Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: ali2 on January 03, 2011, 09:01
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Now I'm not daft and I know that foxes are always about but untill yesterday hadn't actually seen one in daylight in our garden since we have had the chickens - about 18 months now so felt sort of happy and stress free- untill yesterday that is ! Had just let the chickens out of their normal run as a treat to roam the garden - are usually kept in a fenced off area at the bottom of the garden - within 5 mins we were sat having lunch in the kitchen and saw a fox walk across the back of our garden - house side of the chicken run - now was he eyeing them up or just passing through ?!!!
Am now a nervous wreck as I keep one eye on the chickens while working about indoors - don't want to keep thm penned up but at the same time don't want my girls to become a foxes dinner...all part and parcel of chicken keeping I suppose !!!
:ohmy:
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Be very careful, Foxy will be back - it has been a harsh winter and your chickens will make a very tasty easy to catch dinner. Either keep them penned in a secure run or perhaps invest in some electric fencing. If you let them out when you are there do not turn your back on them as the fox is a very cunning and fast animal and can strike even though you are near. Sorry to sound so negative but this is the harsh reality of chicken keeping. Fingers crossed for you and your girls.
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Agree - electric fence asap. You haven't time to plan and erect a proper non-electric one.
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The foxes are like pet dogs around here, strolling around as though they own the place ???
OH has just had the hens out in the field for some grass and stood watching the whole time with Ben the collie who was prowling about keeping guard also.
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when I went down to the hen run this morning I caught that distinct wiff of fox..... sure enough this afternoon in broad day light I saw the biggest fox I've ever seen hop onto the shed and jump a further 6 ft over aa fence.....wish I had a gu...................(sorry - can't say that word!!)
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Please keep your girls in a fox proof run. The fox will be back, one took 7 of my girls in the afternoon when my dogs were in the garden with me. I turned around and it was stood there licking its lips and not at all bothered that i was there with the dogs. Please keep you girls safe.
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My neighbour lost her bantams a few nights back, first time ever she forgot to lock the pen at night.... I'm now wondering if our electric fencing is adequate. We have a dry stone wall within 3 feet of the fencing, so in theory a smart largish (?) fox could (would?) jump from the stone wall into the pen - does anyone think this is a possibility? We don't have an eclosed pen, just the electric fencing.
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yes there is a very good possibility of a hungry fox being able to leap that distance I'm afraid :(
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When we had our first chicken, I woke one morning to see a very young fox standing on the run trying to pull the wire off and I'm sure he would have succeeded if we hadn't gone out to chase it but it didn't move until we were within touching distance, so jumping from the wall wouldn't be a problem.
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I read this post last night and had nightmares about a fox getting my girls even tho we have eight foot walls around the gardens (5 houses) all gates are kept locked, Chooks are locked in every night and never seen a fox but you never know. Better safe than sorry. :(
Jinty