[Bodger]

Black panther on a diet !

[gobs]

Now, that does make sense!  

[Viv]

I spent the morning quietly watching the field and saw the culprit. A large red fox, quite magnificent and well fed :!:  :!:  :!: has found a way under my electric fence and quite brazenly sauntered towards my ladies. I of course went into attack mode, and with a screech that would have frightened a banshee I ran up the field, any body watching would have been howling with laughter. The fox jumped at this fearsome sight heading towards him, and turned tail and ran up the field, under my working ( I checked) electric fence and through the hedge.
I have added another strand of electric fence and hung old shiny dvds to the bushes and to the fence.
An elderly gent said that I should put food over the fence for the fox as this may deter him from taking the hens, I'm not sure about this what are your thoughts.
I really enjoy keeping hens, I cannot enclose them as they are really funny about adding structures to the land here. I'm still awaiting comments about my electric fence

[WG.]

Aah!  The four-legged raptor it is then.

[Foxy]

Are you using strands of electric wire? I use eletrified poultry netting and also check at least twice a week the voltage at different sites. I think the manufacturers reccommend voltage of 3,000 ( I think thats the correct term!) Also, could you electrify all sides of the chicken area?  Perhaps move the whole area to confuse the fox? It sounds like you have a particulary wiley one there! :?  :?

[Aunt Sally]

Yes... I was wondering why you didn't have the electric fence along the road side of the field ?

[slowef]

I expect its so some idiot can't touch it and sue her :?

[babe]

having done lots of snooping around on the web abot foxes, found out than can easily get through a 4 inch square hole and on level ground can leap over 5 metres.  they can bite threw chicken wire no trouble at all.

and although most tend to hunt at dawn and dusk, in december and january when food is more scarce many will happily hunt during the day and some do tend to prefer it.

so sorry you have a fox, i wouldnt wish it on anyone not after the week ive had with with one.

and i hope he doesnt get anymore of the girls.

[Lost in France]

Could be a hawk if they're not large hens? Also with this cold weather predators may become braver as they search for food. The pile of feathers suggests a bird of prey, when they take my doves, they just leave feathers.

Hope you are able to keep the others safe but might be worth keeping them in a run for a while and hope that the predator goes elsewhere as s/he's clearly found a good source of food at your place.

Fingers and everything else crossed for you,

Judi