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Sheilaz

Noisy hens 5.30am; I know why!

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An enormous fox outside (phew) Fort Knox.

 

On Sunday I felt bad for the neighbours that the hens seemed to have started celebrating Summer vocally rather early in the morning.

I assumed it was the light and possibly "I've laid an egg" as it sounded the same.

That evening, my neighbours kindly rang me to say an enormous fox was in their garden. The hens were locked in but forewarned is forearmed & I didn't let them out during the day after that.

 

Today, two days later, I was not happy to be woken by a racket at 5.30, esp. as we are surrounded by many other houses. :oops:

Started to think of how to stop them today, perhaps aiming water, and maybe finding a way to leave their doors shut until a civilised hour. But, I can't access the Cube shutter being the opposite side to the easily reached egg port. Also, having them semi independent in Fort Knox is incredibly useful.

 

My hens have happily freeranged during the day (a weighed up risk I was aware of, & sorry to Gallina & others who advised against) for over 3 years. Now they will just have occasional afternoon outings onto the lawn with me, closely supervised, and never a minute more.

This is a shame because they have foraged and explored & sunbathed in (& destoyed) a large area.

 

But, fox has them mapped and they are safe in Fort Knox.

 

Posy Whitestar & Bluebell must have been the first up, sitting with bum feathers sticking out of the fence completely unaware, as fluffy feathers had been grabbed, but nothing worse (its heavy duty mesh).

 

Their behaviour was very interesting! They went about calling the others who were still in the other Eglus. The next ones went dashing backwards and forwards to bring out the others even though the huge fox was prowling around.

 

I really wish I'd taken a photo, it was a beautiful but massive "country fox" not an urban one, although I live by the town centre. They live and feed in the woods across the road, on the edge of town. I had to chase the fox away twice, it came straight back after the first disappearance.

 

Within 10 mins of the 2nd exit, the hens all went & perched right by the same place. I was amazed, they have plenty of space & bars to go elsewhere! Chickens don't do the safest things!

Happily they seem OK & are feeding etc, but quite a few feathers dropped inside the run, as well as the evidence just outside.

 

Will be checking the safety of the boundaries daily & nightly, but its built to be foxproof with mesh down underground.

 

So, before you squirt the noisy hens, consider that maybe they are telling you something!

Oh, and I can confirm that 6' fences are nothing to a fox.

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Lucky escape Sheila!...phew!

 

I had dirty pawmarks all over both my green Eglus yesterday morning.....but not on the yellow one housing the Ex-batts intriguingly.

 

My hencatraz is being delivered on Friday (My cube today hopefully!).

 

I shall be glad to have it all set up.

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I am so glad you learnt about the fox in time. I know I sound like a miserable spoilsport when I say that everyone should shut their hens in at night and only let them freerange if they are in the garden; but more and more people are coming over to my camp, especially this year.

 

I see foxes everywhere in Oxford: even crossing busy roads and hanging around our offices in the centre. There are more urban foxes around than there have ever been before, and so many people I know adore them and feed them, so that they are nearly tame.

 

I used to love watching the rescued battery hens on the "Our chickens" webcam; but they have all been taken by the fox.

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Foxes are now regular occurances where I live, but the girls didn't even bat an eyelid last time, so that did worry me! I feel sure my run is safe, but there is nothing like having lost a hen to a fox to make you wary.

 

I can't stress enough that you should never be complacent if you keep chickens. Now my girls have their big run, they don't free range very often but always under close supervision if they do. Even the houserabbit is only allowed supervised garden trips.

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I'm glad you found out in time Sheila.

 

Ours sometimes all start making a racket and if I look out, they will all be facing in the same direction. I can only assume that it is a fox in the hedge or next field. Electric fence keeps ours safe. Jazz tested it for us the other day :wink: - with her lovely wet nose :(

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