rachelg Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Hi Wanted to pass on an experience our girls had last night, we live in a built up area and until yesterday considered ourselves to be fox free! We came back from a weekend away and thought we would let our two girls have a run around as they had been in their eglu run all weekend. Within 10 minutes we heard one of our cats make a noise as if they were fighting, when I ran to the garden I saw my two girls at the bottom of the free ranging section we have built them. They were pinned in by a fox. Luckily the fox jumped the six foot high fence when it saw me. The girls had made quite a noise and although no damage was done, there were feathers on the ground. They were certainly shaken, and went back into their run without protest, which is very unusual. This morning the fox has been back. However, the girls are in their run and did not seem to disturbed by it. We are now going to use tent pegs to ensure the run is absolutley fox proof, and there will be no more unsupervised free ranging. We clearly have a very confident fox who does not like to loose, and will keep coming back for more. The moral of the story.........you are only fox free until you see one, and they are very good at catching you by surprise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autumn Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Oh dear, sorry to hear you've had a visit by Mr Fox, the girls definitely did have a lucky escape, what a good job you heard the commotion and came out when you did! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Goodness, that was a narrow escape . I'm so glad there was no damage done . Bit of a worry for you now though . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alet_chicken Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Oh dear, sorry about the narrow escape, but so so pleased your girls are ok! We have just recently been wondering about leaving our girls to free-range while we are on holiday, but I am becoming more and more convinced this is a recipe for trouble... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 we live in a built up area and until yesterday considered ourselves to be fox free! Unfortunately, this is very often the case, the first you know of a fox is when it makes an attempt. I just don't believe there is such a thing as a 'fox free area', although rural foxes are more shy and less audacious. Glad your girls escaped without injury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bexbex Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 wow you were lucky! Glad they're all ok! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teri Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 now the fox knows your girls are about it will be back so extra care is needed when letting them free range. good luck x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redranger Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Time to invest in a foxwatch maybe? We live in a residential area too (in London!!) and there are a few foxes around. Our chooks are housed in a converted shed, and sometimes at night the fox actually sits on top of the shed (he access the garden via the backwall). He can't get in tho, and the foxwatch is trained on the garden so he has learnt not to jump in. Whenever I've seen him on top of the shed, I go out into the garden and chase him away (with bbq thongs ). Sometimes in the morning I go to let the chooks out, and the fox is sitting on the neighbours wall. He can't come in our garden, so he will go in theirs instead! Again, he runs off when he sees us. So no unsupervised free-ranging EVER for us, it is just too risky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachelg Posted July 13, 2009 Author Share Posted July 13, 2009 thank you all for your comments! Sam and Ella have been surprisingly quiet today, I wonder why!! What is a fox watch - it sounds good whatever it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 thank you all for your comments! Sam and Ella have been surprisingly quiet today, I wonder why!! What is a fox watch - it sounds good whatever it is? Here is a link to one being sold on amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Concept-Research-Fox-Repeller-FoxWatch/dp/B001JJAZ5Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=garden&qid=1247503979&sr=8-2 You can run them off mains or batteries. They send out a sound pulse when they sense movement. It is on a wavelength uncomfortable to foxes but humans can't hear it. It doesn't bother chickens or cat's but can annoy dogs. It's only a deterrent so can't be 100% relied upon, but I have one watching my girls all the time, wired up from the garden shed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*mummy_hen* Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Thank goodness you got there when you did!!! A fox watch would be a good option but don't be complacent with one. It may be time to send the OH out to 'scent' the boundaries!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Thank goodness you got there when you did!!! A fox watch would be a good option but don't be complacent with one. It may be time to send the OH out to 'scent' the boundaries!! Oh yes very important. We were outside in the garden with the in-laws last night when FIL excused himself to go inside to use the loo. "Where do you think you're going?" I said to him, "No man wees inside when visiting this house!, do it round the chicken run." He obliged with with much joy as he has a bad knee and hates going up our stairs to use the loo . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
