[trinacooke]

I am devistated!  I went out a 4.00 and the chickens were fine i gave them some grass and some tit bits and gave my hubby his dinner as he is working nights!

Went back out at 5 pm to let have an hour or two free range! and the side of my FOX PROOF run has been ripped out!! feathers every where and Black, Blue and Parsley are gone!

Sage my original chicken who excaped the last attack when she was younger is ok with out a scratch on her! she is my pet so I am releived at this she must have nine lives!

But I am devistated for the other three  my poor girls

my next door neibour  said it is a big dog fox and he took a lamb and injured the mother last year (we have only been here a year) and the mother had to be put down! I am a bit worried about my 2 year old daughter now if it is that big and strong! it would be nice to think my kids could run up and down the garden without worry! the authorities know about this fox so why havent they done something about him?

Oh life! they were all laying and I was feeling so good this morning praising myself for how healthy they looked - how wrong am I 

Trina

[Aunt Sally]

   That's a numbing story Trina - how dreadful.   


And for it to be the third time makes it even more dreadful for you.  You have my deep sympathy!  I think you need the council or a private pest controller to deal with it before the unthinkable happens 



What was the side of the run that he'd ripped out made of ?

[LittleRedHen]

I am so very sorry for your loss.  I wish I had more comforting words.  I am so relieved that you have one bird left. 

[Aunt Sally]

And for it to be the third time makes it even more dreadful for you. 

I'm sorry i missread your post.  Being the first time makes it no less dreadful 

[trinacooke]

The run has really thick weld wire on it very heavy gage, which fits into a 2 inch slot all the way round, it took all my effort a little while ago to put it back into position, so this fox must be very strong!

What was hard to take was ..... I had a hunt around the fields over the road incase one of the girls had excaped the attack and got away ... but there was a pile of feathers and blood over the style black and blue feathers .... I feel really sick .... my poor girls. 

I want to still keep chooks but where do you draw the line? the kids love collecting the eggs we love eating the eggs we love having the girls .... but with this fox around am I putting any more under a death sentance?

Poor Sage is on her own again! this is my second attack Aunty! what with the sheep attack over the farm I feel very upset at the moment 

Trina x

[Rubellite]

Oh Trina. Poor you. 

[Foxy]

I am so sorry, what sad news

was wondering if you could pop a strand of electric wire around the bottom??? You say a 2inch slot??? If you as a human can pull it apart a fox will be able to. Can you fix the welded mesh more securely??? maybe a photo might help us

[chickenlady]

so sorry! 

[trinacooke]

This is a picture simlar to my run :



you cant really see the wire mesh on it that well in this photo but it is heavy gage the pannels slot into a groove. The run bolts onto my hen house the run is 7 ft long and 4ft wide with mesh on the underside aswell I cover the floor in the run with hemcore.  The girls had a free range couple of hours a day with me up the garden and a cup of tea .... my and their time out! when I feed the rabbits every day. Poor girls 

If I but another layer of welded mesh on the outside and inside do you think this will stop him? he pulled the side pannel out .......... so much for it being fox proof thses sellers should perhaps check their claims before telling us unsuspecting buyers!

And should I get just one chicken to keep Sage company (or should I rename her Lucky? she got away when my two originals last year were free range and were attacked and hid behind the shed clever girl, this time she must have laid low in the coop coz how else did she get away with it again?)  until the run is sorted or will she be ok for a week? she is in a large rabbit hutch in my rabbit shed at the moment lapping up the attention and corn!

Its 3 oclock in the morning and I cant sleep! I put so much effort into these chickens they looked so very well, shiney feathers and I was getting 4 eggs from four chickens, so perhaps I was doing something right!

and all as quick as a flash gone ..............      I think Foxes are beautiful creatures and they are just animals trying to survive but I DONT LIKE THIS FOX very much.

Trina 

[nnbreeder]

I'm very sorry for your loss.

 If I may.. it sounds like a dog, not a fox. With few exceptions Fox will take easy prey such as lambs or unprotected birds and their main entry point is either by digging or climbing/jumping over whereas a dog will muscle it's way into the pens. Is there any soft ground that the culpret could have crossed? The tracks left by Fox and dog are very different, even a large fox has small feet that will leave an oval shaped track and a dog's track will be more rounded. Plus a bigger dog will leave huge tracks.

 Here is a good guide to tracks.

 http://www.mdc.mo.gov/nathis/mammals/autogrph/index.htm

[Bruced]

That does seem an odd time for a fox attack. Mine usually camps out for chicken watching around 5am or so and I've never seen them out much before dusk. Mind, mine are urban foxes, maybe they are just night owls :-)

Sorry to hear about the chooks - must be upsetting.

[chickenlady]

Hello! could you maybe screw all around the inside so that the mesh is screwed in rather than slotted, hard to explain but, so you screw through the edge of the mesh into the wood!? just a thought! other than as someone else said getting some electric poultry netting!

[potter]

I am so devistated for you, Ive only had my chooks for a month but it would break my heart to lose them in such a tragic way. We have an eglu, but we let them roam free in the garden for most of the day.

You must be feeling awful....

[Foxy]

You poor thing you must be shattered!
Well, after having a look at the photo, I am not convinced that is fox proof I'm afraid, plus the added problem of probably a older dog fox, they can be quite big and strong.
Your idea of adding another layer of proper welded mesh (1" thick gauge) is good. Place all around the run screwed or stapled, you  could place a "skirt" of mesh around the base as well to prevent digging under(have a look at the iglu) To test it against the fox leave some tasty food inside the run -keep your bird in the house or somewhere safe and see if he trys to get in. If he does look very carefully at how he did it.
Dont give up as they say "when they going gets tough, the tough get going!"

[Tattyanne456]

Trina I really feel for you I know how I would feel if it happend to me. Are you in a rural setting or on an estate? we've had foxes in our garden in the daytime, we live on an estate. Could you try bringing the henhouse nearer to your house so that you can be closer, foxes dont like coming too near houses. Or maybe get a dog yourself, he would alert you to intruders. Get your husband to urinate around various points in the garden, thats supposed to deter foxes. He could pee into a bucket, then just deposit it at various points. Foxes are'nt supposed to like human hair either. Have a chat with your local hairdresser and get her to save you some. You put it into an old pair of tights and hang it up on the cage. Lots of little tips, don't know how reliable they are but trying all of them might offer some protection. Good luck Hun.