The Poultry Keeper

HeatherBB · Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 154 Location: Chelmsford

I am so worried - only this morning, 10ish and near to the house a fox tried to get primrose (summayahs blue orp.) luckily I ran out and chased it off - primrose suffering only some lost feathers. She was however very shaken up about it - heart racing not moving. I took her inside for a few hours to calm her down and she now seems ok. I am now terrified to take my eyes off them. They currently have the run of the garden and I am torn about having to possibly lock them up all day whilst at work.The garden is completely fenced off as is their run - but if it managed to get into the garden then it will also be able to get into the run. - what do I do? lock them in the shed? leave it to chance giving them better quality of life but at what risk? Is there a seasonal length of time that fox's will be more prone to kill to feed their chicks? will I safe to let them out after this? will mr fox know and remember that there is fresh food in my garden? will he keep coming back at every opportunity?
HELP- PLEASE!!

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Hello Heather, sorry to hear of the brush with a fox. No, your girls won't be safe to be outside now. The fox will know where there are chickens and he WILL come back. probably today. When one got into my run I believe it came back for the nest 3 or 4 days a few times each day. I'd kept the girls in their covered run for those days, but as soon as they sensed the fox was around they stood as an army pointing the direction and making lots of noise, necks outstretched.
Is the run covered? If not, then you should do that first. Mine was covered in frui cage netting and when the fox came in ~ it got in through a tiny hole at the side, too high for me to reach ~ believe me after he'd been round I found a way to reach it (but please don't tell my daughters!). I would be looking to cover the run, in and case, in case avian flu hits us ~ with a solid covering ~ tarpaulin, or corrugated plastic or whatever you can come up with.

But please don't let them free range for a while, or you will lose them, possibly one by one.
I would also put some acv in the water to help them all get over the attack, I know you only mention one of them being touched but the others would know of it.
I know this is altogether the wrong time to ask, but is thre any chance you could put up photos of the girls, I'm interested to see how much primrose has grown.

I just thought what I should also have said is that electric fencing is the way to keep them safe if it's a possibility It never was in my garden because of how the garden is laid out

Issy · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 371 Location: somerset

Sorry HeatherBB I agree entirely with what Summayah said, you must make your garden fox proof today. If locking them in the shed whilst you do it is the only option (bearing in mind I haven't seen it!) go for it. The fox will come back now he knows you have chickens and he will test your defenses at regular intervals to check them.

Sorry but I live in an area with loads of foxes and you can't ever be complacent - they will know!!

HeatherBB · Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 154 Location: Chelmsford

thanks, tying to form a tunnel from chicken shed to ark with covered run which has concrete base which is not ideal as there is not alot of room for 9 birds, but it would be very difficult to cover entire run and make ground perimeters secure so for now... Summayah, I have tried on numerous occasions to download pictures both into the gallery and in a reply but have been unsuccessful. - do I need to have an account set up? If you were happy to give me your e-mail in a pp I could send you them there or do you know how to get them into the gallery?

CP · Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:26 pm Post subject:

You have to register for space in the gallery. There is a link at the top hand right side which says login or register. Wink

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

thank you for the photos, Heather, they came across fine ~ especially loved today's ones ~ my she's grown into a big girl hasn't she !

HeatherBB · Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 154 Location: Chelmsford

PRIMROSE (or bluebelle as my children have named her) is now HUGE!!! but its all soft downy feathers!! (lucky for her, as I think that is all that was lost to her attack) She is still shocked from her near escape from monsieur reynard!! I have enclosed her in the ark run with lots of tasty titbits (porridge, honey and raisons) and some water avec ACV as you suggested Summayah - hopefully in a day or two she will have forgotten all about the incident. The others are all confined to quarters until their run (which i thought was foxproof - but seeing this fox, which was the size of a small spaniel, jump my 5 ft fence - I am having to upgrade the run) I feel so cruel keeping them penned in for 3/4 days but at least they are safe and alive!! and by next week at least a little freedom. Then when I am at home I will let them free range under my watchfull beady eye!!
I have not had such a miserable, worrying weekend in a long time!!!! role on happier days!!!

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

When foxy went into my pen he went over a 6ft fence ~ but in retrospect I could see how he did it, by climbing up the wood layers ~ I put a stop to that with more fencing hanging outwards.

I couldn't call her bluebell ~ I aready had one ~ a blue pekin!

misskiwi · Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Posts: 35 Location: BEDFORD

I had hens 2 years ago and they had the run of the garden. I all so have a dog but we went on holiday and a friend came and let the hens out and put them away. But the fox came in the afternoon and had my hens, I think it new the dog was not around because when I have hard the fox barking in the night ,I let the dog out and he goes mad to get to it. But only comes back to get into bed with very muddy feet where he has been over the field.
I have just got some new hens now but I have put a electric fence around them so I hope that works.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

I think everyone who has an electric fence says they are successful in repelling foxes, so yours should be fine this time, so long as you keep it switched on