Since my first chickens arrived a year ago I have thoroughly enjoyed eating the eggs and caring for the birds. Mind you, ‘first’ indicates that I have had more than one since I started and caring has been an ambition rather than a qualification. I have actually bought 10 chucks in the last year and only have one left. Mr Fox has taken the rest, one by one.
To start with the hens all had names and strutted around the garden, across the road and in to my neighbour’s gardens as though they owned the place. True free range, I told my neighbour and gave them eggs in return for the uprooting of the prize winning shrubs in their carefully groomed flower beds (chickens love scratching for bugs). At night they all came back to their hutch and were happy to have their door closed, each giving a ‘cluck’ as I said ‘goodnight’.
Eventually crafty Mr Fox discovered these easy meals and helped himself to a chicken every month. As the kids were at school no memorial service was required, the lost chickens were replaced but not given names of their own. My one remaining friend called ‘Chicken’, seems to have avoided Mr Fox’s attention or is too quick and alert to be caught, fingers crossed.
‘Chicken’ seems very healthy, if a little lonely which is why I let her in to the office occasionally, to sit on the chair behind me and monitor my work. A little embarrassing when she starts clucking when I am on the phone though, ‘my new filing assistant I explain’.
So some questions for you experts out there: How can I keep the fox away? If I had kept all my chickens in a fenced ‘run’ and the fox had got in, would I have lost them all, in one go? Should I get ‘Chicken’ a friend or allow her to do more office work? And can I house train her?