[Roughlee Handled]

Male wee around the boundry is also supposed to work. As my chooks are perminantly free ranging I just plied the oh with loads and loads of tea, gave him the watering can to go in and then I  just walked round spraying it (takes a lot to go round 1/2 acre  )

PLEASE GIVE THE FOX SOME CREDIT.
The expression cunning as a fox does not come from being stupid. 
The two "OLD WIVES TALES" and they are, are supposed to work by human scent. 
A fox has eyes and can see.  With MODERN country and urban foxes they are not scared of humans quiet as easily.  30 years ago you would not have foxes in the town center that would walk past you in broad daylight or a fox wandering around the countryside in the day.
BUT NOW IT HAPPENS.

If you want to trust these old wives tales then that is up to you. I fear (I do really do) for your chickens and I personally  know that they do not work and would never suggest to anyone that they do.

There are modern alternative that do work.
Aunty uses or has recommended one I will look for it and post it.

[joyfull]

if you read my post it only says "supposed"
In the 10 years of living here we have not sighted a single fox, I am not complacent regarding animal attacks but I do prefer my hens to be completely free range. One of my dogs had a habit of rolling in fox poo when we lived on the Notts/Derbys border but has been unable to find any here to roll around in.

[Roughlee Handled]

And "I read it on a forum" said the person that had used human hair as a deterrent and had lost all there chickens.  "It said human hair was supposed to work"

I can promise you that there are foxes near you.  They are there.

I am still looking for the modern alternative.

............but shutting them in the 8'x5' run all day isn't an option. 

  I hope for you sake you do not have to. Do you have anything like a electric fence round your garden?

[Roughlee Handled]

The modern alternative.

http://www.conceptresearch.co.uk/fox.htm

[poultrygeist]

As always, everyone is free to choose for themselves how to protect their flock. It's good to discuss the alternatives and hear pros and cons.

I'm a belt and braces man myself but budgetary constraints always come into it.

The sticky http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=25998.0 covers most of the methods, including the Foxwatch sonic deterrant and electric fencing advice.

Rob

[SMD66]

 Do you have anything like a electric fence round your garden?
[/quote]
No we don't.  The hens are across the road from our house on a .8 acre plot that we recently bought.  It is bordered on 2 sides by canal, a 70m long post and rail and stock fence between us and a farmers field, and at the road-side by hedges and a farm gate, all of which have stock fencing to keep the hens in.  Electric fencing isn't a viable option.  Looked at the FOXWATCH, not sure it would cover enough area, plus, we take our dogs on the land when we are over there so it would have to be switched off at times meaning it could get left off by mistake. 
Once we re mesh the run I know they will be safe at night which is the most likely time for an attack.  Day time is another matter.  We will remain vigilant. 

[poultrygeist]

Always a difficult decision with large area ranging. I know TMG has the same problems and dilemmas.
I believe Foxwatch does not affect dogs but it is obviously your choice.

Rob

[too many girls]

Always a difficult decision with large area ranging. I know TMG has the same problems and dilemmas

.

i can't supervise my birds all the time, they are all over the farm, if i'm in the house i leave the dogs out, at night i have night vision camera's  trained on the hen houses and a 15 year old son ready to leap out of bed at a seconds notice and blast away, he hasn't actually shot one yet but has scared the pants off a few, after Sam's been out they seldom come back for another go, i know this method won't suit most people and others will be upset by shooting foxes but i won't risk a repeat of last year (this time last year actually) and since we started fox watch i haven't lost a single hen.

[Flowerpower136]

I'm looking round for material supplies at the moment.  Hills of Devon seems reasonable, and has a really good range of mesh type and sizes. 

I sort of feel I'm over doing the construction, as every chicken run in this village seems to be basic chicken wire, and some of the fences, well, I'm sure I could jump over if I took a run up, they would be a doddle for fox.

1" weldmesh for me.

[andreadon]

I'm looking round for material supplies at the moment.  Hills of Devon seems reasonable, and has a really good range of mesh type and sizes. 

I sort of feel I'm over doing the construction, as every chicken run in this village seems to be basic chicken wire, and some of the fences, well, I'm sure I could jump over if I took a run up, they would be a doddle for fox.

1" weldmesh for me.

i would go for 1/2" minimum - ours is 1cm which is just smaller than 1/2"
a chicken can get its head  through a once inch hole and get it chomped off by mr fox. 

[Flowerpower136]

I'm looking round for material supplies at the moment.  Hills of Devon seems reasonable, and has a really good range of mesh type and sizes. 

I sort of feel I'm over doing the construction, as every chicken run in this village seems to be basic chicken wire, and some of the fences, well, I'm sure I could jump over if I took a run up, they would be a doddle for fox.

1" weldmesh for me.

i would go for 1/2" minimum - ours is 1cm which is just smaller than 1/2"
a chicken can get its head  through a once inch hole and get it chomped off by mr fox. 

Ooops!   If not Mr Fox, then definately the Resident Hairy One.  Just caught me in time before I placed the order.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[karlooben]

joyfull is the question am i worried about foxes or ppl was aimed at me then the answer is people .

yes we need to protect our birds as much as poss but foxes like dogs and other animals are only doing what they are built to do ... kill sometimes for food sometimes for fun . i dont want it to happen to my girls god forbid that but at the end of the day life is life and if something no matter what it is was to happen how can we stop it .

[joyfull]

Do you have a problem with people where your girls are? That must be awful, like you say dogs etc are only doing what their instinct tells them to do but people!!! What goes on in their head??

[joyfull]

Re the fox watch does anyone know if it works on mink? Not seen any foxes around here but did see a mink about 6 months ago.

[wildwitchy]

I've got one of those fox detterents from B & Q. It uses batteries and electric. I used it on the battries for a while and blimey it really drained them (it kept getting set off by the dog, cat etc)! I'm waiting now for hubby to fix up a socket in the shed. They have quite a good write up though. We have foxes at night jumping our fence on our driveway to get to the park over the road! The sound they make is shattering!