полировка кузова автомобиля

[Gamebird]

My, you do seem to have very sly foxes with low pain thresholds in Wales. Let's hope they don't come my way.

 

The ark is really easy to clean. I have lined the roosting floor with perspex to protect the wood and make it easy to brush up any poo which I do every 2 to 3 days.

 

In between the perspex and the floor I have sprinkled lots of diatom to kill of any potential red mites. I then put a small amount of aubiose mized with diatom onto the top of the perspex floor to absorb any runny poos.

 

Once a month I take out the perspex and give it a good clean and then spray the whole ark with poultry shield. So far I've been lucky and not had any red mite.

 

I can move my ark on my own for very short distances but need help for anything further. I like the fact it's reasonably heavy so that it says put in a strong wind.

 

However, I'm petrified of getting red mite so I will probably buy a Cube when I expand my flock.

 

I have seen the Forsham bunny home but I don't keep rabbits so I've no idea how easy they would be to maintain but they do seem to be of good construction.

[ovoid]

Hello

 

I'm a new Eglu owner, have had the girls two weeks so am awaiting patiently for them to grow up a bit and give us some eggs. I hope that Mr Fox doesn't get them first.

 

We get foxes in the garden in the daytime, though strangely haven't seen any since the girls arrived. (I was advised, being a male, to mark my territory. May be it has worked?) We have a fence around the run, not yet electrified.

 

I have two questions

 

• is a fox able to get through any hole that a chicken could get through? ie could I reduce the gateway to the run sufficiently that the girls could get back in if they were alarmed by the presence of a fox, and
   
  
• would they be so scared by the presence of a fox that they would lose their presence of mind and not return to the run?

 

I don't suppose that they'd have much time to act, I am thinking of a scenario where the fox is taking an interest in the fenced pen but is not yet inside it.

 

John

 

Is pen the word that is used here to describe the area fenced in?

[Gamebird]

Hello

 

I have two questions

 

• is a fox able to get through any hole that a chicken could get through? ie could I reduce the gateway to the run sufficiently that the girls could get back in if they were alarmed by the presence of a fox, and
   
  A determined fox will definitely get through any hole a chicken can. They are very agile.
   
   
  
• would they be so scared by the presence of a fox that they would lose their presence of mind and not return to the run?

 

When they are frightened by a fox they generally run in all directions and aiming for a small hole to their run would not enter their heads.

 

I don't suppose that they'd have much time to act, I am thinking of a scenario where the fox is taking an interest in the fenced pen but is not yet inside it.

 

If anything alarms my chickens they tend to run to a corner of the enclosure and not back to their house.

 

John

 

Is pen the word that is used here to describe the area fenced in?

 

It is a constant battle keeping ahead of the fox. They are actually living in our wood behind my fenced enclosure. My Hubby is reluctant to 'deal' with the foxes because he says they keep the wild rabbit population down. So we just learn to live with them and so far so good.

[Gamebird]

That really is a lovely set up Gamebird

 

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

 

Thanks Christian. So far is has kept the foxes at bay and the chickens have a good life.

 

Hopefully Louisdog has sorted her fox problem with her FoF walk-in run.

[ovoid]

It is a constant battle keeping ahead of the fox.... So we just learn to live with them and so far so good.

 

Oh for the simple life, back to nature ...

 

Thanks Gamebird

 

John

[ovoid]

Re shooting foxes

...

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.

 

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

 

I am surprised not to have found anyone suggesting an air rifle. At 20 yards or more a shot on the rump would give a fox a nasty surprise without doing it any harm, wouldn't it? I'm not speaking from experience, but wondering if it would be worth trying this to deter the really cheeky foxes I have read about in another strand, who just sit and stare you out.

 

You don't need a firearms licence (yet) for an air weapon and although there are laws on what you can do legally they read like common sense rather than restrictions. As far as I can see they wouldn't prohibit shooting at a fox on the ground from, say, an upstairs window at the back of the house, would they?

[Louisdog]

We do have an air rifle for shooting rats, but I worry that it's inhumane to shoot a fox with it, could cause a horrible injury and wouldn't kill him I don't think. Not sure on the legality either. Plus the pain/shock of a pellet hitting him may not deter him if a 9000 volt shock doesn't ...

 

Maybe others have tried it and have a different opinion though.

[Groovychook]

We do have an air rifle for shooting rats, but I worry that it's inhumane to shoot a fox with it, could cause a horrible injury and wouldn't kill him I don't think. Not sure on the legality either. Plus the pain/shock of a pellet hitting him may not deter him if a 9000 volt shock doesn't ...

 

Maybe others have tried it and have a different opinion though.

 

Well said!

[Olly]

er - have you never seen newspaper reports of cats with air-rifle pellets lodged in them? I think taking pot-shots at a fox in the hope of deterring him would be inhumane, and I'm not sure it would be effective as a deterrent anyway.

 

I don't have a problem in principle with disposing of foxes by shooting, but it's totally impractical for most of us, and the sad fact is that the fox population is so high in urban areas that another fox is likely to move into the territory within about six weeks. Maybe in rural areas this doesn't happen, but in a town there are usually too many foxes trying to find space anyway. Killing one wouldn't give you any security against another one coming along.

 

Stock protection, whether it's electric fences, secure runs or other methods, is the best way to avoid fox losses.

[Lydia]

Well said Olly. The fact is that the urban fox population exists because of us humans. We drop litter and we waste food like never before. If we cleaned up our act then the foxes would have nothing to eat and wouldn't be out of control.

 

We have a fox visitor but so far the Fox Watches and our vigilance when free ranging have kept him at bay and our FoF run is secure. I think people encouraging others to take pot shots at wildlife with air rifles is very sad indeed.

[Groovychook]

We live in the countryside & have seen many foxes over the years.

I believe that if I want to keep my chickens safe from them, that I'll just have to take as many precautions as possible and to supervise any free ranging. Not so easy at the moment with a segregated chook... I had to bring her inside earlier because the rain was teeming down. She sat on my lap, wrapped up in a towel, purring away whilst I tried to get some work done!

I've started dropping heavy hints to my OH about having a walk in run. I'd be much happier if I knew they were safe & had a bit more space...

Constant supervision is very time consuming!

[ovoid]

er - have you never seen newspaper reports of cats with air-rifle pellets lodged in them? I think taking pot-shots at a fox in the hope of deterring him would be inhumane, and I'm not sure it would be effective as a deterrent anyway.

 

No, but they never started re-delivering newspapers after we went on holiday in 1965 and we never missed them.

 

I do know of someone who, to prove that air rifles were not lethal, invited someone to shoot him in the back with one. Unfortunately for him he was hit on the spine, resulting in quite some pain, but nothing permanent. I think that may be the distance has something to do with it.

 

That said, the postings on this have convinced me that it isn't an option for foxes, thanks for the advice.

 

The mention of humane reminds me of the reference I found to the Human Slaughter Association (Google it if you don't believe me) which I think I found on a web page selling non-poisonous poison. On the same day I bought an unused used book (of crosswords) from an Amazon seller.

 

Welfare Of The Laying Hen

Contributors; Preface; Acknowledgements; The importance of welfare, J K Kirkwood , Universities Federation for Animal Welfare and Human Slaughter Association ...

 

EradiBait Non-Poisonous Rat & Mouse Poison | Online shop for ...

3 kg tub of Eradibait Rat & Mouse non-poisonous poison. Other details as above. Rat Bait Box. Rat Bait Box. Ref: RBS. Price: £4.21 (Including VAT at 17.5%) ...

[Egluntyne]

I am surprised not to have found anyone suggesting an air rifle. At 20 yards or more a shot on the rump would give a fox a nasty surprise without doing it any harm, wouldn't it? I'm not speaking from experience, but wondering if it would be worth trying this to deter the really cheeky foxes I have read about in another strand, who just sit and stare you out.

 

You don't need a firearms licence (yet) for an air weapon and although there are laws on what you can do legally they read like common sense rather than restrictions. As far as I can see they wouldn't prohibit shooting at a fox on the ground from, say, an upstairs window at the back of the house, would they?

 

I imagine shooting a fox with the intention of merely injuring it would be illegal.

[Louisdog]

It did cross my mind to wish that there were non-lethal / weedy pellets available for my air rifle so that I could give the fox a scolding without actually hurting him. Like a pea shooter or something! But like I say, he'd probably poke his tongue out at me and carry on, or be right back anyway.

[ScottishMike]

I would never shoot at an animal unless I thought I could kill it cleanly with one shot - so shooting at a fox with a weapon that is quite clearly not powerful enough to kill cleanly is a no no.

 

Obviously as a firearms licence holder I am 'pro gun' - but I'm 'pro responsible gun ownership' first and foremost

 

Anyway, has Mr Fox been seen off by the leccy fence??

[Louisdog]

I don't believe it, he has been back the last two mornings, must be the cold weather I guess. The walk-in run and 7000 volt strands are keeping him out but the chooks are terrified when they see him

 

Hope everyone is being extra vigilant, I am sure we'll have more and more desperate and hungry foxes about now that winter weather is setting in.

 

Cheers

alex

[Cuckoos Nest]

Woah!! Stop right there!!

 

Anyone using an air rifle on a fox is breaching the Wildlife & Countryside Act, make no mistake if someone spots you doing that the penallties can be immense, including the possibility of losing your rights to keep animals

 

Anyone using an air rifle must be aware of it's capabilities and what can and can't be cleanly killed with it. The use of one to just scare a fox is the kind of thing that anti air rifle types would jump on to further their cause.

 

Another precautionary note with regard to air rifles, the first thing the police will do in any case involving alleged misuse of an air rifle, is test it. If it fires at a muzzle energy greater than twelve foot pounds (16.3 joules) , it is a firearm. Illegal possession of which = 5 years in the slammer . How many of you air rifle owners out there have a regular calibration check? It is very easy to accidentally go over the 12lb limit.

 

Enough of the soapbox, just be sensible and careful with all air weapons

 

Steve

[Louisdog]

Interesting; how would you go about getting such a check?

 

Cheers

alex

[Cuckoos Nest]

Alex

 

You will need an air rifle chronograph, heres an example about halfway down the page Combro CB625 Mk4

Chrono Power Checker

 

 

http://airgunbuyer.com/Showproducts.asp?cat=Accessories&SubCat=Misc.+Accessories

 

Some good gun shops will do the test for you for a small fee.

 

Steve

[Louisdog]

That's really interesting, thanks.

 

The power checker seems almost as expensive as my air rifle, I am guessing mine must be a bit cheap and nasty

[KAZAROO]

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.

 

When h came to us that night; the next eve he was sitting on the fella behinds bonfire peeking over the fence right above my hubby! Little s*@T!!!!!