[ycholmes]

I fee awful.  The fox got in to the run before the light faded (as there is still corn in the run).  We heard nothing at all.  My husband went to  shut up the coop and caught the fox running down the garden.  He checked the girls - only 3 in the house out of 6.  I dead and 2 missing - my beautiful blue orp Molly and my sweetheart Daisy Mae . 

[compostqueen]

Oh dear, dear me. How very sorry I am to hear that. It's all to common though and you have to have eyes in the back of your head you really do

My girls got foxed too but luckily my husband was on the ball, was in there like a flash and rescued my girls. Two were badly injured out of three but all recovered 100%.  I beefed up my security after that I can tell you.  Foxes are just so cunning so you've got to try and stay one step ahead of him

[Paul Plots]

Very sorry to hear the rotten news.

They are a bl**dy nusiance...and I don't have chickens at all.

There's two of the things living at the end of next door's garden....a small woodland wilderness. The pair of them wander around looking for scraps often dumping the remains of dropped take-away packaging on the lawn....as well as digging up my veg plot at the far end.

I swear the little s**s ate the racing pigeon that had been visiting and appeared so very tame. Not seen it for weeks.

[symonep]

  so sorry to hear that, how awful for you 

[ycholmes]

Thank you everyone.  I know we probably all go through it at some time.  Part and parcel of poultry keeping I guess, but this was the first time and it hurts a lot.  I also have a rabbit boarding business so now extra vigilant when buns are out in runs!

[compostqueen]

Absolutely.  My next door neighbour had the fox rip out the bottoms of her rabbit hutches to get at her pets. 

[ycholmes]

Oh no Compostqueen, that is awful.  Fortunately mine are all locked away in a workshop/shed.  Just can't put their runs out unless I am around.

[nerdle]

Was it a fox proof run?

[Jos Hens]

That is very very sad.  We live very remotely and are surrounded by fields (and foxes) so have put electric fencing around the run - fingers x'd so far they are okay...

[Paul Plots]

Our local fox (resident in next-door's garden with his mates) dropped in around 6pm this evening to clear the bird-table of scraps.

Despite two of us standing 2m away in the conservatory he chewed his way through several crusts before wandering off through the hedge to his den.

Not my faviourite visitor... and feeding the brids table-scraps will have to stop.

[nerdle]

The squirrels are good thieves too.  A squirrel block on the stem stopped them - a bigger version might be fox proof...

[Paul Plots]

The squirrels are good thieves too.  A squirrel block on the stem stopped them - a bigger version might be fox proof...

Our hedges look like net curtains where the foxes push their way through from next-door. Chicken wire across the holes didn't solve the problem either as the foxes simply stick their snouts through where there are joins in the wire and enlarge the gaps.

At the very far end of the garden they dug a new back-door below the fence. I filled the hole with rubble and put a huge paving slab over the top. That stopped them.... until I noticed a panel in the fencing had been pushed out. 

Thought of contacting the BeeeB to see if they want to film a wild-life series. Me wild about the life that wanders through from next-door's jungle. 

[nerdle]

I envy you as I'd love to see foxes up close.  Don't expect them to be very popular on this site though!

My garden is fox proof - weldmesh is the stuff.

[Paul Plots]

I envy you as I'd love to see foxes up close.  Don't expect them to be very popular on this site though!

My garden is fox proof - weldmesh is the stuff.

How high is your weldmesh fencing?

Foxes are great climbers (and diggers) if there's something they want on the other side so take care.

[nerdle]

I got all the info on this site.  I have a wall and strong fences already but I put weldmesh up to 7' all round and put a mesh skirt along the outside of the fences along the ground and up the first 2' so they can't dig under. I've got only one hen so the the scent may not drift so strongly and attract a fox. It keeps cats out too which is lovely for the sparrows!