f common sense and an innate will to protect my girls, but that is about all!Most of my knowledge comes from the Internet, local farmers and a good imagination and love of film.....so it wont surprise anyone that I found myself remembering all of these siege movies where the likes of English Postmistress Mrs Frazer finished off the Nazi filth with an axe (Went the day well) or John Wayne repelling the Indians from the children filled church in Rio Grande.........hummm so just what would have the likes of Gregory Peck have done when faced with an murderous adversary with cunning and guile So....out I went at 6pm last night, with a 6 pack of diet coke and a large stick to watch over the flocks.
The whole experience was pretty and subtly stressful ! I parked myself in the centre of the field and for three hours constantly scanned the borders of the field as the mutton headed chickens constantly put themselves in harms way by wandering into the dark recesses of the stream and the hawthorn hedges. Occasionally I even had to curb the urge to yell over to them to return to the "safety" of the field centre....but did succumb to the odd bit of bribery when I "encouraged" the girls back into the fold with a hard bit of bagel !
Bird brain is not a phrase that I wrong I can tell you!
Anyhow, one by one the girls took themselves to bed and the night was drawn to a close without another casualty or another glimpse of Mr Fox.
I know the red faced welsh farmer would help me out if I needed a "hired gun", (and American readers my be interested to hear that the use of firearms is ruled with an iron glove by the authorities here in the UK)..but we will wait and see.....
A neighbour gave me some extra netting to plug the gaps in the pig fencing near the stream, which I did this morning, and all of the heavy greenery has been removed from the field borders. So the girls have more than a fighting chance to see any approaching predator.
I have also set up my solar powered radio on the top of the largest hen house roof, and have been tuned it to London Talk radio. I hope the sound of "chatter" might make the fox think I am around.
Remembering the 1960 movie Spartacus, I did have the urge to set up a a line of oil along the length of the fencing which I could set alight with a flaming touch thus providing a wall of fire between fox and hens.. but I suspect I was letting my imagination run away with myself when on the lonely vigil that is sentry duty!
Poor Chris....he came home last night to find me marching out of the house muttering "fu*king foxes!",, and just had time to ask "where's me tea?" before I was gone.......
( I did leave him a nice supper by the way!)
More of the same tonight
hey ho
Charleton Heston for President/Prime Minister!!
ReplyDeleteWe have shot guns and air rifles, if only we lived nearer, I'd personally shoot the sodding thing!
ReplyDeleteThe passion and fortitude of 'chicken people'! I admire you all. The radio thing is a good idea. We used it a lot with a dog we had when she was left alone....it made her feel that we humans were there....somewhere. Now a fox? Well, same family.
ReplyDeleteGood luck tonight, John.
..maybe buy a Llama.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the ring of fire!!! Not very practical, though, huh?
ReplyDeleteYou are the mightly keeper of your flock, no doubt. To give up your evening for sentry duty...I gave up mine to watch over my scaredy dogs during a horrible thunderstorm last night.
Think Lillian Gish in Night of the Hunter or The Unforgiven! Not that you could ever be as luminously beautiful as La Belle Lillian...but probably just as handy with a shotgun!
ReplyDeletehumm bel.....don't you think I have lilian's cheekbones?
ReplyDeleteHow about installing motion lights? When Mr. Fox gets within range, the lights turn on.
ReplyDeleteI could 'see' you sitting in the field watching over your girls. Such a good mama you are.
Oh, I like the motion lights idea! Though, a guardian dog would probably work well too. You might have to get a couple of goat, so that the dog feels like he really has something to guard, hahaha
ReplyDeleteI can just picture you out there, John, in the twilight. (?Muttering to yourself?) You do know, that when you give up, the fox will come around again.
ReplyDeleteNo.
ReplyDeleteI know that "Denny-the-Dog" is an excellent rabbiter, can chase them down and make his own kill with a toss of his head, but I don't know how he'd go with foxes. We still do have some around here but constanting culling is making them scarce. The quarantine laws would make lending him to you onerous, tho' and I doubt if he's a seasoned flyer.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you need a 'farm dog'?