Part 0800.0005

[craig99]

Had a bit of a scare last night. I woke up at 1 o'clock this morning to the sound of scratching on the eglu house. Initially I thought it may have been the hens moving around, until I heard the scratching get more and more desperate. I got the torch out and had a look to see what was there. My partner then said that she saw a fox leaving the garden past the eglu.

 

I guess I had expected to attract the foxes when we decided to get chickens, but it's really horrible when it does actually happen (and I didn't even lose any hens - I can only imagine how horrible it would be to find the fox had succeeded). I'm glad the eglu lived up to its fox proof claims, but I was a bit concerned that the hens were going to have been a bit shaken up when I let them out this morning. Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. I opened up the egg collection door to say hello and they all popped their heads out for a stroke. I opened the eglu door and they raced towards the food and drink. They seem fine thankfully.

 

For those who have experienced foxes, do they generally come back regularly to attempt another eglu break in?

[Olly]

Yes. To the fox, your Eglu contains an irresistible prize. S/he will be back regularly as long as they're around The fox is likely to have a shorter lifespan than your chickens, however.

[Forestchook]

do they generally come back regularly to attempt another eglu break in?

 

I'd say yes too. However saying that, I saw my first fox upsetting my girls (and boys) the other week. Since then I've been expecting to either see him again or find clear evidence of him trying to break in during the night but there has been no sign. I can still smell him around the garden but not near the coops. Other than my brother annointing the grass near by the following day nothing has really changed to put him off having another go. Maybe he's trying to lull me into a false sense of security?

 

Glad your girls are okay.

 

N

[Cheeky Chooky]

Glad they're ok

[Mum]

Really pleased your girls are safe.

 

I've had two fox attacks in the past 9 months. In the first, I had a broody in an eglu near the house and a wooden coop the other end of the garden. The fox got all of my girls from the wooden coop by taking out the underneath of the nest box; there was evidence it had tried to get into the Eglu - a scratch type mark in the plastic.

 

Second attack was just over two weeks ago, lunchtime on a Saturday when I was in the garden with my girls who were free ranging. He attacked just feet away from me! Thankfully, I was able to rescue the hen he attacked.

 

I think urban foxes are less afraid of humans and therefore more daring?

 

Last Autumn, one was very cheeky and poo'd on the path right in front of my WIR!

[kinsk]

Yes it will come back, and don't just asume it will only come back at night. They really are nasty little pasties and they are not stupid either.

 

*Touch wood* our dogs have tended to keep charlie fox away, but if you know you have one lurking around take all precautions.

[sadietoo]

Yes it will come back and come back and come back...If like us you are not keen on a permanent solution (because there will be another one along in a little while anyway) we have found the hose pipe to be quite a good deterrant along with blocking every single hole in our garden hedges with wire so that they can't get in quite so easily (although the last one we saw in the garden made his escape by jumping up on the roof of our 8 ft high shed and high tailing it into the next door garden over the hedge rather than through it as before )....

[essexhen]

Yes - they do tend to visit regularly, I lost two in broad daylight whilst free ranging

now they go out in the garden during the day with electric netting around the back garden to protect them and so far this has worked. At night we shut the door to the run - but we have a steel mesh underneath the cube/run as the fox was trying to dig his way in at night, if you don't have anything like that then i'd suggest pulling the door of the henhouse across at night.

[legend21]

we had a visit from a fox but our dog got a hold of the fox and it has not been seen since that is not to say it wont come back but i like the dog to lie in the back garden, It is a horrible worry i really dont like foxes any more

[craig99]

Thanks for all your comments. Although I was hoping that you'd all say "no, don't worry mr fox won't be back". Wishful thinking I guess

 

So far I have not heard, or seen any evidence, that the fox has been scratching at the eglu again. I think I heard one in the garden at night again, but couldn't be sure. It certainly wasn't scratching to get in the eglu though.

 

Unfortunately though, I have just accepted a job in the middle east, so I'm going to have to re-home my hens who have only been with me a month . They are my first hens too and I absolutely love them. I just can't refuse the opportunity I've been given though. I'm not leaving until August, so I have time for a few eggs.