[patandlaura]

I've had one of those electrical fox deterrents for a while, and although we have seen a fox occasionally since, during the day, it seems to keep to the side of the garden.  I don't know if this is coincidence or if the gadget is working, but now I have two chickens I am quite nervous.
Has anyone else actually seen a fox jump when near one of these things?

[Paul Plots]

Jumping foxes....

I think I might well end up with one of those although I have no chickens and no electric fence. But I do have a hole where the foxes like to dig at the end of my plot and today I saw a bumble bee in and out of it...

I'll happily keep the bees in place of the foxes! 

[patandlaura]

We bought the gadget originally because we saw a fox taking great interest in our pond, and we lost one of our goldfish.
I am not making any accusations here, but there was a wet trail nearby. 
As well as having the repeller facing the pond, we have now put a net across what looks like the fox's usual route through the garden, and blocked the hole under the fence that he has made, so hope he has now found a detour and the chickens are not on his new route (or menu!)

[robinsnest]

Lost five of my girls today at 1.30 in the afternoon, absolute carnage, found two hiding and one slightly injured (she has been attacked before and survived so hopefully she will make it) They had only been let out 20 mins as I was in the garden, went in the house to make lunch and when I got back outside, silence.

This is the third fox attack in three years - all in the daytime. Feeling pretty miserable at the moment

Just a quick update - all three remaining hens are still alive, one is perfectly ok, one has a broken lower wing but it doesn't seem to bother her and Penny the Goldline is still looking poorly but has taken food today and is drinking well. She is a bit unsteady, although I feel she might make a good recovery ... will keep you posted.

Just another quick update - Flossy remains in perfect health and is laying well, Maggie still has her broken wing but seems fine, no eggs yet but early days - as for Penny ... a full recovery and laid an egg today, she has to be the luckiest hen alive as she was taken by a fox last year but dropped as it tried to jump the fence!  

[bigun108]

i have just got 4 chucks but befor thay came to our garden i put a electric fence all round about a month befor hand ive had no problems with the fox touch wood ..ps no cat dodo on me vege plot either

[Paul Plots]

Some people have all the luck 

[spizanne]

5 of mine were taken in May by a fox, in the daytime, including the hen that I found impossible to catch as she would fly into a tree whenever I went anywhere near her. They were free-ranging on my 5 acres, and of the 5 killed only one was eaten, the rest abandonned. Husband was not flavour of the month (I was out and he said he would keep an eye on the hens.) Mine ar now in an enormous pen surrounded by an electric fence. I don't even trust that - I know a pig farmer who keeps a bunch of cockerels in his maternity field. He says it is the easiest way to tell if his pig fences are vulnerable to foxes, if a cockerel is taken. The foxes like to break into the maternity unit - they can take the piglets from a farrowing sow as she is delivering them and helpless to defend them. He loses about 260 piglets a year in this way, and that is even with his fields surrounded by a 9 strand 6000 volts mains powered fence. When it snows you can see where the foxes test the fence, by their pawprints left in the snow.

Do not underestimate the fox. For 364 days of the year your free-ranging birds may be safe, then on the 365th day he will have the lot in one go.

Our local fox killed 19 out of 20 adult geese in a night. I am a member of the local hunt, and people in the village shop are asking me to ask the hunt to have an 'accident,' but it isn't as easy as that. The most effective way of getting rid of the fox is now illegal, so more underhand and inhumane ways must be adopted. Since losing my first hens to her, I have had a man with a gun try to dispatch her, but this fox is a tricky vixen and does not sit in the gun's sights easily. The alternatives are trapping or poisoning her. Both of which would lead to much slower and more painful deaths than a hound would.

6000 volts? 240 is the max on the grid

[Paul Plots]

My seedlings and transplanted veg doesn't stand a chance.... there's no way any of them will be fast enough to out run a pack of playful foxes.. 

I often visit the plot to discover new plants flattened and tell-tale fox prints all over new seed beds.... as well as holes dug in the middle of newly germinated plants.

So.... I was not at all pleased to see three holes dug around my compost heap and timber pile - the little B***s have moved in to be nearer   

Do you think a hose pipe in their front door might encourage them to move on? 

[deannatrois]

I think all this has put me off keeping hens.  My OH has refused to donate any liquids., and I don't think I'd feel too easy putting an electrified fence around the coop as it would have to be on the allotment.., which I am five mins away from but its not the same as having it in your garden.

I was prepared to fight the council to be able to put a coop in that allotment but not at risk of having the hens killed with me five mins away. I live in an urban area.

[Paul Plots]

I guess urban areas now house as many if not more foxes per square mile as the country-side. We are to blame for being such mucky creatures and leaving waste food on the streets and strewn around our houses.

Some towns seem to have had fox urban fox populations for years - In Bristol they were common more than 30 years ago.

Where I live in a smallish sea-side town we now have them on every street corner and wandering happily in near daylight. Cats are not so safe or happy these days..

I'm not sure what the answer to your problem would be but I can see why you are having second thoughts - I would too. 

[benboy]

Unfortunately I have had to temporarily separate two of my hens from two newbies due to severe bullying and injury.  The two older hens are now in a large 30ft run with no roof on.  They are safe at night as they sleep inside a plastic cat carrier.   The two newbies are in a "safe" enclosed pen.  I have let my hens out during the day until I return from work for some time now, but I now worry about this arrangement.  I thought they would be safe in a residential area, only having foxes during night time.  

I have heard about using male, human urine around the chicken area.  I have a compost bin that I pour my urine in frequently right next to one of my runs and hen shed.  I also started puring some around the boundary of my garden.  Does anyone know about this method and it's effectiveness?  How often do you have to re-apply?  I also heard about human hair placed around the pen inside stockings  

[Paul Plots]

Just don't go doing this in full-day light  or when there's a full moon, benboy! 

[joyfull]

they are old fashioned country tales but like a lot of these tales there is often some truth in them. I get my OH to either sprinkle or do it into a watering can (makes it easier for me to spray it in the hedgerow) but I don't know if it works or not - never had a visit here from a fox (lost my ducks to a fox when I lived in Nottingham) but then again I've not seen a fox here in 10 years - we do have shoots though so perhaps a fox if seen gets caught up in that 

[Paul Plots]

Dear old foxy...

It's good, in some respects, to see that us humans haven't driven yet another bit of wild-life off the face of the planet. Foxes like other life have a right to exist and a place in the scheme of things - just not so sure we really have to have so many of the little red varmints. They do seem to be very abundant at the moment in some parts. 

Our towns are ideal niches for them it seems - I just wish they would stick to clearing up  dropped take-aways in the streets rather than chasing the cats along our rear access drive and pouncing about in my veg patch - to say nothing of wandering off with next door’s rabbits! 

[benboy]

Just don't go doing this in full-day light  or when there's a full moon, benboy! 

Ha ha!     I wee into a watering can at the kitchen door then sprinkle it around later.


Learner...... I totally agree