Mollie333 Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Hi everyone.. The silkie x pekin girls were free ranging and they have gone somewhere, i was watching cheryl, and they have just gone, my brothers girlfriend walked past the church and saw a fox, this is in the middle of the day, i have a big garden, will fox watch cover all this land? i hope i have not lost 2 more of my girls i dont think i will be getting any more chickens after this: its not safe, and not fair on the chickens.. can you answer my questions. how much land does fox watch cover? do you reccomend fox watch? does fox watch annoy cats? thx x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Hi Mollie, Oh no that's awful news....I do hope your little girls come home safely... I have a foxwatch in my garden but to be honest it didn't do anything to keep the fox away, and I thought it was a waste of money. The only way to keep your chickens safe is behind an electric fence or in a Walk in Run. I know you are supervising your girls when free ranging, but is there any way you could restrict the area they can roam in so that you can see them all at all times?? I've put netting across my garden to stop them going round the side of the house where I can't see them. Also, if it is another fox attack, then it will be back again. I would keep your remaining girls locked in until you have something in place to keep them safe. Keeping my fingers crossed for good news on your missing girlsx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ness3103 Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 so sorry you're having such a bad time i have no experience of foxwatch i'm afraid. i hope you find your girls soon, they might be hiding somewhere close by. xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 You are having a very rough time. The thought of foxes worries me even though I haven't seen one here. Sorry I haven't used foxwatch so I can't comment. I would suggest going for some electric fencing if you want your girls to free range. I hope Cheryl is well on the mend now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted April 11, 2010 Author Share Posted April 11, 2010 Wow! i have just seen a grey feather trail, leading to the park.. i then realized that it was looking bad. i walked home to ask the neighbours and there they were, like nothing happend happily free ranging.. I am HAPPY! I tell you now, if the fox had these ones, im afraid it would be the end of my poultry life.. im so relived they are okay, but i really desperatly need a fox watch, or a wir. i am sat outside with the laptop now watching the rest free range UNDER MY SUPERVISON. So happy that the girls are safe.. thanks for the feedback, sadietoo, but im frightened that the cats might get hurt by the electric fence.. ahh what should i do? quit poultry and let the foxes win? Ness, thankyou chicken bark, will the electric fencing hurt my cats? or the chickens for that sake? & she is sat next to me now, being cute,eating mealworms. as always lol thanks for the concern! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 I've got 3 cats and I don't know if they've actually touched the netting yet. To be honest I don't know if the chickens have either. Both cats and chickens seem happy so far. What I do know is what I've read on this forum and other sites and that although it will give them a shock, it won't do them any harm. I decided that electric fencing was the best option for me as I couldn't always be out there with the chickens and I wanted them to free range safely. Everyone (including my children) would have to learn to live with the fence. Really pleased the others have returned home safely. What an emotional roller coaster you are on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Wow!i have just seen a grey feather trail, leading to the park.. i then realized that it was looking bad. i walked home to ask the neighbours and there they were, like nothing happend happily free ranging.. I am HAPPY! And so am I that's great news. As far as I know with Electric Fencing cats and other animals soon learn to give it a wide berth. I can't have it because our poor old dog is losing her eyesight, so that just wouldn't be fair. I can only say again don't trust foxwatch..it's only a deterrent at best.... and sadly it's not an even match with the Fox...If it was successful once it is already likely to have you on its rounds, and he or she will hungry (or have hungry mouths to feed) and that makes them persistent and bold the minute your guard is down it will be back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleOwl Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Mollie, I'm so glad that your girls were unharmed today!! I asked the same question a couple of weeks ago about electric netting - we had a fox right outside our house at 4am and knew we had to do something. We did seriously consider a WIR, but as we have a huge amount of space, and like you. we like to see our girls pottering around outside we wanted another option. We have 2 cats and 2 dogs, and I was worried about them getting hurt and upset, and of course about the chickens. I was reassured by replies on here and went ahead. A couple of weeks later and all is great! Our cockerel and a couple of the chickens were zapped on the first day, and they just squawked and looked at the fence crossly. We have noticed nothing from them since, and have noticed them touching the fence with their feathers and not noticing - I think the feathers may insulate them a lot of the time. As for the dogs and cats, it hasn't hurt them or upset them. As far as I can make out it bothers the fox more because they have to scramble up the fence, rather than just jump over, and that means repeated shocks which they don't like. A cat or dog (or hen) would touch it with a part of their body, get a little shock, and so not try again! Unless of course you are like my Lola cat who wants to benin with her friends the chooks! Honestly though, my worries were unfounded, and I can't explain the relief of feeling they are as safe as can be, while still having space to root around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Oh thank goodness that they are safe I have no experience with Foxwatch but would be wary about relying on that exclusively for you brazen daytime visitor. I would go for the electric netting, the chickens and cats will very quickly learn to avoid it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted April 11, 2010 Author Share Posted April 11, 2010 Thanks everyone.. i think i should get some electric fencing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Yes do, Mollie - it works, pets (eg cats or dogs) touch it just the once and then give it a wide berth. Many of us have done this and continue to enjoy our girls...after all this is the start of the weather for sitting out there with them after those long winter days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 I feared the worst for you then Get the electric fencing - I have 2 horses and they have both been electrified on occasions - they initially charge off (although I am very good at hanging on ) and then get over it very quickly, my dogs are the same - they learn very quickly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Glad that they are safe, no experience of Fox Watch of electric fencing but I hope you find a solution that works for you. Chrisise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Go for electric fencing or a WIR - they are both proved to be the safest option. Hope next week is better. Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted April 11, 2010 Author Share Posted April 11, 2010 Thankyou guys. i really appriciate all the comments.. i hope next week is better, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToryLou Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 hi folks, what is the WIR you are referring to? i'm intrigued thanks torylou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted April 11, 2010 Author Share Posted April 11, 2010 Walk in run, something the girls can free range in, (a run..) lol welcome to the fourm! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToryLou Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 hope you have a better week. thanks for the welcome WIR... makes perfect sense now, and that's what i have, cept mine is not covered over the top! Torylou x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
