sambee Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I went outside today to the chicken run and saw loads of black feathers around. My mother-in-law warned me that she had seen a big old grey fox aorund 7 o' clock but I wasn't worried I knew the chickens were shut away in their cube. I assumed the feathers belonged to some other unfortunate bird. I opened the door to let the ladies out and then when to check on the nest box. I open it up to find Gorilla our black cochin dead. For a while I couldn't work out what had happened. She was lying on her side in the nest box, then I rememberd the tiny slit at the bottom of the box, useful for cleaning. I lifted her up and her sides had been opened up and pulled out. I couldn't understand how the fox had got through this gap! I am devestated, Gorilla was always sleeping in the nest box, it's difficult to get her not to because as soon as i push her out, once i go away she'd sneak back in. I am interested to know if this kind of attack has happened to anyone elses hens, or if you know of anyone else. I didn't think ever that an attack would happen though that gap, and other cube owners will know how small that gap is. I hope this can be a warning that this can happen now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 What a dreadful shock , but I don't understand how this could have happened...........how did the fox get to the underside of the cube? Did you not have the run secured? RIP Gorilla Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 oh sambee that is awful. Do you have a run attached? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I am so sorry to hear it. I am guessing she hasn't got the run attached . I dont have the run either it butts up to the WIR. I will be getting this sorted asap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambee Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 We have the omlet netting (not charged) and originally the cube was in that netting, but we are living with the in-laws at the moment, and one day i came back and they had changed the whole run around so that the cube was part of the fence, as in the beginning and end of the fence were on either side. Apparantly it was so it was easier for them to collect the eggs ( or egg) and to clean as they would have to step inside the run, but they don't do either of them jobs anyway, I put up with it untill now. We are moving next week anyway, I am building the ladies a more pemament run and looking into fox watch at the moment because so far I have lost 9 chickens and 3 rabbits to that fox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambee Posted September 25, 2009 Author Share Posted September 25, 2009 I am so sorry to hear it. I am guessing she hasn't got the run attached . I dont have the run either it butts up to the WIR. I will be getting this sorted asap. Interestingly enough I am one of the rare males on this forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 That is really unlucky, 1 very cunning and determined fox. It would be something in your position that I would never have considered. Hopefully your post will alert others with simiilar set ups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I am so sorry to hear it. I am guessing she hasn't got the run attached . I dont have the run either it butts up to the WIR. I will be getting this sorted asap. Interestingly enough I am one of the rare males on this forum. so sorry, I am terrible at getting my foot in my mouth lately sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 So sorry to hear about your loss. For those wanting to secure a cube butted up to a WIR I was able to purchase the under run pieces seperatley from Omlet. em x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I'm sorry to read this- it's certainly something I've never even considered x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 So sorry to hear about your loss. For those wanting to secure a cube butted up to a WIR I was able to purchase the under run pieces seperatley from Omlet. em x I was thinking of that design Claret's OH designed... I have never got around to making one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 aarh yes...I have one of those too but it is not secure...it could be pushed up from the outside. Would need a bar bolted on or something. Another project for FIL me thinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 hmmmm I will get hubs to look at it as I do not like it now I know theres a risk involved. I dont want to enclose the bottom of the cube if I can help it as I store stuff under there... mostly leaves.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Presumably it was a stoat or something? Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckingmad Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Oh my goodness, how awful. Although, I have to say I'm stumped to see how a fox could do that so my bet would be that this was another predator - the claws would fit in the gap but certainly not the jaws, so I suspect something else may havew gotten to your poor little hen... There do seem to be one helluva lot of attacks this summer (forgive me, I am mistaken - we didn't GET a summer!), am anxious about leaving my girls out unsupervised again, after almost a eyar of them happily plodding round the garden without supervision... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 hmmmm I will get hubs to look at it as I do not like it now I know theres a risk involved.I dont want to enclose the bottom of the cube if I can help it as I store stuff under there... mostly leaves.... Same here, this has worried me, and OH has just gone running upstairs to see what we can use for the gap, I'm thinking plastic to cover the hole?!? Thankyou for letting us all know, I for one appreciate it, and sorry for your loss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I'm inclined to think it must have been a stoat too. Sounds like the kind of damage they would do, and there have been reports of stoat attacks, where the stoat squeezes in above the poo tray. I can't see how a fox could have got through the gap you are describing, unless I am misunderstanding. Very sorry to hear it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CluckyBucks Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Wow, im shocked Im so sorry for this to of happened to you, how awful. xx xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrensWorld Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Really sorry to hear that, it must have been very distressing for you. I think it must have been a mink, I'm sure a fox couldn't stick its muzzle through the slot. I did go out and measure our nesting slot, to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambee Posted September 26, 2009 Author Share Posted September 26, 2009 I agree with you all here it is baffling to think how a fox could of gotten there. But my mother in law saw a fox that morning. Maybe it was attracted after the attack. Is it possible Gorilla got her leg stuck down the gap, I really didn't think it was possible but people are suggesting that to me. I forgot to check the body to see if the leg was missing, how silly of me. I may venture to do an autopsy just to clear my mind. And as for there being a stoat in the area that excites me but worries me alot more. I live in quite an urban area in Bournemouth, who knows if there is a local stoat population. Usually the nest box is stuffed with straw but this time it was quite bare as i had just cleaned it out. So sorry to hear about your loss. For those wanting to secure a cube butted up to a WIR I was able to purchase the under run pieces seperatley from Omlet. em x I may invest in the under run peices that would be a good to close it off. Also, I can't think of a better time to ask but I really don't know what a WIR is. I am sorry if I have alarmed alot of people but I'd also like to think I've helped in warning. You are a great bunch of people thank you for your support! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 I may invest in the under run peices that would be a good to close it off. Also, I can't think of a better time to ask but I really don't know what a WIR is. I am sorry if I have alarmed alot of people but I'd also like to think I've helped in warning. You are a great bunch of people thank you for your support! A WIR is a Walk In Run. And thankyou so much for bringing this to our attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 a WIR is a Walk in Run I enquired about the run pieces and they are just under £40 plus postage. hope that helps oops Em beat me too it, like a whippet she is! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluckingmad Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Sambee, no need to worry about alarming folk - I for one and immensely grateful that you brought this to my attention... I live in Stoke and we definately have stoats around here, thanks to your post we've made sure that the cube is safely in the walk in run at all times, and the mesh we've had fitted is too small for a stoat to get in Think of all the potential chooks you've saved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I'm sorry Sambee, I sounded very off in my first post...I honestly didn't mean to be I should "read back" before I press submit......... Thanks for raising the risk from other creatures with the gaps/holes in the cube...I had never considered a stoat would get into the cube....we have seen them running across the road outside our house, though I'm never sure if they are stoat or weasel as I can never remember which is the small one !! Tomorrow I shall be fashioning a "wrap" of chicken wire to protect my girls in their eglus and cubes a little more during the winter months when other creatures are hungry and desperate Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I'm so sorry to hear that, but am guessing that it would be because the cube wasn't within a secure run - a lesson to us all. I had a fox attack in the very early eglu days - in the older models, the back of the eglu upper used to lift up quite a bit from the base, say about 2-3 inches. A fox had managed to lift this up and get its paw in to claw at one of my birds. Looking at the injuries, she died more from fright than the actual wounds. I use the contraption the The Boy devised more to stop the Aubiose from leaking out through the slit in the nest box; it works a treat but probably wouldn't be secure without a corresponding bar bolted underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
