[Foxy]

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.

It is far safer to fox proof the run - the problem here is NO deterrents will work if the fox has already had a meal.

[Tattyanne456]

Duh just checked and see that you have 2 dogs already, sorry.

[Aunt Sally]

I'd do what Foxy has suggested and reinforce the bottom 3 feet of the run with heavy gauge 1" square weld-mesh.  That would prevent a big fox or a dog from getting a grip with it's teeth on the mesh.

A skirt around the base 12" wide is a good defence against foxes digging in.  A FoxWatch makes the area unpleasant to a fox who may then go elsewhere for a meal.

[andreadon]

i'm sorry too. 

Make sure you nail/wire staple/screw the mesh to the outside of the frame, like you said - they tend to try to push the mesh and wouldn't be able to push it off if it's on the outside.

[too many girls]

so sorry for you, i would go for the leccy fence option if i were you and possibly the fox watch detterent, there's no such thing as a odd time for a fox attack, they can strike anytime day or night, and having had one meal, don't kid yourself he won't come back for your last remaining hen, he will, i'd keep her in the house and make sure the house and run were 100% fox proof before i'd think about putting her out again.

[trinacooke]

Thankyou for all of you replies! it is all very kind, we will be sorting the run tomorrow as my hubby had to work nights and is working tonight.

I went to my supplier who sold me my last chickens today to get a friend for 'sage' they had one girl left as demand is so high!

I have a speckledy hen who is 22 weeks old we have decided to call her Freckles!

So will be all set for fort knox in the morning! 

My poor girls are gone but not forgotten bless them.

Incedently the farm said that they cant get any more Black Rocks as the supplier has stopped traiding ? they said it was the breeder with the Licence so does this mean NO more Black Rocks (well the original ones any way?) has any body else heard this??

Trina x

[too many girls]

sorry Trina, i don't know of your breeder, but i am pleased you haven't given up, i lost 30 to a fox in the space of 2 hours (29 ex barn hens and 1 cockerel, Jake)  so i do know how you feel, this fox debate is alway's tricky,  i'm sure Freckles will have a lovely home with you, maybe in time you will have the confidence to add to your family (my hens are my family and come before husband, kid's and daddy) good  luck to you.