Surfnirvana Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 We burried our last original "Omlet" girl 4 weeks ago in the garden (3 ft deep with rocks on top). This morning I came outside to let out my new chooks and saw that something had dug Rose up! It had removed the rocks and there were Rose's feathers around the hole We live in a rural environment, but haven't seen a fox for 5-6 years! We have a CCTV camera up, so this morning before we left for work we looked at the footage and there it was at 4.00 am trotting around. Having looked at where it jumped into (a small wooded area), it looks it may have made it's den there - 6 meters away from my chickens!! The hole is small for a fox, but bigger than a rabbits. I don't want to have to get rid of the fox by using the Pest Control man as I'm sure there will be cubs around, but then I want to protect my chickens. What to do?..... Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I think that's why DEFRA regulations say double bag and put in the rubbish or take to a vet for incineration. It doesn't like them to be buried. I think that foxes and other " things" can smell them if they aren't buried deep enough. I know when we decided to bury our much loved family dog in the garden ( which is allowed) , the vet told my OH to dig a 6 feet deep hole! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 You have a hard choice to make. There are countless stories on the web at the moment about people losing birds to foxes - its the vixen's looking for food for cubs. I myself have just lost my flock of hens (whilst inside electric netting) and my neighbour has lost hers (whilst inside their house, inside electric netting). Although I am restocking, in the future my lot will have to stay in the run most of the time. I am also considering pest control - trapping and/or shooting. However, I also know this is not going to solve the problem - there will be more foxes. But on the other hand, the presence of hungry foxes which I do nothing about in the short term, could mean I am condemning my future flock to an equally grim death, despite my precautions. My neighbour can't take it anymore and has given up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 As mentioned above, DEFRA advises that they are bagged and binned. Mine are buried in a very deep hole with a paving slab over the top. I worked at a country house show at the weekend, so many people there had lost their hens to foxes - all very posh folk - none of them seemed too bothered about shutting them in at night though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 it is the time of year I guess - but this year seems to be quite bad for anything on a fox's menu. my vet lost 2 rabbits at the weekend... I am upping my garden patrols in the daytime, double checking the electric fence every time, making sure the WIR is closed just as soon as the last girl has retreated to bed etc etc. dont think there is really much else we can do; all the fox disposal methods come with some sort of disadvantage it seems to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I'm with Daphne on this one. That fox sounds really determined and strong. It is the foxes or the hens - I know which I would choose! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfnirvana Posted May 25, 2011 Author Share Posted May 25, 2011 Thanks everyone I'm definitely going to be much more vigilent now - although I have always been careful. They have an electric fence which is kept on 24/7, but I won't be letting them free range unless I'm in the garden too. My husband has just spoken to the pest man, who is able to come and shoot the fox if that's what we wanted him to do. Over the past year, he has killed 300 and his collegue 200 foxes - he is convinced urban foxes are being set free in the countryside, as even he thinks that is a staggering number of them in one small area of Gloucestershire. I appreciate and love wild animals, but we just don't think foxes and my chooks living within 6 meters of each other is going to work I'll keep you posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 he is convinced urban foxes are being set free in the countryside, as even he thinks that is a staggering number of them in one small area of Gloucestershire. That's interesting that you should say that. I have heard one or two suggestions round here that urban foxes are bring set free in the countryside. There isn't a particular fox problem round here, of course there are foxes around, but they are the typical country fox - shy by day and active by night. I will admit to letting my hens FR all day, because I don't consider there to be sufficient risk to shut them in all day but I am rigorous about locking them away at night which is when the fox is most likely to visit. A free range farm locally was foxed a little while back. The farmer was convinced that it was an urban fox set loose, the behaviour just wasn't typical of a country fox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I have had the same happen to me. I now bag them up and bin them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 I have had the same happen to me. I now bag them up and bin them. the foxes Egluntyne?! if only... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I live in a little village in Cornwall. Last sumer I saw a fox out at midday; he was sunning himself on the green outside my house, not a care in the world, even cars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
