4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[HasSumAmi]

I haven't been on the forum for a long while. Everything was going so well.

 

We'd just got a wonderful walk-in run from Flyte So Fancy and the Cube arrived last week, just before I went away on holiday. I was anticipating coming home this morning to the exciting prospect of buying some more chickens over the next few weeks.

 

However, I got the terrible phone call yesterday morning from our 13 year old son that the fox had got in and killed all four girls.

 

I wont go into details, but it was not pretty by all accounts. He discovered their remains. Needless to say, he's very distressed, as are my two girls.

 

We'd put the no-dig skirt all around the run except for in one corner where the run went up against the fence. However, there was a gap of less than 20cm from the fence which ran about 50-60cm on one side of the run. The fox dug under, and did its worse.

 

We'll be getting more chickens, but not in quite the circumstances I had hoped...

 

The worse thing is as I had looked at that corner so many times and thought: "Is there a chance?" But it was such a small gap that I did not think a fox would have room to dig. I was wrong!

 

All I can say - if you think there could be a possible weakness in your set-up - sort it out.

 

Take care all

Sarah

[bigmommasally]

I'm so sorry for you, how awful for you and your children. We always wished we done things differently when something goes wrong but please don't blame yourself.

Take care

Big Hugs x

[BeckyBoo]

How awful for you and your poor children. So sorry to hear about it, but glad it hasn't put you off getting more chooks. Foxes are very determined no one can be entirely confident that their hens are safe, it's one of the risks of chicken keeping

Lots of love,

 

Mrs B

[RubyReckless]

oh dear! Your poor son and poor you!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That's awful . Your poor kids (and you) . If nothing else, at least you now know where the weaknesses lie in the run and can take steps to prevent such an awful thing happening again.

[Egg Lou]

Oh poor you and ypur family

 

Sounds like a very determined fox so as has already been said plese don't blame yourself at all.. I guess the only good thing is now you can sort out the weak spot and I know it sound awful but better to have happened before you increased you flock.

 

Hugs to you all

[Gamebird]

So sorry to hear about your loss.

 

What a terrible and unpleasant shock for your children. I do hope they are OK.

[chelsea]

what an awful shock for you and your family, am so sorry.

[Egluntyne]

Very sorry to hear it. What a terrible shock for you.

[moomin]

So sorry to hear about your poor little chooks, hope your kids, (and you) feel better soon

 

XXX

[Guest]

the times I've said to my DH that there was gap that i think needed to be sorted out in our run only to have him roll his eyes at me and tell I'm being stupid! I'm glad I nagged now!

 

I'm so sorry, what a horrible shock for you and yours

 

xxxxx

[sparkysmum]

Hello Sarah, I am so sorry this has happened to you and your hens. Thinking of you. Allison

[ChrisP]

Having just posted about my fox attack today I can only say how sorry I am, and I know how you are feeling

[Old Speckled Hen]

So sorry.

Fox took mine earlier this year when I was on holiday and mum was looking after them.

When I got home I just stood in the garden gazing at the empty run for ages when I found one blue feather; the tears just poured and poured.

You just have to take a deep breath and start again .... something you have already done.

Don't feel too guilty.

[HasSumAmi]

Thanks for all your kind words everybody.

Still can't believe it to be honest.

 

Haven't cried yet, and feel I really want to, but trying to be strong for the children. They were the ones who had to face it all, along with my sister-in-law, who stoically cleaned it all up!

 

We started looking at breeders on-line, but they had pictures similar to our girls and it was too much for the children. Will give it a week or so, I think!

 

Thanks again. It was a relief having somewhere to talk about it, to people who would understand.

 

Take care

Sarah

[redhotchick]

Very sorry to hear your sad news. Hope you are all bearing up.

[Olly]

So sorry - how awful for your children, and for you.

 

Don't blame yourself; sounds like a very determined fox. At least you know where he got in, and can take steps to avoid it happening again.

 

Hope you feel able to get some more girls, and move on, it sounds as if you have a great set-up with the run and Cube.

[Groovychook]

I'm so sorry to hear your news - what an awful shock for you all

 

Thinking of you xxx

[Louisdog]

Sorry to hear about your chooks. I had a similar thing happen last week, I lost a lot of mine, and I have just rushed out and bought a Flyte So Fancy run and skirt this weekend, I am worried now that it still won't be enough.

 

Did he come in the daytime, this fox we had did, we couldn't believe it.

 

I hope you are not put off from getting chickens again one day soon.

 

Cheers

alex

[HasSumAmi]

Sorry to hear about your chooks. I had a similar thing happen last week, I lost a lot of mine, and I have just rushed out and bought a Flyte So Fancy run and skirt this weekend, I am worried now that it still won't be enough.

 

Did he come in the daytime, this fox we had did, we couldn't believe it.

 

I hope you are not put off from getting chickens again one day soon.

 

Cheers

alex

 

Hi Alex

Sorry to hear about your loss.

 

I find the run to be secure.

 

We put an extra few locks on the front door and a lock on the inside of the door, so that when we were on the inside of the run so we could lock it when we were inside to stop the girls escaping.

 

The weakness came about from not having the no-dig skirt on one corner. I hadn't put it on there because the fence was there, but the fence was not straight so there was a small gap.

 

Put the skirt on all round, perhaps even put stones or slabs on top of the skirt. Make sure there are no gaps, and keep the door secure. I can't see how you can do any more than that...

 

And we're definitely not put off keeping chickens. - We'll be getting some more, just as soon as we can.

 

Take care and good luck.

Sarah

[Louisdog]

Hi Sarah

 

Glad the run is secure, I feel I will probably be ok then. It's just I wasn't sure if the skirt was enough, what if it starts digging further back. I have pegged the skirt down but I still feel unsure because I know what the fox is capable of (this is the one that broke into my Eglu run last week - the door was off its hinges and the end panel was detached from the rest of the run.) I will put some electrified wire up too I think. I must say the skirt seems very sturdy though.

 

Snap, I have put a bolt on the outside and also a catch on the inside otherwise I can't shut the door behind me when I go in, seems like an oversight on the design, I may mention it to them. They were brilliant when I went down there, and their designs are lovely.

 

I find it so hard to work out how I feel, I keep thinking I want to kill the fox, I even set a live trap for it but it didn't go in, but I suppose I am better off concentrating my energies on fortifying the new run. If I kill this fox, another will come and take its place.

 

Hope you get some new chickens soon and enjoy them lots. You'll never forget the lost ones but the newbies will be lovely too. I have got 5 new banty babies now, from the Wernlas collection, they are not as friendly as the old ones but hopefully they will be soon.

 

Let us know what you get. You can't keep your lovely cube empty for long

 

Cheers

Alex

Edit: P.S. My Dad says the fiox might bite through the run wire but I think it's too strong, surely?!

[Karen & co.]

I'm sorry to read what has happened. How dreadful for you

 

Karen x

[HasSumAmi]

I find it so hard to work out how I feel, I keep thinking I want to kill the fox

Tell me about it!! I used to be one of these city dwellers who romanticised the fox from Dahl's "Fantastic Mr Fox". Now I am contemplating having a red-suited hunt run through my garden!!

I could have accepted it, if he killed and taken one for his dinner. That's nature I suppose, and I could argue that it needs to eat too. But it killed all four of them, almost for sport it would seem.

 

 

 

Edit: P.S. My Dad says the fiox might bite through the run wire but I think it's too strong, surely?!

I think it's made of weldmesh, so can't be bitten through...

 

 

 

It's just I wasn't sure if the skirt was enough, what if it starts digging further back.

I've wondered this myself... Not sure if there is a particularly distance that a fox wont dig under, but they are persistent creatures... Too many of us know that.

 

 

 

Hope you get some new chickens soon and enjoy them lots. You'll never forget the lost ones but the newbies will be lovely too. I have got 5 new banty babies now, from the Wernlas collection, they are not as friendly as the old ones but hopefully they will be soon.

 

Let us know what you get. You can't keep your lovely cube empty for long

 

Congratulations on your new girls.

We'll get some soon. Not sure exactly when, but I have wanted chickens for over 30 years, and the past few months were a delight, so I'm not going to let one fox stop everything.

 

Take care

Sarah

[chickenanne]

I THINK the theory with teh no-dig skirt is that (a) foxes generally dig closer to their target (I guess they're all different so tehre's no general rule), and (b) it would take a fox more than a day /overnight to dig through from further back, so you'd see his earthworks and act on it.

TBH at some point you have to stop, don't you - I mean, the no-dig skirt has to stop somewhere, you can't have one thats 10ft all the way round or whatever.

There are just too many foxes, IMO.

[Louisdog]

Yes definitely too many, and far too bold

 

I see what you mean about the skirt.

 

I suppose one 100% safe method would be if I put a skirt/floor all over the inside of the run, but then they would not be able to dig, scratch and dustbath.

 

If I won the lottery I would get 7 feet high electrified netting all around my entire garden!