We lost our first chicken on Monday.

We had 24 which we raised from day old chicks and had managed not to loose any of them.

Then on Monday we came home about 3pm and went down to the barn to do some work, and noticed that the chickens were acting a little strange, just not settled.

We had a count up and were 4 down! then we noticed one in the corner of the run, clearly dead.

It had its throat ripped out.

we then found the other missing chickens which had managed to get over the fence and into the long grass by the barn.

We couldn't think what had killed the chicken. The gate was still shut.

then a weasel popped its head out from under the hen house. It was as bold as anything.

kept popping out and just looking at us and terryfying the chickens.

We caught up all the chickens and put them in a box stall until we could decide what to do.

We asked at the farmers supplies the next day about what we couild do to get rid of it and they were not encouraging.

The response was "you have a weasel? Oh you have a problem!"

In the end we decided on a rat trap and we have baited it whith som raw heart.

didn't catch him last night hopefully he might come by today.

Today we spent making a round pen to work the horses in.

every time we went into the barn to get fence posts we could hear some kittens mewing.

We know there are feral cats around but we don't often see them and we had no idea that ther were kittens.

By tea time they were climbing down from the hay and crawling around the barn floor heading for the door and getting increasingly stressed. The mummy cat hadn't been around all day.

We left them in peace to see if mum would come back, but when she hadn,t by the time it got dark we brought them in the house.

so now we have three kittens who are no more than two weeks old  (judging by what I have read on ther net).

We cuddled them to warm them up and tried to feed them using a syringe and cat milk.

I hope they survive the night.

we will feed them last thing tonight and then have to get up in the early hours to feed them again.

The dog is facinated by them and helps lick them.

So we didn't get the round pen finished.

Our boys are in toronto this week. James had three interviews today and seems confident of all of them som we will see what he gets offered.

Well I am off to feed the kittens again.