Poorly chicken

[DBarnard]

Hi

 

I just lost my last two chickens to a fox, he left one with no head. Am very upset and want to get some more but was wondering what I could do to stop him getting any new birds I decide to get. They are fenced in at the bottom of my garden and we used to let them out all day unsupervised. The fence is only 3 foot but their eglu is surrounded by a 7ft fence with bark inside. I would not like to keep them inside this all day and it is difficult to supervise them as the garden is so long and they are at the bottom of it, well away from the house. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have considered Foxwatch but would not know where to put it.

[Blue-DiamondChick07]

I think man-wee is very effective! We have foxes everywhere, but they never come in the garden *touches wood*

[Old Speckled Hen]

If there are foxes around then nothing short of keeping your hens in an enclosed dig proof weld mesh run will work I'm afraid.

All free ranging has to be supervised.

Now that the fox has had your chooks he will regularly patrol to see if you have any more

[DBarnard]

Hi

 

The annoying thing is that he only takes mine next door has over 20 chickens and I only keep 3-4 and love them dearly. Will have a break from keeping chickens and will get some later on and they will be supervised when free-ranging. I do have a 4ft by 4ft welded wire mesh pen which is dig proof and is 7ft high but it only has bark in and no grass. I would not want to keep them in that all day. Thanks for all the responses.

[Olly]

Sorry to say this but unless you have an enclosed run, I don't think your birds will ever be safe. Foxes can easily scale a 7' fence. Is there any way you can roof the run? I know it's lovely to see them free-ranging, but in some circumstances it's just not an option - I couldn't leave mine safely for ten minutes. I'm sorry to hear about the recent attack - a horrible thing to find.

[Sheilaz]

I think man-wee is very effective! We have foxes everywhere, but they never come in the garden *touches wood*

Please, please don't rely on this! A slight deterrent yes, but not foxproof! Secure non dig with weldmesh or electric fencing are the only foxproof methods, I just don't want anyone to be misled.

[Justine]

I should be getting my chickens in a few weeks' time and the cube. Reading what you say about foxes has worried me a bit. How safe are they in the cube and run does anyone know?

[Roobaloo]

If there are foxes around then nothing short of keeping your hens in an enclosed dig proof weld mesh run will work I'm afraid.

All free ranging has to be supervised.

Now that the fox has had your chooks he will regularly patrol to see if you have any more

 

Agreed!

 

You need to stop a fox, not repel it...as there will always come a time when the fox will be desperate enough to deal with a mild dislike; be it smell or sound.

 

Our garden is brick paved, and all surrounding properties have paving against our boundary, so digging is impossible...it's surrounded by a 6ft fence next to a footpath...the odds of a fox getting in are slim but I will only let the girls free-range 'unattended' (e.g. if I'm cooking dinner...) when my border collie* is with them...If I'm not at home, they stay in their WIR.

 

*NOTE: My dog has been trained not to chase animals without command...be it cat, chicken, rabbit or rodent...he walks away from the chickens if they approach him...there are VERY few dogs I would trust in this situation.

[Roobaloo]

I should be getting my chickens in a few weeks' time and the cube. Reading what you say about foxes has worried me a bit. How safe are they in the cube and run does anyone know?

 

If you're getting a cube complete with the specially designed run....they'll be very safe!!

[Sheilaz]

I should be getting my chickens in a few weeks' time and the cube. Reading what you say about foxes has worried me a bit. How safe are they in the cube and run does anyone know?

Didn't mean to worry anyone unduly, the Cube & run is very well designed, I was just replying to the earlier posts.

[Daffodill]

"Secure non dig with weldmesh or electric fencing are the only foxproof methods,"

I've heard that hedgehogs may curl up into a ball if they get a belt from an electric fence and this could cause them to curl up around the wire and fry - I don't know if this is true, it sounds a bit like an urban legend.

[Old Speckled Hen]

 

*NOTE: My dog has been trained not to chase animals without command...be it cat, chicken, rabbit or rodent...he walks away from the chickens if they approach him...there are VERY few dogs I would trust in this situation.

My four hens beat my collie up. He's scared stiff of them

But then he is a townie so I suppose he's just a pretend collie

[chicken bark]

I have electric fencing and I hope it will carry on working. From what I have read it is one of the best methods of protecting hens from foxes.

 

It is expensive but then again so is a good WIR and an electric fence gives the chickens more space.

 

Sorry you have lost your hens but I hope you come up with a satisfactory solution.

[figarogir1]

I should be getting my chickens in a few weeks' time and the cube. Reading what you say about foxes has worried me a bit. How safe are they in the cube and run does anyone know?

My cube is covered in fox footprints every morning but the girls are safe inside. I do always shut the door at night and they free range with one of us or my weimerana supervising

[Egluntyne]

Back to the original question about fox repellants....

 

**SIlent Roar** is supposed to be useful against foxes, although the manufacturers make no such claim.

 

**Scoot** is another one.

 

There are also several electronic deterrents about, such as **Foxwatch**