guests. She is a Partridge Cochin and a waste of space as far as egg production is concerned but she has a bustle, bloomers and runs like a girl - which has to be good!
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