Cube Mark One Run

[jocurtisuk]

Hi

 

I have lost 3 of my 4 hens today.. they have been free ranging for 6 months quite happily apart from the odd dog attack. I came back from shopping this morning to find them missing. Obviously very sad, not to mention worried about how to break it to the kids!!

 

There is no evidence of a scuffle in the garden or anywhere near. I have never seen a fox although we live in a very rural area. Do foxes leave some evidence ? Do they tend to go for them when they are further away from the house? Do poachers ever go for chickens. Probably a daft question but we live near to a pheasant farm.. anyway any thoughts appreciated..

 

Jo

x

[mollyripkim]

Poor you , that's awful, fingers crossed they turn up safe and well. Thinking of you.

[chickyhazel]

Normally there would be somke feathers left after a fox attack, maybe some blood stains. Some friends had a fox attack recently but there were feathers verywhere and obvious signs of a scuffle. I would expect some signs after a dog attack to, although I have no mexperience with those. I have never heard of cold casuing chickens to disappear - have they found a way out and escaped? Ours have done on several occasions - ask neighbours and search.

 

Very sorry for you loss, fingers crossed they turn up safe and unharmed

[chicken bark]

That is very worrying for you.

 

Can passers by see your hens? I wonder if someone has taken them?

 

If not something sinister then I hope they come home soon.

[Guest]

if you get more chickens it might be an idea to invest in a walk-in run or some sort of electric fencing as whatever it was, it's bound to be back.

[chickyhazel]

You can keep foxes out by laying paving slabs securely around the run - it stops them being able to dig down and in. Rather than install electric fencing, you could just put a strand of barbed wire on top of your fence, which acts as a strong deterrent.

[Egluntyne]

Sorry to hear it.

 

I'd say in this weather, it is likely to be a fox. They don't always leave evidence.

 

Two legged predators are also a possibility.

[sari]

I hope you ok...I lost one of mine to a fox..she went off for a walk, roosted up, and got...got.. Its horrible and made me feel really awful. I hope yours come back, but if not, hugs, x x x

[Bramble]

That sounds awful, it must be worse to just not know what has happened to them, I hope they come back - keep us posted.

[jocurtisuk]

Thank you all - no sign of the girls. Kept on looking outside with a torch last night but to no avail.. think it must be a fox unfortunately. Feel very sorry for Diamond as she is looking a little lost, bless her.

 

Think we will have to build a big run for the new ones but my husband is really keen on them being completely free range. We had a false sense of security that there were no foxes around. How wrong we were! It just makes it harder when your children name the hens after their favourite Ben 10 alien character!!