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[prudance]

Hi,

 

I was fairly happy leaving my girls to free range in the garden, even when I couldn't see them from the house, until I read all the recent threads about foxes grabbing chickens in the middle of the day. I'm now spending twice as long making dinner because I'm attempting to chop food and look at the garden at the same time!

 

Are foxes during the day just a problem in the winter, or do we need to be extremely vigilant all the year round?

 

Also, if I'm preparing food in the kitchen, have the windows open and the kids are generally playing and screaming, will the noise be enough to deter a fox? At the moment, the chickens don't venture far down the garden at all. Wish they did - there's an awful lot of poo on the patio!

 

Thanks, and heartfelt wishes to anyone who has lost a chicken to a fox.

[moochoo]

Sadly, fox attacks are a year round problem. Summer is just as problematic as winter as the foxes have cubs to rear and their requirement for food increases.

I think you have to accept the risks of free ranging. The majority of chicken keepers want their chickens to free range to improve their chooks quality of life. The risk of that is you MAY get a fox come visiting. It all depends where on the risk/ benefit line you think free ranging is important.

You're definitely doing the right thing by letting them out when you're around and the noise of the children may help. You could invest in a fox watch or similar ultrasonic device if it seriously concerns you.

[Egluntyne]

You do need to be vigilant all year round, with the first four months of the year being the peak time for hungry foxes to attack. Pregnant vixens and then later, those with a litter of cubs to rear being the main cause.