Nacktschnecken omlet Cube

[Tulip]

Well, what an eventful 2010!

We got back from the inlaws at 2am new years day after 4 days away. Didn't shut the cube door, knowing the girls would be up before us. Awoken at 0830 by Chilli's low-level warning bokboking and what sounded like a plank of wood being knocked over. I look out the window and there's a fox sniffing around the WIR! Shooed him away (boy did he look shocked to see us). The girls were very edgy all day, indicating it wasn't the first time he'd been round to play.

 

As an aside we then noticed Keema was poorly, so spent the day making him comfortable inside. Woke up early Saturday to listen out for activity... no fox. We order a foxwatch at lunchtime.

 

I get up this morning about 8am to let Keema out of his indoor run. He marches straight to the back door and starts crowing. I look where he's looking - fox again, sniffing at the poo trays because the girls are asleep in the cube. He sees me and legs it.

 

Lunchtime, K having been cleaning the cube (while the girls free-range) comes in to make a cuppa. Within 30 seconds all hell breaks loose - chickens flying against the door in a panic, bokbooooooking, me screaming as I rush towards the garden. Fox climbs back over 6foot fence, K goes after it with a wooden pole. Grey feathers everywhere, I honestly thought we'd lost one. Found them all in the run, little Bhajee has lost every one of her tail feathers (bless her she looks like a quail) but apart from a few drops of blood where a feather didn't come out cleanly she seems to have got away with it. She's now inside keeping Keema company and doesn't seem too shocked.

 

Half an hour later the fox is back AGAIN The four left out in the WIR completely FREAK OUT, Poppy flying so high in a panic she hits the roof - because he's squeezed himself between the run and the fence. The important thing is, he can't get in - K has done an amazing job of the WIR.

 

But this fox is DETERMINED today. And hubby is on the warpath.

[CharLeila]

hi Tulip,

 

Sounds like a horrible time for your girls but what a great job it seems your husband has done of your WIR. I haven't had to deal with foxes YET as I'v only had my girls since December, but it doesn't stop me worrying about them. I just have the cube with the run and won't be abloe to have my own WIR as I live in a military house. Moving a lot would make it so difficult which is why I opted for the Cube, spacious yet easy to move. I can't wait to have our own place, the first thing I'll do will be to build a WIR!

 

Good Luck with keeping Mr Fox away and well done on the security of your WIR!

[emchook]

talk about stressful .. off to check on my chooks who are in the garden having a wander .

I guess the winter brings out very hungry foxes .. !

Well done hubby !

[docsquid]

That sounds like one determined fox, and a very sturdy WIR.

 

Foxes worry me too, even though we have never seen one in the garden. There is a chap down the road who feeds foxes on a piece of parkland in an adjacent road. I'm hoping that he keeps them fed and they aren't too worried about the chickens. I have a foxwatch but only have the cube run at the moment. I'd like a WIR but DH isn't keen as that will inevitably lead to a request for a couple more chickens.

 

The main defence is that we are in and out of the door all day as DH uses the garage as a workshop, so a fox should know that there are lots of humans around all the time. And three cats.

 

WIR is a priority for 2010! Hope the chooks recover and that you can sort out that persistent fox.

[CharLeila]

dosquid, appologies for my lack of knowledge but what is a foxwatch?

 

Thanks

[Lydia]

Sorry to hear about your experiences. Sounds like foxy is hungry enough to chance it and he/she will be back. Good to hear your WIR is doing it's job though.

 

Don't forget that foxes are quicker than you think and only need a few seconds to grab a hen and be off. You won't outrun them. A friend of mine went out to let his hens out of the run and a fox sprung out from a bush, grabbed the first hen that emerged and ran off with her...while my friend was stood there next to the run!! It was so quick there was nothing he could do.

 

Docsquid, if your hubby is in the garage and the hens are out of sight, the fox will know this and still attack. There is someone on here who had a hen taken while she was in the polytunnel or shed (I think). Cats are no defence either. Be careful.

[docsquid]

Docsquid, if your hubby is in the garage and the hens are out of sight, the fox will know this and still attack. There is someone on here who had a hen taken while she was in the polytunnel or shed (I think). Cats are no defence either. Be careful.

 

Yes, we are careful and look out all the time. But the alternative is no FR at all and it is not practical to put any kind of run in the garden. A WIR would allow them a little more space, but they love to FR and we think it is worth the risk because they are happy - they would be totally miserable in a run all day. We never let them out if we are not at home.

 

Like I said, we have never had any foxes here, but I know it is still a risk, but probably one worth taking.

[docsquid]

dosquid, appologies for my lack of knowledge but what is a foxwatch?

 

Thanks

 

Clicky. It is a deterrent, not a solution, but makes life more unpleasant for foxes.

[joegg]

We also had avisit for the first time this morning fortunately chooks were in the eglu run freaking out.

Kids wentoutside screaming and shouting, foxy unphased still circling the run.

I let the pup out who happily joined in with the noise, then spotted foxy and joined him in the chicken wire pen we have surrounding the eglu run.

Surprisingly foxy had problems escaping over this four foot barrier but eventually found the make shift gate with blue the pup in pursuit.

Blue chased foxy into the outhouse where he became trapped behind a bicycle, as i held onto the dog -fox made its escape up the wall landing next to the now released dog who promptly flumped on top of foxy. The fox wriggled free and fled up the garden i am hoping the dog has done enough to deter his return. But will be being vigilant.

 

I would not have allowed the dog to hurt the fox as i know he is just trying to make a living.

 

Really surprised at how little notice he took of the kids. I would guess it was a young fox, looked in great condition but i can only assume it was hunger that brought him in we live on a housing estate.

[Plum]

Oh dear, felt sick reading this. So sorry you have this trauma but glad you both got away with it.

[karlotta]

I think the cold is definately making them braver. I spotted a fox twice in the garden yesterday (once when my dogs were sitting just inside the open back door). Sending the dogs out scared him off and he scaled a 6ft fence no problem. Thankfully my girls are all behind electric fencing and fingers crossed safe and sound.

[emchook]

Very rare to see them in the afternoon. but ....

 

One hour after I got my chooks inside the run [ after reading this post ] I saw a fox in our front garden .

When I opened the window shouting the beastie just looked at me with a smug/so what look .

 

Need to slap it with an ASBO.

Give one to the neighbours that feed them as well ! aaaaargh !!!

[sandyhas3chucks]

That is a real scarey story.

And one very hungry young Fox, probably just starting out "on his own"

Thing is Lots of posts To warn us all and yet others seem to think it won't happen to them never seen them etc.) It is very sad!

I do hope the foxwatch helps (they only deter thouh and SOME are faulty (just to make you aware, if he comes back, send it back for replacing/checking

Lots of very "fox Aware " people have had losses.

My hope for the future is NO MORE FOX losses for everyone and NO MORE Battery Farms Ever.

emchook. get them neighbours to feed them MORE. they are wild amnimals and starving. better fed on their food than your girls!

Local rescue recently took a fox from a stables that also had free range chooks.(and they were "hunting" people.)

this person had been looking after this fox for a few weeks until she found the rescue.

when questioned about keeping it, the woman said she fed the fox it showed no interest in her chickens,

I could not be that brave!!!!

I too have people feed them , I just hope they are putting out enough.

Don't even want to find out how secure my WIR is.

Those poor girls and WHAT a lucky escape.

Bless her and hugs to you. So glad they all survived, oh and pats to the pup

[sadietoo]

Can only reiterate what has been said here....lost one of my chooks to a fox early afternoon just before Christmas, we are surrounded by six foot fences/ other gardens.....we have a foxwatch.....I absolutely do not let my girls free range now unless I am in the garden with them all the time..paranoid perhaps...but I really had thought they were safe before and we were around and about

 

Someone has said foxes don't like dousing with cold water, so you could try a hose/ super soaker if you have a persistent visitor who isn't phased by humans...but they are incredibly quick as has already been said

 

but really the only way to keep your girls safe if you want them to free range unsupervised is electric fencing.. I absolutely would not trust a foxwatch...it's a supposed deterrant, but I have grave doubts about its efficacy...and personally I would not replace it with another were the unit to fail...

[sandyhas3chucks]

no dif to replacing the washing machime if it breaks

sadietoo

join the paranoid club!

So sorry for your loss.

a fox can climb 8ft fence easy and will use anything to get a leg up to get even higher!

peopls house estate whatever, makes no odds, it is where they licve too, think of autumn/spring watch etc. they live in towns quite happily.

the best we can do is "know thy enemy"

and be paranoid!

very paranoid!

[Olly]

What a scary story! And thank heavens for the WIR.

 

Can I just add a couple of points; whilst rural foxes are not usually seen between dawn and dusk, I'm afraid urban foxes are not so shy. At my last house it was common for me to find the fox snoozing in my garden in the afternoon sun, in fact a couple of times I thought it was my cat out there.

 

Feeding foxes will not deter them from trying to get chickens, if only it was that easy! In fact, it makes them less scared of humans, and that is why the foxes mentioned above have been so bold. The other problem is that if food is plentiful, foxes will have a larger litter - so there will be even more foxes around next year, all fighting for the same territory. I wouldn't encourage anyone to feed them, it makes them dependent and interferes with the natural balance of numbers.

 

The only safe thing is vigilance - secure runs, electric fencing or close supervision.

[sandyhas3chucks]

Olly, was only recounting story

this fox DID NOT try to eat this ladies chooks.

Wildlife rescue say that a fox population is self regulating, hence fox hunting being a total excuse to kill needlessly! IMO

I understand what you say re feed litter size etc, and have not had that conversation with the experts.

However feeding "per say) honestly won't make them more humanised, they just are used to living beside us, and our activities. They appear unconcerned but even a fox cub brought up domestically will revert to it;s normal state (WILD) very easily, they are wary of humans however are very aware of their own abilities. Think how some manage to elude a pack of dogs!

WE humans a easy peasy.

However regardless of any thing you are 100% correct

The only safe thing is vigilance - secure runs, electric fencing or close supervision

[docsquid]

It would be good if I could persuade DH of that. However he feels that we should go with our present FR arrangements, which does include supervision but I'm not out there with them all the time. He isn't prepared to have electric fences or a large run in the garden. In nearly 30 years in the same house he has only ever seen one fox and that was not near the house, but along the road and at 4am, not during the daytime.

 

He feels that if a fox gets a chicken at least it's had a happy life. I've done all I can, I look out after them frequently, go outside frequently (as does he and his brother - we all watch out for the chickens), and put up a Foxwatch.

 

I know they're not 100% safe, but they are 100% happy. That's all I can do for now.

 

If we lose a chook to a fox, then we'll have to think again, and it might persuade him to allow better precautions. I am uneasy with this, but the alternative is no chickens at all.

[sandyhas3chucks]

It is a personal decision everyone has to make, I totally understand where you are coming from, just please, maybe step up your antenna this very cold weather.

[docsquid]

It is a personal decision everyone has to make, I totally understand where you are coming from, just please, maybe step up your antenna this very cold weather.

 

I have done already! I'm paranoid about it.

[foreveryoung]

hi, we lost all 4 of our ducks Christmas eve, its starting to settle in that they have gone now and although they are only ducks they were mine and i cared for them.....

 

A week before Christmas we had around a ft and 2 inches of snow which caused the netting on top of the run to collaps, this we had to remove. we weren't able to replace the netting, time of year and funding or lack of....

 

anyway Christmas eve i got back later then planned and needed to get the kids to bed ready for santa's visit. my now hubby got back from work and went out to put them to bed. next thing i know hes running in shouting "fox" looking for something to hit it with if it went for him!

 

i run into the run and i wont even describe what I saw, something that will stay in my head forever , the fox appeared to have left, so we start to clear the mess up and looking for my mallard call duck who i couldnt find (not even a feather) along with me in a state as I was soo gutted, still am. anyway, Blue, my black lab was still going silly at one particular corner, we thought he could just still smell the fox. but no further the 1cm of where my hand was low and behold the fox was still there hiding in the smallest of smallest space. so I poured the ducks water over it and then kicked my hutch (it was hiding behind it)to pieces. think i did something tot he fox as it squeaked a couple of times .

 

pulled the hutch away and had the shovel ready, and at that point i was all ready to smack it round the head (I didn't but i was soo cross.)

 

and way the fox mad a clear get away with Blue on his tail.....

 

I hope the fox was scared enough to keep away for a while!! well at least till i get enough temp fencing panels and solid wood to rebuild the run with.