migsy Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 I have just looked out of the window and I saw a young fox in the garden. I have never seen one before and when it saw me it jumped onto the 6 foot fence with the agility of a cat. So glad I have seen it. The chickens will be confined to the WIR from now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 How funny...we have just witnessed a young fox in our garden investigating the eglu and run ...before being rudely interrupted by my OH running out there screaming like a mad man and throwing stuff at it..I don't think it will be back in a hurry... but my girls will not be free ranging until I am in the garden with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sari Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 I was sat post-shower, pre-makeup this morning about 6.45, when I heard that funny bark right at the top of the garden..,,,and my girls bokboking...so shot down the garden in hastily thrown. on clothes and wellies....mr fox had been there, I could smell it....girls mighty clucky...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby65 Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 How funny...we have just witnessed a young fox in our garden investigating the eglu and run ...before being rudely interrupted by my OH running out there screaming like a mad man and throwing stuff at it..I don't think it will be back in a hurry... but my girls will not be free ranging until I am in the garden with them in this very hard weather with food hard to come by now he knows your there he will be back and the more hungry he gets the bolder he will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 it jumped onto the 6 foot fence with the agility of a cat. An important point. High fences are no barrier to a hungry fox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 They will be pretty desperate for food in this weather. It was weather like this when a friend had all of her chickens killed by a badger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gertie Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 Having also seen one for the first time yesterday morning, does anyone know - does human hair/male urine actually work as a fox deterrent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 I wouldn't rely on it in this weather. The fox will be so hungry he will be pretty single minded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted December 18, 2010 Author Share Posted December 18, 2010 This morning I have noticed that the weldmesh on the roof of the WIR has been lifted a little. Worrying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 Isn't it this time of the year which they are looking for a mate? I always hear the horrible fox calling in the middle of the night, sometimes wakes me up. I saw two foxes fighting in the garden last night too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 During this very harsh cold I've been keeping mine in their secure run. We've never had a fox in the garden, but if they get desperate I wouldn't like to say that they are completely safe free ranging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cazp1978 Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 When my husband went down the garden to let the chickens out this morning he caught sight of a large fox climbing across the garage roof and going over the 7ft back gate. Worrying. After a long evening reading every post relating to foxes on here and scaring us both half to death he agreed to pee around the eglu and run. So off we've been trekking down the garden and using torches to check for any digging by the fox, then turning off the torches for dh to run around 'doing the deed'! Very comical (despite being quite worrying!). He never knew what having chickens would entail! No free ranging without being very close to me from now on. Shame since I used to work from home at the dining room table watching them out of the window free ranging but loose sight of them under a camelia bush that they are particularly partial to by the back door (keep expecting to find eggs under it) - but I'm not going to get any work done trying to keep them in sight the whole time. Poor "buck bucks" - my 21m old dd's collective name for the girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted December 29, 2010 Share Posted December 29, 2010 Where do all of you people live who have regular fox visits? We live in the middle of the town and have never seen a fox in my town (Northampton). My neighbours have chickens that live in their 6ft WIR with no roof and they have never had any problems or even seen a fox in their garden. We've had no signs of foxes ever not even with our or which we had for years. I am making our WIR fox proof nonetheless but I am just curious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickyhazel Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 We see foxes around but have never had one in the garden - but we live next to a wood so there is lots of food for them there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixie chick Posted December 30, 2010 Share Posted December 30, 2010 This morning we saw a fox for the first time ever in our garden! It would have been quite a thrill before we had the chickens but instead it was horrific - I went running out like a mad woman expecting to find carnage down at the hen-pen but thankfully they had not been paid a visit! The WIR has a 6 foot high fence but is open at the top - OH has spent all afternoon adding a jutting out spiky overhanging section all around the top edge - I am pretty sure that Mr Fox will not get over the top now ......but am nervous all the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 I've just had to chase a fairly sizeable fox out of the garden at about 7.30am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 After a long evening reading every post relating to foxes on here and scaring us both half to death he agreed to pee around the eglu and run. So off we've been trekking down the garden and using torches to check for any digging by the fox, then turning off the torches for dh to run around 'doing the deed'! Very comical (despite being quite worrying!). He never knew what having chickens would entail! Tip for you, to save your OH any accidental flashing embarrassment My OH pees into a bottle in the privacy of the bathroom, and then takes the bottled pee outside to sprinkle It is a worrying time of year of foxes, I have seen more around this year than previous years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calamity Jane Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Tip for you, to save your OH any accidental flashing embarrassment My OH pees into a bottle in the privacy of the bathroom, and then takes the bottled pee outside to sprinkle spoil sport ! I rather liked the idea of my OH sneaking around trying to have a private pee !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Well my hubby can't pee round ours anymore, as we have security lights on them all & CCTV! Pee in a bottle it is. Anyway fancy going on Dragon's Den with that fox deterrant idea? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 urgh all those wet shoes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
