mnpatel Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Hi All, We have had Nigella and Delia for about 8 weeks now and i'm a little worried about Mr Fox. We live in a suburban area and i have (about 6 months) ago seen a fox around the corner after dark, although i have never seen one in the garden i have heard strange screeching and crying noises in the night. On sunday when i went to open the eglu door i noticed a small pile of poo that had not been there the night before. It very dark and is pinched at one end its not very big and looks a little bit like molten tar. i i didn't go close enough to check for a smell. I decided it was cat poo and disregarded it. though i have not left the chooks free ranging unsupervised since. This morning there was the same thing again in the same place - right in front of the run door. I have checked for signs of digging but cant see anything. Has anyone experienced anything similar or does anyone know what fox poo looks like?? Thanks Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Hiya and welcome We get the same stuff around our chicken runs, I have decided its fox poo in the absence of anything more obvious! If you google it the pics look nothing lke it but it is black when fresh, I just reckon the fox sits back on it and splats it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Fox poo is like sloppy cat's poo and smells 'foxy' It could be hedgehog poo. To be honest I would assume that it is fox until proven otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 The little pinch at the end makes it sound like fox poo to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 squirrel poo is rather funny too. I had that on the cube the other day - then caught a baby squirrel playing in the windowsill of my front room - don't ask! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 Black tarry sounds just like fox poo to me especially as they will have a chicken interest. indie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BocBoc Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Yep - sounds like fox poo to me - our front and back garden has a fresh one most nights!! We live in a mid terrace and Mr Fox has to scale half a dozen high walls and fences to get to us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smanners Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Same tar coloured poo round my chicken run and eglu overnight too! I assumed it was hedgehog as it wasn't full of seeds But even the slightest chance that it might be fox makes me super vigilant when locking up at night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 it'll most likely be a fox marking! yes marking HIS territory and his dining room. It has a very distinct smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 We get the runny fox poo around here as well as 'normal' looking poo. The runny one doesn't seem to contain seeds but the solid one usually has some seeds in it. The smell is vile and they also wee everywhere which stinks. Hoping that the recent introduction of council wheelie bins will slow their breeding down a bit as there will not be such a great food source. Although a lot of people around here feed them so no wonder we are over run with them!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ's Chooks Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 definitely fox poo... we have a family of them living in the barn next door, so they regularly patrol our garden At the moment they seem to be eating berries... ie blackberries locally, so their poo is very much like tar and seeds... lovely Watch out though, they have hungry babies too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 sorry to disapoint you, but we have had Weelie bins for 5 years now, there are or seem to be just as many foxes around, with the amount of new people now having chickens, leaving them in their back gardens to free range while they are at work, having pretty picket fencing for their enclosure and those cheapy ark thingyss without no dog skirting, there is probably plenty for them to eat as well as that that folks put out for them ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Very true-I guess foxes have plenty of fast food places when they get a bit peckish. One thing's for sure-my girls are never out of their run if we are not actually in the garden with them. I won't even leave them alone while I answer the door Anyway, just went in the garden to spend some time with the girls and noticed that a fox has done a poo on the roof of my WIR Really am getting a little tired of cleaning up after them every day now. (The foxes not the chickens) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 have you considered a "fox watch" wishe you were ib Surrey, you could borrow mine a test to see if it REALLY does work, you have a constant visitor so would be easy to tell. I am like you paranoid. you keep it up, I won't answer the dsoor except from the back gate with it open so I can see them, and I have 2 fox watches and a cctv! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 have you considered a "fox watch" wishe you were ib Surrey, you could borrow mine a test to see if it REALLY does work, you have a constant visitor so would be easy to tell.I am like you paranoid. you keep it up, I won't answer the dsoor except from the back gate with it open so I can see them, and I have 2 fox watches and a cctv! Yep-we may be paranoid but at least we still have our hens and do our best to keep them safe Might have to get a foxwatch as this is driving me mad to be honest. Not nice dealing with it every single day. I actually cannot remember the last time that my garden didn't stink of fox wee or have fox poo in it. Hosing everywhere doesn't get rid of the wee smell and the poo's are either right outside my back door, on the grass, around the chicken run and now on top of the run. Left my sons trainers outside on the back doorstep the other night and forgot to bring them in. A fox took one down the garden and chewed the back off it and the velcro fastenings. Really wish people would stop encouraging them by leaving food out and making them friendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BocBoc Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 I'm glad it's not just me getting hacked off with them. I've started buying dog poo bags to pop the poo into and I don't even have a dog! Hideous beasts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 tomato ketchup kills the smell. don't know if the whole thing is needed or if it is the vinegar in it that works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 Have visions of me walking about in the garden squirting ketchup all over piles of fox poo The neighbours already know I'm mad-that would just confirm it even more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 mmmmmmmmmmm fox poo & chips with ketchup. Maybe try the vinegar 1st? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
