[wolverine]

Can you eat fox meat?

[Kate and her Ducks]

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your ducks. It is such a heart breaking thing to go out to in the morning. I lost a couple 2 years ago to a fox that had cleared a 6 foot fence.

Protection is really the way forward. Snares can cause a lot of suffering to anything they catch and they are very indecriminate and I couldn't really contemplate using them. Unfortunately my set up doesn't really allow for electric fencing but that is definately what I would go for if it was a possibility.

I hope the rest of your flock is OK. The worst thing I found with the attack was all the injured ducks although luckally most of them survived.

[cejx]

who not use a snare, i run several of these and have caught around 40 foxes in them this year, they are easy to set and normally only cost around £1.50 each, and if you dont have a gun handy you can legally kill the fox with a hammer or similar heavy object to the head

I'm utterly horrified that you would suggest such a thing.  Aside from the legality, the moral and humane arguments are massively stacked against using such a cruel and indiscriminate form of 'pest' control...

http://www.antisnaring.org.uk/

briefly

Under the Act it is an offence for a person:
to set a self-locking snare in such a way as to be calculated to cause bodily injury to any wild animal. (Section 11(1)(a).)
to kill or take any wild animal using a self-locking snare. (Section 11(1)(b).)
to set a snare (or other article) in such a way as to be calculated to cause bodily injury to any animal listed in Schedule 6 of the Act (e.g., a badger). (Section 11(2)(a).)
to kill or take any animal listed in Schedule 6 of the Act (e.g., a badger) using a snare. (Section 11(2)(b).)
who sets a snare to fail to inspect that snare (or have someone else inspect it) at least once every day. (Section 11(3)(b).)
to set any type of snare unless they are an 'authorised person' under the Act (that is, the owner or occupier of the land on which the snare is set, any person authorised by the owner or occupier of the land, or a person authorised in writing by the Local Authority for the area. (Section 27(1).)
to possess a snare for the purpose of committing any of the above offences. (Section 18(2).)

[Hayley'sHens]

Thanks Kate, As sad as I am, im lucky in the sense that the 5 in the coop were all killed, (that said, I havent found 1 body) No surviving injured. The rest of the ducks had gone into the chicken shed last night.
I just hope it was quick and they didnt suffer 

OH even put the (empty) rabbit hutch in front of shed poop hole this evening after I had put them away earlier than usual, much to their disaproval.

[dennis]

let me know what andy said to my suggestion to you on the phone

[kev1986]

you can buy fox snares that are perfectly legal with stops at 9 inches so it does not choke the fox etc but i suggest not to use them if you live in urban area as thye will catch cats, dogs etc and if in counry they wil catch badgers and deer so they must be checked regulary and it is legal to use sadly a hammer etc but would strongly staw away from that option and would just use a gun also it is illegal to release any vermin from a trap unless you have licenses like rspca etc so again best to find someone with a gun but agin more probv as cant shoot a shotgun of firearm within 50ft of built up area or public highway

[ehs284]

Hayley commiserations. Lots of ideas from above and I'm sure that you won't go for anything cruel or illegal. Electric fence variations are easiest. Chookichooks' point is a good one. I'd suggest looking at PIR controlled lights, sound (esp ultrasound) effects etc. Also scents - male human urine is cheap, but you might not be too pleased - have a trawl of websites. One thing seems likely from reports of fox attacks is that if you have a regular routine (feed, close-up, bedtime etc) then the foxes quickly learn a safe period. Anything you can change? Best of luck.

[dennis]

did you suggest to O,H a smaller compound within the larger one for the night time
dad

[Hayley'sHens]

Yep, He said he's not moving the shed 

[ehs284]

Tell him you're joining the ministry and show him this

http://www.womenpriests.org/classic/henning.asp

 

PS Two white birds have just moulted again and look beautiful.

[Hayley'sHens]

Tell him you're joining the ministry and show him this

http://www.womenpriests.org/classic/henning.asp

 

PS Two white birds have just moulted again and look beautiful.

  Now theres an idea 

Im glad you mentioned the girls, Was wondering how they were getting on but couldnt remember your user name to ask  So glad they are both doing well

[bastonjock]

Look for your Local Central Wall Growers (CWG) ,they are a farmers co-operative and stock all aspects of electric fencing and chicken feed,their prices on feed is the best that ive seen.