We've had the worst problem with a fox lately! He's been hanging around off and on for almost 2 years, but has started visiting daily now. We lost a few hens to him in the fall. At that point a trapper came up and set out traps for a few weeks. I posted about that on the other blog.....you can read about it here: Waiting for the trap to snap. Unfortunately, the trapper didn't catch the fox then and it stayed away for several months. It got my male duck early this year, and another hen the same week. I tried sitting out with my rifle and waiting for it, but it never showed when I was there. It showed up a week or so later and was chasing the ducks around when the LGD came out and tore off after it into the woods. Once again it laid low for a month or so, then we saw this one morning.
Looks like something was desperately trying to dig into the coop! Since this finding he's taken 2 guineas out of the woods during the day and 2 more out of our yard in broad daylight! We're talking 9am! I spoke to the trapper and unfortunately there are restrictions about trapping this time of year, so it looks like I'll be doing it myself. I'm buying a large fox trap and setting it up this weekend. What else do I do? I've seen the large safe traps at Tractor Supply and they are not terribly expensive, so I guess I'll go that route. I just don't see any other option. I added 5 guineas to my flock this year and he's snagged them all along with several hens. ugh!
We've seen him in person and caught him on camera. I have more recent pictures, but this one is from right after trapper was here. Amazing that such a little guy can cause so much trouble...and how does he eat that much????
So tell me, what other solutions do you know of? What else can I do? I know I'm not the only one having problems....he's gotten the neighbors chickens too. The only solution is removal, but how? Have you ever had to get rid of a fox? What worked, what didn't? I appreciate all your help as I really am at my wits end and just can't wait until trapping season to get this guy.
Thanks!
~L
So, last night I was posting to my photography blog. Admittedly I mostly use it for importing into my portfolio site so I was never too worried about the design. As I previewed a new post I realized it was time to do something about the boring-ness that it was. I played around till I got it exactly as I wanted it. It's classy, a bit artsy, and eye catching. I love it! Which made me think about my other blogs. Why the heck did I use standard backgrounds when I have so many unique pictures of my own? Dumb, right? Why am I using standard template colors when there are so many to choose from to make things more interesting? So I started playing around with these 2 and....you can see the results.
Now, this is where you come in. Let me have it! What do you like, what do you hate? What is hard to read? What needs to be smaller, larger, less bold, more defined? I think this one needs a tad more work, but I can't figure out what.....please help! Don't worry...I won't get my feelings hurt! I would really love to hear what you have to say....so, comment away!
~L
Wow...have I really being chatting your ears off for 100 posts?? lol It's been a whole lot of fun, and I can't believe how the time has flown! I actually
started this blog to post updates about which chicks were available for
sale but quickly changed to a more informative slant then a sales
pitch. I love the direction things have headed in! It's so much more my style to inform then to sell and I've loved having a place to talk about the farm. A few interesting facts about these first 100 posts:
The most viewed post was about our new Goose house: Silkie Manor and a new goose house In fact, the most common Google search terms have been Goose Coop and Goose House.
My second most viewed post was about insulating our Guinea coop this winter: Insulating the coop It also happens to be our 3rd most popular post to be pinned on Pinterest.
The top pinned blog post is: Growing Fodder for feed However, It's very quickly being caught up to by the newer: Free Nest Boxes
While Geese seem to be the most common search topic, the search term I understand the least is "I don't really think that" I'm not sure why that phrase is put into the Google search engine or why it leads to this blog....but it pops up at least once a week. lol
Close to 95% of our viewers are from the USA.
We're averaging 3,000 page views per month. I get a good amount of referrals from some vampire site and a film site, but can't for the life of me find a link on them for us or anyone else....so I don't have a clue what that is about. I also get a good amount of referrals from Sunny Simple Life and The Chicken Chick So a big Thank You to them!
My favorite part of my daily blogging is reading your comments. I love hearing your experiences and ideas!
A big thanks to all my readers and followers for taking this blog journey with me. You make this all the fun that it is! I'm so looking forward to continuing to grow as a blogger and being around for another 100 posts....and even more!
~L
This years first set of D'Uccle chicks have hatched. Well, 4 of them hatched! Mama took her kids out of the nest and went out to play, leaving the last 6 eggs there. I guess she was done being broody and that was just it for her. Lol After a few hours when I was sure she wasn't going back....I took the remaining eggs and candled them. They were all fine and close to hatching, so I put them in the incubator.
Broody hens are funny. Sometimes they are ready to be done and other times they continue to sit even after the chicks hatch. I even had one hen steal eggs to replace the ones that hatched! This one though was ready to be done sitting and she rushed those chicks out into the sunlight to play. She's a good mama, showing the chicks where their food is and scaring the other chickens away from them. She watched as I changed the fence around to exclude the pond....letting them run under her wings and back out again and again.
I moved the D'uccles into the duck pen a few weeks back when we sold the ducks. Today I moved the fence and I'm hoping to put some plants and fish in the pond. Not sure how that's going to go with the local frogs though. They think its their pond! Lol
I moved the fence so the D'uccles wouldn't fall in the pond but now the Marans can reach the pond. Not sure how its all going to work out. I'm hoping they just stay away. I'll keep you posted!
~L
Shared at: The welcoming house
And: Tuesdays with a twist
