Solitary chicken - need advice

[Sheilaz]

5.30 am, fox snatched a bunch of feathers from Tots, but she & the others are alive & well.

 

Fort Knox is an enormous wood & mesh homemade walk in run. The last 2 feather grabs were a few months ago. Then, he had prowled as the hens roosted leaning against the wire.

 

The first time I installed a Foxwatch which did deter him for a few days, then he tried again not caring about the Foxwatch if there may be easy prey.

I then realised that I needed to move all tempting roosting spots further back into the run, and also installed a 2nd Foxwatch to cover more area, as a cunning fox will work out how to take a different approach.

 

I'm certain that this was effective over the winter. No footprints in the snow, no early alarm calls from the girls.

 

But today, there was the fox setting off 2 Foxwatches & not caring because he felt he had a chance. Unfortunately, an overturned table perch in the run had rolled against the wire & I hadn't noticed, so poor Tots was the target as she snoozed I presume.

 

Their calls alerted me (sorry neighbours) and I think sometimes noisy hens have spotted predators, take them seriously. It isn't feasible for me to lock them in the Eglus at night, so the run is their protection. 24 hours a day!

 

So, a good example of how Foxwatches are a great deterrent, but will not stop a fox, but a secure run will & we can't ever be complacent!

I hope by posting here it may help others review hen safety, foxes are so wily & determined.

[Egluntyne]

Phew! Am glad all is well.

[Lesley]

I'm glad all is well Sheila!

 

I've just had to run out to see what the commotion was about - either a rat or Mr.Fox I suspect.....but nothing to be seen when I got there.

[Christian]

Glad to hear that Tots is ok, even with a few feathers missing. Blimmin' foxes

[The Dogmother]

Phew, what a relief Sheila

 

Glad to hear that Hencatraz is working.

[atsw]

I think I came to the same conclusion. As long time followers of my chicken keeping fortunes will know, we lost our first to hens to a fox attack back in 2006. Through careful management of free ranging (and, no doubt, some luck) all has been well ever since. However, luck was bound to run out, and so the girls are now in their own Walk-in-Run. I know they enjoyed the garden, and they do still get free ranging time at weekends when we're in the garden, but they are much safer in the WiR, which has got to be in their long term interest. I also worry a lot less, and that's got to be good for my health too .

 

Andrew

[Sheilaz]

The good news is that hens have all been fine since and no sign of Foxy.

I know he's not far away, so hens are in Fort Knox 24/7, but I'm glad he isn't prowling. The Foxwatches must be a deterrent until he thinks he's in with a chance.

 

LSH took a photo this time but it came out dark with just two lit up eyes, scary!

 

Maybe the camera flash terrified him, or perhaps seeing 2 humans, or maybe just my nightie!

[Sheilaz]

....er, an update, just a few hours later.... ...knew I spoke too soon;

 

Hens squawking at 6am but couldn't see why. Noisy again at 6.55, and there was Mr.Fox stopping for a backward glance at me, before disappearing.

He'd obviously upset them again (and 7am is late for him around here!) but luckily not touched them at all.

 

Now wondering if 1 Foxwatch is faulty, I can hear a noise when it's set off, whereas the other sounds silent to me, if you see what I mean.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That's not good news, Sheila . At least he didn't get at them though and you've had warning that he's still around .

[The Dogmother]

Just a thought, but could you run a low-level, electrified wire around the base of the fort?

 

I'm thinking of something like Lesely and Carl have.

[Sheilaz]

Just a thought, but could you run a low-level, electrified wire around the base of the fort?

 

I'm thinking of something like Lesely and Carl have.

 

Thanks for the idea but I've tried to imagine doing that here & I think it wouldn't work in the confines of our garden, it would just be a bodge (and therefore ineffective) and also in the way of the sheds.

 

Might amuse OH even more when locking me in the run "by mistake"...I'll have to get past the electric fence too...

 

If I were starting from scratch, I would def. think electric fence first and then add other fortifications, but I don't think I can incorporate one into this garden.

 

Hope these posts help others with their plans though. I think my hens are safe, just wish they hadn't found their voices! I'm checking the perimeter defences daily.

[Guest]

If foxwatch is one of those ultrasound things I think the foxes can get use to them and they need to be moved around BUT the ONLY thing to stop a fox (apart from the unmentionable methods) is electric fencing. But u can run a wire around the WIR or run etc...Horse tape comes in different widths. It is soooo easy to turn off.

I have just nearly 90% completed a WIR but if Mr F turns up it will be rapidly electrocuted.

indie

[Sheilaz]

Yes, you're right, but as I said, I can't feasibly get electric fence/tape/wire around Fort Knox because of other obstacles. It's no good if it's not properly installed.

 

Realised this morning ( yes, fox came again at 6am and snatched at Lavender, all fine again, just noisy & distressed) that OH had moved one Foxwatch (when he cut the wire by mistake :roll:and I noticed! ) and the position isn't so good, but now it's on a shorter wire so I can't move it around...

 

Well, we have a revised plan. LSH is out now putting a secondary barrier of chicken wire a couple of inches inside the enclosure, to stop the hens getting right up to the mesh. Hopefully fox will give up if he can't even get at feathers at all.

 

Poor OH, out there cursing away....

[Guest]

Bloomin determined fox..what a pest........urghh indie