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Contains forums, wildlife live webcams, diary, blog, artciles and pictures of farm animals.

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We have decided to try Twitter You can catch upon…

We have decided to try Twitter. You can catch upon the latest news on our Twitter site. http://twitter.com/denburyfarm Join and be one of our followers http://twitter.com

Although the Emu and Rhea are . easy to look after they have increased our workload giving me less time to do a Diary or upload any photographs on the Gallery but I will try harder.

Three batches of the Emu eggs have not hatched, so it seems that the power cut we had did not do us any favours. The three batches came from the small incubator. It is possible that the bigger incubator may not had suffered so much, but I wont be holding my breath. We were looking forward to having the Emu Chicks to show on the webcams and for our Holiday Guests to see. The Emu are still laying and we have managed to put another 40 eggs in the incubator since the power cut. We have let two Emu sit eggs in their paddock. One is very diligent and has not moved off of the eggs at all. The other one is a waste of time, on and off its nest allowing the eggs to get cold. Other females are still laying on the nest, but they will not hatch so I am having to put my hand under the Emu to find the new laid eggs.

We have given up trying to return Edwin back with the other Emu. We have returned him twice but he just comes back to be close to the Farm House. When we went looking for our Sheep a couple of weeks back we found the way Edwin was getting back to the Farm. There were some of his feathers on a fence where he had got through, so as we thought he was travelling nearly a mile through the Woods and Fields to get back to us.

The Black Swans really have brought the Lake alive since they have been here. We are getting lots of Geese and Ducks visiting. There have never been so many Ducks living on the Lake. There have been a two regular small flocks of Canada Geese visiting, some times staying over night. One a flock of six and another of eleven. The good news is that last years breeding pair are coming regular and have been going on to the Island. This morning we have seen them mating and chasing off the other Geese. Not sure how the Swans will react as they have also been visiting the Island over the past two weeks, so much so that they flattened the grass that I usually need to strim. Could be that they are trying to stop the Geese from settling.

Have to finish now as Dennis is very unwell. Must admit it doesnt look good. I have given him antibiotics and we have got him in the Farm House in front of the aga keeping him warm. His breathing is very laboured, he is not eating but we are trying to get him to take a little water with a syringe. I will let you know how he gets on.

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There were not many who disagreed with me on the…

There were not many who disagreed with me on the Forum about the Fox. Many no doubt kept there opinions to themselves. But I hope the photograph of the dead Goose with its head ripped off will show those who protested the loudest that they need to think very seriously of what their choice would be. But take into consideration that this Goose was one of 12 that we offered to buy as they were in a dark barn and we wanted to give them a good home and a better life than they had. This Goose had a small problem with her legs and was named Wobbly because of her walk. Also take into consideration what stress, fear and pain she went through before she had her head ripped off by the Fox.

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We had a power cut on Monday Tuesday night We…

We had a power cut on Monday/Tuesday night. We only knew about it at 5.30am when one of our holiday guests knocked us up after realising that the incubators would have stopped. The electricity company were quick to respond finding a main fuse on an outside pole had blown, but it was not until nearly 8.am before we had our electricity working.

Unfortunately it looks very much as if we have lost all of the Emu Eggs that we had incubating. The fist 20 were due this to hatch this week but but there is no signs of any hatching. There are about a 100 egg incubating. Being that we are unable to candle the Emu Eggs we will have to let them go for the full 55 days just in case by chance the odd one survived. I am not holding my breath. We must have had nearly 200 eggs and have managed to put 18 new one in the incubator yesterday. I am not sure how many more eggs we will get. I have let two Male Emu sit eggs. One is sitting over 10, not sure about the other one. The intention was to allow after this week all of the eggs to be hatch naturally by the Emu. But I would like to incubate some eggs. Until I let the Emu sit the eggs we were getting 20 plus eggs a week but that has reduced now they are sitting. We may be lucky.

This afternoon I went to show Julia and Chris the signs of where the Otter was on the bottom Pond. I expected to find some of Otter droppings, but the first sign of the Otter that we came across was the scales of a 10lb Carp that the Otter must have had for his dinner last evening. That is how you can tell if it is an Otter rather than Mink. Mink will eat all of the Fish, the Otter will leave the scales. About 10 years ago there must have been an Otter with Cubs on the main Lake as every day for weeks I was finding the scale from 1 or 2 large Fish by the side of the Lake. The main lake as you know is electric fenced against both the Otter and the Fox. Seeing the scales today has given me a reality check and realised that the Fish taken would cost in the region of

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The Geese returned this morning We heard their honking as…

The Geese returned this morning. We heard their honking as we went out to feed the Horses and Emu. The Swans know they are there and are not best pleased, staying in their protected area, not coming out for their morning feed even though the Geese were at the other end of the Lake. Seeing the Swans food the Geese went to the area and were hovering about not sure that they were safe to go close to eat it.

A week or so back we had a flock of 12 Geese land and were harassed by the Swans until they flew off. This encounter is going quite differently so it could be that there was a bit of a set to before I saw them. The Swans being only a year old may be intimidated by the older Geese, Although when the Swan swam in the direction of the Geese the Geese went in direction. Some one mentioned about the Swans mating this year. Black Swans as Emu mate in the Winter. Normally laying their eggs about late November, but not until they are at least two years old. The Geese flew off after more than an hour. They will come and go over the next month or so, making up their mind if they are going to nest on the Lake. That is of course that seeing the Swan will stop them returning. I hope they nest this year on the Lake as it had a good ending last year with the Geese producing 5 live Gosling. The first time on our Lake. Seeing them fly off when they fledged was a great moment, only exceeded when they made a quick visit with the Goslings before they flew away to where ever they over Winter.

What I hope that the Geese don’t do is to try to nest by the Pond next to the Lake. It is not protected from the Fox or Otter with electric fencing and there is no Island. Being let down with having the new lake dug out in September spoilt what I had in my mind to do by putting the Swan on the new Lake. If this dry spell continues we may be able to start the new Lake in a month or so. That will still be to late.

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Mary the red blob is a milk crate that I…

Mary, the red blob is a milk crate that I left up there when I was trying to get the other Badger webcam working. I will try to get it going when it warms up a bit.

It is going to be interesting if all the Emu eggs hatch. There are about a 100 in the incubators, and we have sold a good few eggs. I should think we wont have a lot of trouble selling any Chicks as they are really nice to keep. I always thought that the Reindeer was my favorite animal to keep, but I am starting to think that the inquisitive Emu is starting to take preference. The intention was to sell a few pairs, but I have now decided to fence the main Horse Field with stock proof fencing and let the Emu share the Field with the Horses. They will be a good combination for the good of the Field.

Some one asked about the Swan that went to a Sanctuary with an injury. I was told that it died. I am not convinced, with the amount of Swans they have there is no chance of me recognising it.

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Starting from number one there are five new photographs on…

Starting from number one there are five new photographs on the Photo Page.

Edds Emu Chick.

Edds Emu Chick with his dog and three of the late Asbo prodigy that Edd hatched.

Another of the Chick

Edwin our Emu who prefers human company.

Emu feather. As you can see one main quill that branches off into two feathers,

I believe I told you in November when I found my first Emu egg. I didn’t bother to try to incubate it as I was unsure how old it was. I left it on the side in our kitchen for a good three weeks before mentioning it to Edd a Farmer from where we get our corn to feed the animals on the Farm. A week later when I returned to collect another load of corn I gave the egg to Edd telling him that I was not over confident that it would hatch. Yesterday afternoon Edd phoned me to tell that the egg was starting to hatch. Edd has just phoned me to tell that he has a live Emu Chick. I am jealous. At least I know that we may get some chicks from the nearly a hundred that are now in the incubator. The Emu have layed over 140 eggs up to now.

Most of the Chickens have been kept in their houses since we lost the last one. Yesterday and today we let those that are just outside the Farm House kitchen door. Two White Silkies, a few Buff Orpington and Dennis. As Mrs.Farmer went to feed the Badgers last night the Fox had just taken one of the White Silkies, just a few yards from the kitchen door. The same Fox that was eating at the Badgers feeding area very soon after. Mrs.Farmer is well upset.

Mick I really am pleased that I was not your neighbour when you were feeding your dead chickens to Fox. Every type of animal or bird has it own scent. Once a Fox takes a Chicken he will remember that scent as an easy kill and will continue to take the easy kill until he can get no more. If Mr.Fox could not get to your Chickens because of your electric fencing, for sure he would have been looking for your neighbors tasty birds after you giving him a taste. As you said Mick the Fox soon learns.

As for those who have suggested trapping the Fox and taking it to another area. I don’t think that you could have seriously thought about the implications. Or would you think it right to give some other person your problem so that their Chicken are taken by Mr.Fox. Or release the captured Fox in another Fox territory. Have you thought about that the other Fox might just not want him there. As for trapping, I don’t believe that any of you would be successful. As the saying goes crafty or as sly as a Mr.Fox. He is not for catching easy. So we wont be trying the trapping angle.

We are getting our Fox problem because we are in the middle the Fox mating season. For sure the Fox taking our Chickens is a young Dog Fox intruder being drawn in by a Vixen on heat. We have Fox close to the Farm. Other than about ten years ago they never gave us any problems. There are for most of the time someone working outside with our two dogs close to the Chickens and other animals, not a place a Fox would want to intrude on unless very hungry. They wont put themselves in unnecessary danger with our Dogs when ample food is available in their close territory. As you can see on the webcams we have more than enough Rabbits, Pheasant and other food sources to keep a Fox more than well fed. The Dog Fox intruder will hang around until the Vixen becomes receptive. Depending on what part of the Vixens cycle the Dog Fox arrived will depend how long he will hang around. If it is a long time he will become very hungry. Not being familiar with the area he will take the easiest food he can find. Our Free Range Chicken. Even after the mating season is over he will still hang about whilst he can smell the scent of easy food.

It is well known on this Forum that I have always been against hunting with dogs, but I never believed that peoples rights should be taken away with the ban. We need more referendum’s in this Country. If a referendum had been held on hunting with dog there would still have been a ban, but it would have been easier for the hunting fraternity to accept it. Since the ban I have had to question part of the ban. In a few circumstances it is causing animals to suffer by more than alternatives than hunting itself. Fox are now being controlled by snaring and lamping. Caught in a snare a Fox may be left to die in agony for a week or more with the snare wire cutting deep into it neck or body, making the Fox struggle more and more trying to escape. Lamping in usually when people guns are lined up on the rear of a Land Rover type vehicle. The vehicle goes around farmland with very bright lamps looking for Fox. When they see a Fox they chase after it taking shots at the Fox with a shotgun. With the vehicles bouncing about over farm land, getting an accurate shot is difficult and very often the Fox escapes through a hedge wounded. The festering gangrene wound may take weeks to finally kill the Fox. Some times the hunts did illegally drag a Fox from it earth, a hole or pipe. Blame those enforcing the law, but it still died a lot quicker than being wounded by snaring or being shot by people lamping.

I can not see any reason for deer hunting. If there are an over population of Deer they will start to encroach on crops, it is then for the Farmers to cull by shooting. Done by professional the Deer will not suffer. It is the Poachers who hunt in the night that injure rather than kill. Mick and Marie/NJ argument about we are inhabiting and taking over the Wildlife’s natural area is ridiculous. The worlds population is increasing unless you are prepared to stop humans mating as they partially do in China or go back to living in the open, caves and woods. You are not going to stop it. Don’t know about Marie but Mick has mentioned his Son. If he was sincere in his argument he should of and any others who feel the same should have kept their pants on and not had Children.

I don’t pretend to know every thing about Country Life and ways. But I live the life daily. I know when we have a problem, and I know when we need to do some thing about the problem. Our web stats for our website shows me that over 95% of our visitors live in towns and cities, so I can understand that there are many who speak with their hearts rather than their heads. I did when I lived in a City.

I can not find the entry on the Forum but some one thought that I may take offence at the criticism about shooting the Fox and close the website. I believe in free speech and I don’t mind being criticised, so it would not make me shut shop and disappear. I hope none of you take offence about the recent Diaries. Although Mr.Fox may.

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Well well there are a few entries on the forum…

Well, well there are a few entries on the forum that are judging me for telling that if I cant protect our Chickens, Geese and Turkey with electric fencing I will have to shoot it. I may have misunderstood today’s entry by Maria that I am encouraging the Fox by feeding the Badgers. If it had not been for the Badgers in the first place there would never had been the Wildlife TV website and the web cams. So I make no apologises for feeding the Badgers. Before we started to feed the Badgers we had our Children’s Chickens taken by a Fox. Feeding the Badgers is not the cause of the Fox taking the Chickens.

Yesterday after leaving the Chickens, Geese and Turkey in their housing housing for two days we let them out to stretch their legs and our Black Rock Chicken was taken by the Fox, and that was even with us checking them every ten to fifteen minutes. And no Mick (Hampshire) it was not a Stoat or Mink, it was a Fox.

Unfortunately after having a very careful look at the possibility of electric fencing it will not be practical as there are to many access points and gates that are in constant use. I even considered a large fenced area for the Chickens, Geese and Turkey but the cost of such a structure is prohibitive and it takes away our choice of having the Birds free range and the Birds their freedom. I purchased the Geese as they were confined in an unsuitable area and I felt that they should have their freedom.

I like most welcomed the ban on hunting with dogs. But with no natural predator there is no way of that the Fox can be controlled other than them being shot. Why should they be controlled? There are to many. Even before the hunting ban their natural boundaries were extended into out Town and Cities where they are classed as vermin. Because of their scavenging for food around dustbins that have caused an increase in rat population. Hunting although I still believe is cruel, it is a much better option than shooting. They are even killed outright or get away. With shooting there is always the chance that the Fox will suffer weeks of agony with wounds.

I believe that all of our Wildlife is important and have over the years done more than most to protect it. I do not relish even the thought that it may be necessary to kill a Fox, but domesticated Animals and Birds are of no less of importance than than those in the Wild. I introduced the Chickens, Geese and Turkey to Denbury and I have a duty to protect them from predator. Is it right that the Birds are slaughtered, some times not even as a meal without giving them protection. It could be that some of you may feel that domesticated fowl are less important than a Fox. I don’t.

We know and feel for all of the Animals and Birds that we keep at Denbury, as you would your own Pets. Would you allow your pets to be attacked or killed without doing all you could to stop it? I spent many hours and a lot of money electric fencing the Lake to stop the Fox and Otter from killing the Canadian Geese. More for the Geese and Ducks than our Fish. It was a bonus that it protected both. Unfortunately electric fencing will not work to protect the Birds.

No doubt some of those judging me are the same who sit down to eat their Sunday joint and two veg. The joint that got its way to your table starting as a living Animal at a Farm, travelling maybe hundreds of miles in a crowded lorry to a livestock market. To be penned up for hours tightly packed waiting to go into the auction ring where they are prodded and poked to keep them moving, before being put back into their pens to wait hours to be shipped to holding farms before finishing up in a slaughter house, again waiting for hours smelling the fear of death before they are shot in the head or electrically stunned, hung up within seconds with the chance that their skins and hides are ripped off of their backs before they are properly dead. Or maybe you had a Chicken for your dinner. The same Chicken that was hooked upside down by one leg before having its throat cut still flapping its wings trying to escape why being plucked. Maybe you had Fish. The same Fish that was trawled and netted by the thousands. So much weight in the nets that other than those Fish at the top where squashed, then allowed to die a lingering death on the deck of a trawler. If it is necessary to kill a Fox it will be done to protect, not for gain

Sue, Middlesex. I don’t allow links.

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Every evening that I try to write an entry some…

Every evening that I try to write an entry some thing comes up and it never gets started.

Three days ago a Fox had one of our Chickens. To be honest with the amount of Geese that we have who were in the area where the Fox stuck, we should have been warned with the noise that they make, but we did not hear a sound. I thought until the next day when he had another taken that it may have been a Sparrow Hawk or an Owl. All of the Chickens are very friendly and the first that was taken was Fluffy a Black Silky. We got it with a White Silky that an Owl had on the first day that we let it out. Fluffy was one of our Holiday guests favorite Chickens, she would always be a the Cottages doors waiting for a crumb or two.

Being that I thought that it was a Sparrow Hawk or Owl I didn’t take any precautions in case it returned. That was a big mistake as on Monday the Fox returned and had Asbo. We had not had Asbo very long and he was originally purchased only to produce Chicks. Although he had come from a Farm where he would not have come into much contact with people he was extremely friendly and like Fluffy he was a great favorite with our Holiday Guests. At least we have nearly 100 of his off springs.

We cant take the risk that the Fox will take more of the Chicken and Geese so for the past two days every one is in their houses and will have to stay there until we can get a electric fenced area for them. I have not had a firearms licence for nearly twelve years but I am applying for one today in case we can not stop the Fox from taking the Chickens.

Most of you know my feelings about hunting with dogs, but since the ban there are many more Fox around. As much as I don’t like Fox hunting it was a better alternative than having to shoot them. Shooting a Fox can leave them injured rather that killing the outright as with hunting and they may have weeks of pain with shot gun wounds.

Some of you saw the Fox in the Valley the other night. There were three. Probably a Vixen in season and two suitors. I must admit if I had a shotgun there would have been one or two less.

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Starting from number eleven there are five new photographs on…

Starting from number eleven there are five new photographs on the Photo Page.

A few days ago I saw a lonely Wagtail in the garden – quite sad, they’re always in flocks!!
Today we had about 10-12 Fieldfares in the garden, also a couple of Redwings although I didn’t get any good pics of them! Julia

It got a lot warmer here today. Still very cold but in some areas near the buildings we even had a little melting. A lot different than we were told only last night that there was going to be steady snow all day. Pity John Hirst the top man at the Met Office wasn’t told. He was on Sky News this afternoon trying to explain what went wrong with the mild winter that was promised. We didn’t really say that he told us, but our five day forecasts are very reliable. Crap, the five day are nearly the worse after the 24 hour forecast that they change after looking out of the window and realising it is not what they had forecast the night before. I think I told you what our forecaster said to me when I rang the BBC Bristol weather office manned by a Richard Angwin who is employed by the Met Office. I complained that he had forecast a dry day the evening before the the day I had rang and it was pouring down. Had I refreshed the page he asked, as I have changed the forecast in the last hour. Unreal.

We have been feeding the Emu, Rhea and Swans three times a day with the weather being as cold as it is. The extra food will help them generate more body heat. The Birds seem to be a lot more mobile since. They have been a worry. I know that they acclimatise but seeing them sat outside in the cold is a concern when they originate from Australia. The Emu feathers deflect the suns heat so I hope that they are also good protection against the cold. The feathers are also unique. Two feathers branch out from one quill. If I remember I will put a photograph of one on the Photo Page.

Mick asked about the new Lake. Unfortunately it has not been started. I must admit I am getting concerned that it wont be ready for when the Geese return. The Swans wont chase the Geese away, but the Geese if they do try to stay on the Lake may harass the Swans. Black Swans are the only Swans that will live amicably together in the breeding season. The Geese we have had on the Lake are the complete opposite. I maybe wrong and the Geese will take no notice of the Swans.

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Starting from number six there are five new photographs on…

Starting from number six there are five new photographs on the Photo Page.

There are quite a lot of photographs to go on the Photo Page. I thought that I had better put these Christmas one from Jannette (Cheshire) on now as it is nearly forgotton.

We woke yesterday morning to 8 to 10 inches of snow and it was cold. Even colder last night, and I do believe the Emu and Rhea must be feeling it as the Emu were very slow coming for their feed this morning. We are giving all of the animals extra feed as with the ground being covered with snow there is no grazing. For the first time tonight three emu laid their eggs in the shelters. Some of them are taking cover in the shelters at night and some do not, The Rhea are don’t take cover at all.

Eight of our Sheep are in the barn with the other ten in the Woods. I don’t suppose we will see them until the snow goes. The Chickens have the Barns to go in during the day when they are let out from their houses in the morning. The Geese don’t seem to mind the snow or cold and they wander around in and out of the barn all day. Dennis doesn’t seem to like the cold and hangs around the Farm House porch. When one of the Buff Orpingtons who lives with Dennis ventured out of his house his feet touched the snow he jumped on a snow free piece of wood and stayed on it until bed time. I don’t think any of us like the snow other than the Horses who buck and jump about in delight.

Asbo is another who is not keen on the snow, but he has done his job very well. Most of the 100 eggs that you have seen hatching previous to the current hatch in progress are Asbo progeny, with well over 90% fertility. The current hatch was from eggs collected when we were having our yard concreted and the Chickens were kept housed for longish periods. These eggs have not been so fertile. We did not expect to get as many Chicks as we have.

The Badger are coming to feed a bit more now that the ground is very hard with frost and they are unable to dig for worms. We don’t seem to be seeing as many rats at the feeding are, with a bit of luck this cold spell we get rid of a few. We hope that it doesn’t reduce the Vole population to much as we heard one of the released Barn Owls last night and Voles are their main diet.

Elaine I haven’t had a chance to look around for Animal foot prints in the snow. I have looked around the Pond next to the Lake to see if the Otter is about. There were no Otter foot prints yesterday or today. There are Deer prints that I can see in the Valley tonight. I must have just missed the Deer. I will try to get down the Valley tomorrow to see what has been about. Trouble is the snow makes the going slow and the days seem to go so quickly that we find it hard to find any extra time.