A visit from Mr Fox.

Heard a commotion outside this morning. Looked out to see a HUGE fox with Miss Gray in his mouth. I made a huge noise and he dropped her, and she managed to run away. On inspection, she is fine and is now eating and running around with the others.That was the good news. The bad news is that I lost Blondie, one of my Sussex girls. He must have carried her away before going for Miss Gray. It took me a while to realise that it was a fox as it was quite dark in colour, but it was so big. Probably full of chook.B**tard!
In a couple of months hopefully, weather and OH's health permitting, (he has been very ill and has just come out from a long stay in hospital), we will have a fully enclosed run, large enough to keep them in all day. They will then be safe and sound as its even going to have a roof.
RIP Blondie. Now in chook heaven with all the other babies.

so sorry to hear this, but pleased you managed to save Miss Gray.

So sorry to hear that you lost your chook.  I can imagine how difficult that is as I have had plenty of friends round here who have had the same.  One of my friends reckons she is losing her birds to fouines, so they have to be shut in all the time.  I can only relate to my own experience as to what works.  My hens have a hen house inside a huge hanger which opens out into a grassed paddock.  It has strong stock fencing all round it.  I know we have loads of foxes round here as my Springer delights in coating himself in their droppings.  Plus I see them often and can't avoid all the noise they make.  However in almost a year since starting to keep them I haven't lost a single bird to a fox, despite the dire warnings of my farmer neighbour who basically told me I was wasting my time keeping hens here.  I am convinced that the stock fencing works (with a row of barbed wire top and bottom).  I thought they would try to tunnel under it, but they haven't.  Hope this is helpful information.  It is certainly the only way I would keep hens now.

Oh no, im so sorry, i know only too well what a horrible experience this is 
R.I.P Blondie 

Sorry to here about miss gray but I truly believe that if mr fox comes looking for his dinner it's down to the poultry keeper to keep his hens safe.Can't blame mr fox bless him.