Pollydoodle Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 So sorry to hear the terrible news. She was a beautiful girl Thinking of you all, Christine x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Clare, can't add anything to the above posts, but just to let you know that I am thinking of you all and send you much love. Big hugsxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Clare, I share your tears & shock. How very, very sad, thinking of you all. R.I.P. Layla. A very special chook, I remember when you first got the girls & chose the names. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Hi Clare, When we spoke yesterday, you didn't know how Layla had died so the full realisation when you got home must have been terrible for you, Rosie and Phil. I'm so, so sorry. Layla was so beautiful. Treasure the memories you have of her. Great big hugs to you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Hi Clare Just read your post about Layla. I just wanted to add my sympathies. She was a very beautiful girl. Best wishes to you all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merryn Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 I too send my sympathy, Clare. What a horrible shock it must have been. best wishes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 22, 2006 Author Share Posted May 22, 2006 Thank you all very much - we are overwhelmed by the sympathies and responses from you. It was hard letting them out this morning and not having her chuckling at me and telling me all her news. I do hope that Johannes manages to come round this evening to see how the fox tried to get in. I am convinced that it must have been a female fox as there's no smell of male fox around the garden at all. We now have some small logs in the back of the Eglu to cover that gap at the back of the roosting bars and more logs heaped up behind the Eglu. We were watching out at dusk last night to see if we could see it coming back, but no luck. Perhaps there needs to be a change to the design of the eglu to make the back more secure, maybe a sort of bit that hooks into the base and stops the top lifting up - mine currently lifts up about an inch from the base at the back. I know that there have been two other people with foxes getting at hens in a similar way. LJ has sent me the details of the ultrasonic fox deterrent and I am going to get one of those down at the end fo the garden too. I think that it tried again last night, but to no effect. Phil is going to lay some flat sand around the Eglu so that we can see whether it has been back by the prints. Meanwhile, I am going to get on the phone tonight and see if someone has another little pekin (hopefully as cheeky) that I can get after the bank holiday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Good to hear you sounding so positive Clare after such an awful thing to happen. I think all of us had a restless night last night after your news. Let us know what Johannes says won't you. xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 So sorry to hear about Layla Clare Big Cyber hugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 22, 2006 Author Share Posted May 22, 2006 Good to hear you sounding so positive Clare after such an awful thing to happen. I think all of us had a restless night last night after your news. Let us know what Johannes says won't you. xx Strangely enough Gina we slept well - I guess that we were just so knackered. Rosie took a lot of persuading to get to bed and sleep. Phil and I had some tears together when she was sleeping. Looks like you were up late again last night/this morning. I hope that we have some good news from you soon to cheers us up. CX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Poor Layla, and hugs to you all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Very sorry to hear your sad news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budgies Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 So very sad to hear about poor Layla, Clare. Hope that you and your family can take a little comfort from your other girls at such a sad time, and perhaps plan for a new girl or two. Best wishes from us both x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet81 Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Clare, how awful! I was so saddened to read your post about Layla. I read such things with total dread of this happening to any of my girls. My thoughts are with you. You mentioned an ultrasonic fox deterrant. When you feel more like it I wonder if you could post the details of these? xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 22, 2006 Author Share Posted May 22, 2006 This is the link that LJ sent me about the Foxwatch, Muppet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twiglet Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Having lost one of my girls to foxy when out freeranging, I have bought a foxwatch too. Had it for just over a week now, can't say for definite if it works, especially as it says it will need about a 3 week lead in period before the foxes "get used" to being warned off but..... before the attack and for a few days after, the girls really squarked early morning (6.00 ish) at what I THINK may have been pestering visits from the fox. Now, they haven't been making any noise the past few days so MAYBE there are no early morning visits - or is it the persistent rain keeping them away. Keeping an open mind about it at the moment. Do the boys do any floating eglu's? I think we may need them soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley-Jean Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Lets hope your foxes are learning to keep away now that you have your FoxWatch Twiglet. I have faith in mine, I hope it is not missplaced Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 Clare, I'm sorry to hear about Layla, I've only just caught this thread big hugs to you all, karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 22, 2006 Author Share Posted May 22, 2006 Thanks again chaps. I had a call from Johannes tonight, and we discussed the method used by this fox - hopefully they will consider this next time they make some tweaks to the Eglu design. I was speaking to someone today, and the back of his Eglu top lifts up in exactly the same way, leaving a gap for a paw to get through. I guess that this isn't such an issue with bigger hens, which probably won't get wedged down the back of the roosting bars like bantams do. I have put some logs inside the eglu at the back of the roosting bars to stop the chooks getting down there. But this will give any bugs or mites somewhere to live, so I guess that it's not a permenent solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 I have a bunch of large pot plants behind my eglu as the fox got my poop tray out, and little pekins like poor silly Judy can get out through that gap. I've never been able to trust the poop tray catch since. We call it the fox-foxing shrubbery, and while they've scratched the sides of the eglu trying to get in, they haven't been able to move the plants. I guess I was lucky (in a strange way) that the fox got me, as it meant that I've had the pots there almost since the beginning, as my eglu also lifts at the back and my pekins also sit in the gap at the back and I would never have thought anything of it. This said, it's a bit of a fag moving them to empty the poop tray so this may not be an option for you. You can see pictures in my photobucket album which is at the www link in my signature. Ruddy foxes, why can't they eat the pigeons? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 23, 2006 Author Share Posted May 23, 2006 Ahhh, it was you that had a similar experience - I couldn't remember who it was. Johannes didn't come round to see the evidence last night, but I did have a chat to him on the phone. I have had an email from Simon at Omlet and we have discussed the problem too - it might be worth dropping him a line (simon@omlet.co.uk) auntye, and letting him know that you had the same problem - hopefully they will be able to factor in some changes to the next design revision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Yes, I will do. We had an email discussion when it first happened, but unfortunately the tray can still be pulled out without using the catch if you jiggle it enough (as Mr Fox did). I'll try and take photos as it's easier to explain if you can see what happens. I'm planning on getting the MK3 so I can expand the flock a little and haven't decided quite what to do with the MK2. There's been some discussion of a double-ended run with two eglus, but I'm not sure th OH would go for that, as the Eglu already takes up most of the garden. In fact I'm not sure it would even fit. May have to buy new house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Cluck Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 before the attack and for a few days after, the girls really squarked early morning (6.00 ish) at what I THINK may have been pestering visits from the fox. hi - we had this same problem last week - our girls who are normally very quiet in the mornings had a fit crowing and clucking at 5.45am (we are up early the OH leaves at 5.30am and we let them out then) had to run up the garden in my pj's to quiet them down with some corn. But later speaking to my neighbour he had seen a fox about. We have not let the girls out to free run round the garden since as a precautionary measure. I feel a bit cruel as they are used to being out and about when we come in from work and at weekends . Anyways we thought about getting a Foxwatch but were a bit concerned as dogs can hear it and we have a few neighbours with dogs - we didnt want to start them all off barking Twiglet and Lesley Jean - have you noticed this problem with the foxwatch afectings dogs or cats please and have you had any problems with it thanks lyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 23, 2006 Author Share Posted May 23, 2006 Lyn - I have been looking to get one as recommended by LJ, and it sounds like they dtere foxes but not other animals - something to do with the frequency they are set at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Cluck Posted May 23, 2006 Share Posted May 23, 2006 Hi Claret our fox has been spotted a couple of times now around our Close, so we (and our wonderful next door neighbours who are around during the day when we are at work) have been keeping extra watch out. Little Hyacynth was a bit worried as that night she went to roost early about 7pm the other two were still out in the run. We checked her over the next day and she seems to be ok in herself but did not lay for 3 days. She is fully back to normal now so I just put it down to a close shave. We are trying the 'marking the territory' and hair in bags but would feel a lot more confident with something like Foxwatch but our only concern is with our cats and the neighbours dogs In doors we use 'Pest Defence' the sonic plug in thingy that keeps mice and insects away as we get an ant problem every summer, this little device has been absolutly wonderfull - I havent seen an ant or spider or cobwebbs since I first switched it on about 2yrs ago. It would be great if the Foxwatch worked as well Lyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
