The Poultry Keeper

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

A couple of nights ago I was looking on the Practical Poultry Forum and read a few posts about foxes which scared the living daylights out of me!

Our chucks are in an enclosed garden which is not too big and has 6 foot fencing around it all and concrete on some of the other sides. Although we live in the country in a village and have open countryside right by us we have houses both sides and behind and my neighbours all say they haven't seen or smelt foxes in their gardens. We also have a Springer Spaniel who is out with them in the day.

We are far from complacent and don't want to put up electric fencing or traps, and we don't have a gun, is there anything we should be doing or am I worrying too much?

The house and run, Littleacre make has no bolts on the run door, hatch or on the nest box roof but I am going to rectify this at the weekend and I have been marking the territory every evening before bed... lovely job!! as has Barney the Springer.

Any advice welcomed... remember smallish garden, not open, 5 chickens... soon to be the magnificent 7! Rolling Eyes

Knobby · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 8:21 am Post subject:

I live in the middle of the country too, on the edge of a farm....Ive seen foxes in the garden, and they snoop around at night. Ive got 6ft fence buried down a foot too, and so far *fingers crossed* They havent tried to get in.....the only time a fox has had a bird is when I left them free ranging in the garden for just 30 seconds, I went into the kitchen to get a drink and suddenly out of the window feathers started drifting past ! Shocked

I ran out to find my Buff O in the mouth of a fox !I shouted and ran after him/her....Luckily he dropped it and ran off....Amazingly she survived, only to be eaten by a mink a month later Crying or Very sad

I killed the mink tho' !

I dont let them free range in the garden anymore !

Pheww....thats a long post for me !!!

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

Thanks Knobby... we do let ours free range, the garden is only mid size, not big by any stretch of the imagination and they have been left to roam this week while we are in the house, but we aren't out with them 24/7.

It is the one thing that is worrying me at the moment, I didn't want to have to cordon off part of the garden and cover it with netting, not sure what is best to do!

Knobby · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 9:03 am Post subject:

My garden is big, and not secure....thats the main reason for them not free ranging anymore (its not nice to see your chook in a foxes mouth) Autumns job is to rabbit/fox proof as best I can the whole garden.....gonna be a big job, but theres nothing like seeing your chooks roaming round the garden !! Very Happy

So, if anyones got any free time between now and spring, any help would be appreciated !!!!

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

We have loads of foxes around here, and a 6' fence is nothing to them, I've seen one balanced on top of the gate between mine and my neighbours garden.

When Pat made the run he made sure it was pretty much fox proof Very Happy

Sueeltringham · Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: 10 Location: Northumberland

See my other post in this section. We had no problems with foxes at first, but a few months later, we did. The guy down the road has lost 60ish free range hens, plus his neighbour 15 in one day, this time from a 7/8 foot fenced run. If we let ours out of the electric fencing we lose them, within hours and in daylight. Once foxy has worked out where you are, you will be visited every day, but you don't often see him. We have a large dog too. I don't want to sound too negative, but I would rather be safe than sorry.

Does anyone else keep chickens in your area? You could try asking them if they've had any problems with foxes. Some areas don't have much of a problem because there are gamekeepers controlling foxes on nearby land. Hope you manage to 'put your mind at rest', whatever you decide

Sue

NannyP · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 11:10 pm Post subject:

I have been very lucky, and have also read some horror stories on PP.

My hens are enclosed in a run and coop at night, but free range all day. We live on the edge of a valley and are semi rural, with a river along the bottom. The hens could, if they wanted, walk out of the garden and down the valley, and of course the fox could make the same journey in. So far, in 18 months, I have not smelt or seen a fox anywhere near the hens.
I hope this continues, I cannot imagine having the restrict them all day.
Confused