Fox got the last of the chickens!

genuine leather

Anyone else loose any chickens yet?

Fox has a full belly this morning. Its that time of the year, winter is coming they need as much food before the lean times arrive. Ah sure I am gutted about it but nothing i can do really(kids always name them and get attached:o)
They have been hepling themselves to my chucks for many a year now. There is a few covers nearby so they will always be close. I think i will take a break from keeping them for awhile. I will miss the fresh eggs and manure for the garden.

Half-cocked

You might look at a poultry electric fence. You can cordon off a very large area for the chickens at relatively low cost. A fox that gets a good belt from a fence tends to steer clear of the area afterwards.

Conmaicne Mara

genuine leather wrote: »

Anyone else loose any chickens yet?

Fox has a full belly this morning. Its that time of the year, winter is coming they need as much food before the lean times arrive. Ah sure I am gutted about it but nothing i can do really(kids always name them and get attached:o)
They have been hepling themselves to my chucks for many a year now. There is a few covers nearby so they will always be close. I think i will take a break from keeping them for awhile. I will miss the fresh eggs and manure for the garden.

There's quite a lot you can do, the question is what have you been doing to date that's allowing him to kill your hens on you?

Iyaibeji

Have you made any attempt atall to protect your hens, or do you just take your chances?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=85256386

fathead82

The Fox got one of ours last week at around 1pm while there was 4 dogs in the yard & I was working outside. I have the rest of the hens left in their pen all the time now.they used to be let out to free raange most of the day.
Cant blame the fox for turning down an easy meal I suppose.

genuine leather

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

There's quite a lot you can do, the question is what have you been doing to date that's allowing him to kill your hens on you?

Iyaibeji wrote: »

Have you made any attempt atall to protect your hens, or do you just take your chances?

I have not been that blase about protecting the hens. A large secure run with mesh over the top. Yes they get out to forage while im working in the garden. There was a window of about ten minutes when i was getting the kids out to school, the fox and possibly cubs,which i recently spotted nearby, came in from the neighbours side. The fox took that small opportunity and i let my guard down.

fathead82 wrote: »

The Fox got one of ours last week at around 1pm while there was 4 dogs in the yard & I was working outside. I have the rest of the hens left in their pen all the time now.they used to be let out to free raange most of the day.
Cant blame the fox for turning down an easy meal I suppose.

Agreed, i wanted them to be free range also.
They are very clever and cunning,my dog was out also. I just see soo many people with chickens in small runs and thats it for them,never get out to forage for food.

So yes i am taking a chance having them outside with so many foxes in the area but its not nice to see them locked up in a run all day.

The poultry wire would be the answer, but the lie of the land here is anything but level,steps,banks,slopes, i feel the fox would outwit me again somehow.
Tks for replies

iverjohnston

.223 and someone who knows how to use it safely.

magicbastarder

-1
if you want to keep chickens, you work around the foxes, not kill them.

OpenYourEyes

Given that the discussion is leaning mostly towards securing chickens and/or the possible use of fox control, I think this thread is more suited to Smallholdings rather than nature and Birdwatching

dodderangler

iverjohnston wrote: »

.223 and someone who knows how to use it safely.

If its coming into the garden then a shotgun is alot better.

iverjohnston

magicbastarder wrote: »

-1
if you want to keep chickens, you work around the foxes, not kill them.

If I wanted to keep Foxes, I'd keep foxes.

I keep sheep and a half dozen hens for eggs and the crack of watching their antics.

I am not running a "Watership Down" outfit for the benefit of foxes

Birdnuts

A good quality fox trap is worth the investment for backyard situations like this.

aonb

If you have free range chickens, this is the risk hen keepers take. The foxes as you say are hungry, and will come and take the hens the second there is an opportunity :mad: You cant blame the fox. (I for one would never trap or kill a fox)

I have always had my hens free range - DEFINATELY makes a difference to the quality of the eggs and to the 'happiness' of the hens. But after loosing a couple to foxes, I have spent a fortune fencing in a decent sized run, high enough and secure enough to keep the hens safe. They are not happy - will make a run for the gate every time it opens but the run is big enough, Ive got a sheltered area, some branches etc in the run for perching, a sand box (for dust baths) etc etc - pretty deluxe really!!

genuine leather

iverjohnston wrote: »

.223 and someone who knows how to use it safely.

I wont lie,there have been brief moments when with another chicken gone, that did cross my mind. Not for me though. I m just trying to learn the best way that works for both us and our local wildlife. The fox is a predator(a good one at that) and a chicken is a good meal, especially with winter coming.

I will try form a plan of attack using the poultry wire.

Question if i may.
The wire goes around the run and/or can it also be placed around the area that they forage?

aonb

Once the fox 'knows' your hens are there, he will be back.
I would recommend keeping the hens in the run for a month or so - they wont be happy, but they'll be safe. Make sure you close them up in the coop at night (night time is when the fox will be back).
Put an old tyre filled with sand/grit in the run (dustbath). Put a few big branches off trees or similar that they can climb/perch on. Hang a cabbage or head of brocolli or something in the run for them to peck at. Clip dandelions with a scissors, and sprinkle around the run. In the evenings toss some mixed grain on the ground. Keep them entertained - they'll be happier

OldRio

magicbastarder wrote: »

-1
if you want to keep chickens, you work around the foxes, not kill them.[/QUOTE
When you see the damage done by foxes and mink to hens.
I really don't mind blowing the feckers heads off.

Fantastic Mr Fox my arse.

genuine leather

aonb wrote: »

Once the fox 'knows' your hens are there, he will be back.
I would recommend keeping the hens in the run for a month or so - they wont be happy, but they'll be safe. Make sure you close them up in the coop at night (night time is when the fox will be back).
Put an old tyre filled with sand/grit in the run (dustbath). Put a few big branches off trees or similar that they can climb/perch on. Hang a cabbage or head of brocolli or something in the run for them to peck at. Clip dandelions with a scissors, and sprinkle around the run. In the evenings toss some mixed grain on the ground. Keep them entertained - they'll be happier

I am really missing them about the place now .
Tks, like you said anob,i had the sandbaths, trees to perch on, canopy when raining,and the hanging cabbage in the run.Their antics are brilliant.

Fox landed back this morning, four of us looking out the door at him/her, only a few feet away, looked at us as if to say where is todays feast....:(

aonb

Yes I know what you mean - I really miss my girls free ranging around the place (although I DONT miss the poo!!) but they are safe in their run. Foxes are getting very 'bold' these days - one of my hens was taken while we were all in the garden too, so its lock-up all round - shame for the girls but....

arctictree

We used to have problems with Foxes but not anymore. We fenced off a huge area for them with the dog pen beside it. At night, they get locked in a smaller pen/coop inside the main area.

muckyhands

Surely if you keep what is essentially a 'prey' animal for your your own gains whether for eggs/ meat or whatever the case- then its your responsibility to protect said animal from predators (other than yourself obviously :rolleyes:) ...

So well for Irish pride because when it comes to our wildlife it seems to be severely lacking by some unfortunately...

Thankfully only by some though.