He is known as Mr Brock (Brocc is the Old English word for badger, from the Celtic Brokko meaning grey), and he pops in most evening on his travels to snaffle up any spilled chicken feed. Badgers are unlikely to kill chickens (on very rare occasions they may go for a sick bird, but they are carrion eaters and are more likely to be found eating a bird that has died of natural causes than one they have killed themselves) and the chickens don't seem too troubled by his visits (though they are usually tucked up in bed when he comes calling).
If you have a badger that wants to come into your garden, there isn't much you can do about it. They are very strong and can move surprisingly fast. I'm of the opinion that you can waste a lot of time and energy badger-proofing your garden, or you can provide them with a better choice of food and reduce any risk of damage to your veggies. Badgers love peanuts (unsalted), apples & pears, but also appreciate dog or cat food and a drink of water.
So we have a sack of dry dog food & some unsalted nuts, and many evenings of watching Mr Brock snuffle around.
5 comments:
Oh you lucky thing! I wish we had such distinguished visitors in our garden!
How marvellous!! You are lucky to have such a fine and beautiful animal visiting your garden!
I keep trying to tell MikeyFox that, but he worries for the chickens (and the fences!). Mr Brock tunnelled under the fence into the chicken run the first time he visited, so the chickens managed to escape! (they were found in a garden not far away, eating the neighbours petunias, luckily an apology gift of some home made lemon curd made it all better!)
What a fabulous picture and story.A gentleman caller made me smile.
I have never seen a Badger face to face.Maybe one day.
how cute! Love the pic :-)
Our garden is usually munched by deer and gophers. We have a doe and a one point buck munching things of late.
:-)
hugssssssssss
Cynthia
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