Archived News

3rd August 2008

A scene of carnage met us in the hen house and yard yesterday, where we found eight decapitated hens and later three heads in scattered locations.  The hen house was a mess of feathers and blood and nesting boxes were tipped over presumably when the fox was jumping up at the perched hens.

It was a job to get the hens back indoors in the evening  but we eventually counted 22 birds including the guinea fowl and cockerel, so a total of 9 hens were taken by a fox. 

We have just returned from the Cranleigh Agricultural Society Show which was great fun.  There were cattle and sheep on show and a Gloucester Oldspot sow with a litter of 12 piglets which captivated the audience.  What I like about these local agricultural shows is that they stay faithful to their roots, the public can get up close to the livestock and hear commentary about each breed as it is paraded in the judging ring.  There was a sheepdog demonstration and displays by Poultry keepers, bee keepers and hurdle makers, it was a real country day out.

On our return, George was fetching some straw for the pigs when he came face to face with a fox in the yard as it was ripping the head off our cockerel Rocky.  He says this was a young healthy fox, not the scrawny one we chased out of the office last week.  The fox obviously got a taste for killing our hens yesterday and is coming back for more.

Our new pedigree Belted Galloway cows and calves have now arrived and are grazing a field up at Abinger Common.  There are 21 in total; 11 cows a two year old heifer and nine calves.  Having spent the winter housed in a barn they were very excited when they went out to grass.  After a few weeks settling in we will introduce the cows to Harvey the bull.