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

[Louisdog]

We have had so much trouble with foxes getting my birds from behind electric fencing and even breaking into an Eglu run, we have had our new Flyte so Fancy run up for over a week now, it has the dig skirt and also a four strand electric fence around it running at 7800 volts.

 

Anyway this morning I heard a commotion at 9am and looked out, just in time to see a fox pounce for Flappy who was stood on a garden bench within the run. The fox hit the weldmesh with a loud thwanging noise then brushed against the electric fence as it landed, then scarpered! Not been back since as far as I know.

 

So maybe we have foiled him at last, yay

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Excellent . Let's hope he gets the message and passes it on to all his chums .

 

You must be delighted .

[Louisdog]

Actually seeing him makes me feel quite nervous. I am going to sleep with the window open tonight just in case (and wearing about 12 layers of clothes I expect, it's freezing!) But yes hopefully he'll tell all his mates not to bother including us on their rounds from now on.

[mostin]

At last, you won a round against Mr foxy, .

 

lets hope he doesn't try again

[Louisdog]

The best win was when my oldest girl Rocky was carried off by him in May, I just screamed in despair but hubby gave chase into the woods and came back with a dead chicken under his arm, at least horrid fix did not eat her I thought, but miracle of miracles she was alive, just looked a bit listless, she rested for an hour in the conservatory with a nice meal and was good as new

 

Evil fox killed her on 16 Oct though he broke into Eglu run and she died of shock

 

But yeah let's hope I win the war this time. These foxes are clever and persistent

[ScottishMike]

I know I might get 'flamed' for expressing this opinion - but personally I'd have no qualms shooting the fox (assuming it would be safe and legal to do so ) - I have no particular vendetta against foxes, but they are far from an endangered species, and it is our responsibility to protect our pets from them. I'm liking the leccy fence idea, but seems a lot of hassle and money

[Louisdog]

Personally I'd happily shoot him too, I think of them as vermin pretty much, but the practicalities are difficult - I don't have a gun licence for starters (or a gun!)

 

I do think that it can be a good idea to reduce an out of control fox population, especially out in the wild woods where we are, but unfortunately I think there are so many of them that if you shoot one, another will come along and take its place soon enough.

 

Electric fencing isn't that expensive to install and run (compare it with the cost of a decent gun cabinet!) but I am very peeved that this latest batch of foxes have not been thwarted by it.

 

We are in a residential rural area, if we knew someone who wanted to come and do some lamping we'd bite their hand off!

 

What are th foxes like by you, ScottishMike? Do you control them, protect your birds, or a bit of both? Just curious how others handle this issue.

 

Cheers

Alex

[ScottishMike]

I don't have any chooks yet (a plan is in the offing for that though ) - we do have foxes around us, although we aren't bothered by them at the moment.

 

I am a firearms licence holder though, but I would be pushing it to the extreme to use even my .22 rifle in my back garden We are surrounded by housing - our back garden backs onto other back gardens.

 

Our only defence really would be to lock the chooks up in the eglu (if I ever get one ) at night, but daytime attacks would be the biggest risk - I've disturbed a fox in our front garden mid morning on a Sunday before....

 

IF I thought I could safely dispatch a fox in our garden, I would, but I'm only too aware of the laws and responsibilities placed on me as a firearms holder, so I would evaluate the risks very carefully first, and no way would I risk doing something that would endanger people or property - it's a tough one

[Louisdog]

No chooks? Execute the plan quick! They'll be fab! What sort will you get, what will they live in? (Sorry am v nosy, love talking chookies )

 

It's interesting to hear that you are a licence holder; would it be inappropriate to ask why? Is it a hobby or how did you get into it? I'd love to learn more if I ever had the time, it'd be so handy on the smallholding. I see why you cannot start shooting foxes willy-nilly in your garden though. You could always set a live trap and then dispatch them that way if they became a problem, I guess...

 

It's such a shame you are so far away or I'd be offering (read, begging ) you target practise at our place

 

You mention daytime foxes, that's been a problem for us too, despite the leccy fence, sigh. We could certainly never let them free-range, which is a shame. We are literally on the edge of woods and there's so much cover, I can imagine the numbers just dwindling if they were to free range Our neighbours on each side gave up chickens as they lost so many lots to the fox

 

Any good luck with the new hens when they arrive

[ScottishMike]

happy to answer questions!!

 

especialy after a few vinos

 

Chooks - got interested a while back, but wife said NO

 

to be fair, our lives are hectic - 3 kids - 8,6 & 1, 2 dogs, and both working. why add more hassle to that says she, and I can see her point But what the hey, I've eventually persuaded her to agree to a trial period - the eglu is my Christmas present - and when the days get a bit longer we'll try.... - contemplating getting some ex-batts, or maybe 3 younger birds from a breeder - not sure....

 

As to the guns, well I have been a licence holder for a long time now - was introduced to shooting by a friend on his place in Yorkshire - loved it - learnt to shoot, to gut and skin, and cook rabbits. Applied for licence, got it, sourced various rifles, legally, but cheaply, and occassionally get down to my mates place to let rip with the big guns

 

as some reading my other posts will quickly gather, I'm not squeamish about shooting animals, or dealing with the aftermath, but I do shoot sometimes for food, other times to control vermin..

 

not a sport for everyone!

[Guest]

Personally my views on foxhunting have been seriously challenged!!!!

 

I was all for it being banned - but now I really hate foxes and would glad hunt the "Ooops, word censored!"s down!!!

 

Trouble is - semi-urban foxes are as bold as brass and fear nothing!

 

Louise

[ScottishMike]

was never a fan of fox hunts - to many "yahs" - if you want to dispatch a fox, shoot it! Quick, clean, as humane as you can get

[Egluntyne]

Most of us in an urban situation with just a few back yard hens probably wouldn't be comfortable with the firearms option, but I can quite see that in a rural setting, say on a smallholding, it would be a perfectly reasonable approach.

[woodychill]

I am finding it a little worrying that foxes are managing to get into the eglu run; could someone enlighten me as to how they manage to do this as they are meant to be fox proof.

 

When I go out they are always in the run, and it worries me that they may not be safe.

 

Many thanks

[Lesley]

I don't have any chooks yet (a plan is in the offing for that though ) - we do have foxes around us, although we aren't bothered by them at the moment.

 

I am a firearms licence holder though, but I would be pushing it to the extreme to use even my .22 rifle in my back garden We are surrounded by housing - our back garden backs onto other back gardens.

 

Our only defence really would be to lock the chooks up in the eglu (if I ever get one ) at night, but daytime attacks would be the biggest risk - I've disturbed a fox in our front garden mid morning on a Sunday before....

 

IF I thought I could safely dispatch a fox in our garden, I would, but I'm only too aware of the laws and responsibilities placed on me as a firearms holder, so I would evaluate the risks very carefully first, and no way would I risk doing something that would endanger people or property - it's a tough one

 

 

Good reply Mike - as you are aware, most back garden chicken keepers won't have this option of course.

 

Living on a smallholding, we could use this option but haven't had to because we use single strand electric fence, 9 " from the ground, around a 6' high enclosure. We have evidence of fox visits on most days but have not had any problems so far.

 

The Eglu, when properly closed is described as 'foxproof' but the Eglu run is 'fox resistant' Woodychill. If you know you have foxes patrolling your area it would be wise to add some re-inforcements such as pegging down the skirt of the run and placing slabs over it. Some have placed large, heavy plant pots around the back of the Eglu just to make it more difficult for the fox to even try as sometimes the fox trying to gain entry will stress or shock the hens.

[woodychill]

Thanks for that; I now see what you mean, I was thinking they managed to chew through or something. It seems to be that they can lift the run and dig under still.

[Louisdog]

The fox pulled my run door off its hinges and also the semi-circular end section of the run, I was stunned. The clips must have become brittle from UV light and/or moving it around, I think. (Now replaced.)

[MedusA]

The fox pulled my run door off its hinges and also the semi-circular end section of the run, I was stunned. The clips must have become brittle from UV light and/or moving it around, I think. (Now replaced.)

 

Wow! That is truly

 

I have foxes in my garden every night, but my walk-in run is holding up so far. Having lost one girl to a fox, I don't want to go through that again.

[Louisdog]

It's a bit ridiculous, the foxes here seem so determined, I think I said in another thread, where we used to live (also rural) we kept ducks in an Eglu behind electric net with their run door open, and quail and chickens in another two Eglus with the house door left open at night, without a problem, yet there were loads of foxes around there. So I just don't understand it really.

 

Hope your walk-in run holds up, am sure it will, I wish these foxes would clear off and catch some wild rabbits or something!

[Gamebird]

What sort of electric fencing are you using to deter the fox and how does he actually get at your chickens?

 

I've had mine behind an electric enclosure and we are surrounded by foxes and live in a wood! The chickens are out all day and I don't close them in a night so they can go to bed and get up when they please.

 

Mine looks like this:

 

[Louisdog]

Your set up looks lovely.

 

In Pembrokeshire we had a net for the ducks and wire strands for the chooks, at spacings the farmer next door told us to use. Never had any problem, despite seeing a lot of foxes.

 

We got here in August 2007 and used electric net, we lost the first duck from behind it in December, we do have a volt tester and the fence was giving a good jolt. Never saw how he was getting them.

 

I rang Rutland fencing and they sent me photos and diagrams of spacings required for wire (which is meant to give a bigger jolt) and we followed this but doubled up between the strands too. We installed this in February, started losing birds again soon after. We upgraded our energiser to Rutland's biggest, that does miles of strands or about 50 nets, and was giving 9000 volts. Still lost birds. Added more strainers/tensioners. Still lost birds.

 

The only time we saw the fox was on 16 Oct, saw him just jumping/squeezing between the wire strands with a chicken in his mouth

 

That night he was back to break the Eglu run.

 

I am at a loss with this one but maybe the FoF walk-in run will foil him, a pity as it's not as night as I'd like.

 

Edit: Gamebirds, what energiser do you have? Any idea of your voltage? And is your ark a Forsham? It looks great.

[Lesley]

We have the FofF walk in runs set inside a large run area. This is surrounded by a single strand of polywire powered by a Rutland Electric Shepherd . We have a clip on tester that shows a red light to show that the wire is live.

 

We have two different Electric Shepherds - can't remember the strengths........

[Gamebird]

My energiser is a Hotline Super Hobby which gives out 8500 volts powered by a 12v battery. I use small hole poultry netting and have a neon light indicator attached to it which tells me if the power falls below the required level.

 

I am meticulous about making sure the fencing is free from debris that might compromise the power.

 

I have watched my friend's dog (75kg Newfoundland) trying to get at my chickens and she got such a belt from the fencing that she will now not even look any where near the chickens' enclosure.

 

Yes, my ark is a Forsham which I have been very pleased with. However, the sleeping area is only big enough for the smaller hybrids. My plan is to get some pure breeds sometime in the future and when I do I shall probably buy a Cube.

 

You do seem to have very determined foxes but it sounds as though your walk-in run will do the trick.

 

Good luck.

[Louisdog]

Lesley I have seen pics of your runs, they look great, didn't realise they were FoF. Are they roofed, I can't remember? Yes I am hoping the electric strands will help deter foxy, sounds similar to what you have done.

 

Gamebird, I am the same with my fencing, especially afetr the fox started getting some birds, I was checking and testing daily, moving debris etc, we even upgraded to an expensive digital voltmeter. My dogs and cats are the same, they will not go anywhere near the fence having got a warning jolt on one occasion. One dog in particular stays a long way away and watches me from a distance. We didn't think the fox was getting through/over the fence at first as it seemed incredible; we thought our birds must panic and somehow fly out, until we saw him do it. Also one time we found feathers inside the run when a bird went missing.

 

Your forsham ark looks lovely, is it ok to clean out? Am thinking of buying the little bunny version for my guinea pigs. I had a big imitation of that ark once, but it was too heavy to move so I sold it!

 

Cheers

Alex

[Christian]

That really is a lovely set up Gamebird

 

I hope you get the fox issue sorted Louisdog. They are very persistent things