[geri]

One of our hens was killed yesterday afternoon by a fox. I have been keeping chickens since last October and let them out every afternoon to free range for a couple of hours while I potter around in the garden. Yesterday I was outside and saw the fox jump over the fence literally quick as a flash he killed one before I could run up the garden and scare him off . Luckily he ran away. While I realise that there was always the risk of a fox attack I was very suprised how quick it happened. Now I am terrified to let the others out in case it happens again. Will he be back? The question is what to do next, I am going to extend their run so at least they have a bit more space but I did like to think that they can have access to fresh grass and a bit of soil to scratch around in and thought a moveable run may be an idea. Any comments and advice welcome

[andreadon]

oh geri, i'm sorry to hear that!
 
i'm pretty amazed he did it while you were in the garden, though, normally they avoid people.
was it near the end of the day, dusk?
he might have been trying to get a quick easy meal before camping out for the night.

[Vember]

Geri So sorry to hear about your hen

Have you had a look through this :
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=25998.0


Sarah

[poultrygeist]

Hi geri. Sorry to hear your news.

We've got ours enclosed by knotted string netting which offers no protection from foxes but would hopefully delay by a few seconds while we run out to scare it off.

I would think a moveable run or electric fence would be your only realistic options.

Have a read of that thread Vember posted and ask plenty of questions.

Rob

[geri]

Unfortunately my finances do not stretch to electric fencing at the moment. So that's why I thought a moveable run -  have seen a metal one at my local suppliers that folds down -    may be the best option, at least they could have a bit of fresh grass etc without me having to watch and worry about their every move. It was very back luck that when the fox came over the fence he landed straight on top of the girls, if they had been at the other end of the garden I probably would have had time to scare him off. But  it was about 5.30 so nearly dusk and I guess a vulnerable time.

[shiatsusu]

Hi geri, so sorry to hear your news and I'm afraid he will be back now he knows there are chickens there. Hope you manage to get something sorted to keep your girlies safe 

[Big Jen]

oh geri, i'm sorry to hear that!
 
i'm pretty amazed he did it while you were in the garden, though, normally they avoid people.
was it near the end of the day, dusk?
he might have been trying to get a quick easy meal before camping out for the night.

Sorry to hear about your girl
When I kept chickens 10 years ago I had a fox come in the garden and take a girl literally a few yards from where I was standing and another time it took a silkie chick from a few yards away. I stopped letting them out and it came back a few weeks later and dug into the run and killed 25 silkies in one go. This is what made me give up keeping chickens as I was so upset.
I now have chickens again but they are restricted to their pens unless someone is on guard including my 3 dogs! This may have been a rogue fox because they are not usually that brave.
Personally I would set a trap for it and get rid of it because it will keep coming back now it has tasted blood.

BJ

[brahma]

Hi Geri,

As long as he is around you have a problem, as already mentioned by others he will  be back, as I know from past experience. I solved the problem by taking a chicken killed by a fox and leaving it out for bait (tied down to an spike in the ground so he could not nip in and out quickly but would have to take time trying to free it for carrying off). I then sat with a gun and picked him off around dusk the same day.

If your going for a moveable run still be vigelant make sure he cannot get under it

[Aunt Sally]

Shooting the fox is not a permanent answer though.  It just leaves a gap in the environment for another fox to move in to !

And it's not possible in an urban environment either.

[queen bee]

I have lost chickens to foxes, once they know there is a chance of a meal they will come back so be careful particularly at this time as there will be cubs to feed and foxes will be hungry. 

[8doubles]

Shooting the fox is not a permanent answer though.  It just leaves a gap in the environment for another fox to move in to !

And it's not possible in an urban environment either.

With a silenced low velocity rifle and infra-red sights it is a very possible and  effective way of dealing with a problem (semi-tame ?) fox in an urban environment.
A local pest control firm will have the answer to the problem.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Aunt Sally's point is then that another fox will simply replace that fox once it's territory is free. Sitting there everynight (or day) is unlikely to be a realistic proposion for most people. Protecting the chickens by making them secure is a better long term solution.
Once protected it is possible to co-exist with the predators. Foxy has some lovely pics of foxes wandering by her ducks and chicken on the otherside of the electric fence.

[8doubles]

I agree that the fox would be replaced by another but hopefully one that did not make daylight raids while the poultry owner was in the garden with their hens.
A cage trap would be the easiest (but most stressful for the fox) answer.
I would not keep hens if i had to keep them  penned all of the time.

[poultrygeist]

I agree wholeheartedly with Kate and Aunt Sally. Shooting them will remove only one fox from your locality but it will be replaced very quickly.
Protection means you rest easy and not worry about any foxes being about.

A fox will soon learn to come when you're not there and the process will repeat.

Rob

[poultrygeist]

With an electric fence, you can give several chickens a large area to free range over and effectively keep a fox out.
As Kate said, Foxy has successfully used this method.

Rob