Stoat killed hens asleep in the Eglu

[emchook]

I have put up some netting around my newly barked eglu which has been working beautifully to give the chooks a great big triangle of space when I am outside with them.

This morning when I looked out the window there was Mr Fox sitting happily in the middle of the triangle.

When I went outside the silly thing [ quite young by the size] ran away and tried to get under it .. Didnt want to jump for some reason.

A couple of the netting poles did get pulled up and I was worried that the net itself was going to leave me with a tangled fox..BUT TO MY SUPRISE ..AND RELIEF ..the fox managed to push himself through one of the larger holes in the net...with no tangling left for me to sort out or damage to the net..well done omlet netting.

All this time, btw, [ about 1 min ] I was standing wondering what on earth to do if it went horribly wrong ..and getting quite cold in my pyjamas .

Anyway... I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else ? And do you think this particular fox got enough of a fright not to come back ?? I was only about 6 ft away from it all this time .. just out of harms way of any potential gnashing teeth ! So he definitely got a really good look at me !

[Egluntyne]

He'll know you if he sees you again!

 

I've not heard of this happening before. Might be worth electrifying the fence?

[Guest]

oh that fox will be back dont be fooled...not called cunning for nothing..if they smell the food he will be back even the same day! (Not weeks)bold as brass

agree get an energiser..

indie

[emchook]

I cant electrify it as I have very small children...Although I suppose I could consider it for the evenings ....

If you do electrify it .. Do you need a warning sign up ?

[Guest]

You only need to put a sign up if you have public coming across your land or are near a footpath etc(I think its every 200m..cant remember..there is a rule for how often the signs should appear.. but i put a couple up aroung my ponies despite the fact the land is private...)For stupid people who may decide to climb the locked gate etc(u will b suprised)

 

But the fence with the ponies is probably1000meters in total!

 

I wouldnt leave the birds out if u r not around and if u r out just switch the electric on..you can run it off a car battery..the omlet one is actually reasonably priced..if you go on discount saddlery theres are v good price too

 

Yes not a good idea if u have small children as it is ouch! I am always getting zapped! As u say u can turn it off

 

The fox will come back..not trying to alarm u but it will

 

indie

[Olly]

Afraid I agree that the fox will come back.

 

Apparently if you electrify netting, then you should really do it all the time because it's the repeated zapping that puts the fox off. If he learns that sometimes it zaps and sometimes it is off, he will not be deterred and will just keep trying until he finds a time when the chickens are out and it's off. I read that elsewhere on this forum, I should add that I don't have experience of electric fencing myself!

 

The Omlet netting is really only for containing chickens/keeping them off the areas you don't want them to go into, it's not fox-proof (obviously!) so don't rely on it for safety.