starboyhull Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Hi guys....... Our girls had a lucky escape tonight......I have been sat in the garden in the gazebo chatting to a couple of you off here when I noticed what I thought was a cat walking by me (in the gazebo) when I got up to look it was a fox...... ANyway I stood and watched (very quietly) and it walekd over to the eglu and jumped on top of it (totally slient) and just stood there sniffing.......I shouted and it run away.....I then let my dogs out and Banjo chased it behind the garage (it hadnt even moved from the garden me shouting, just hid in the hedge)....... Here is a pic for you.....I dismissed them a little until tonight, if I had been 30 minutes later closing the run, we wouldnt have had anything left! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 I got home from work today and the chooks were a little agitated they had knocked the feeder over and the glug. I presumed the roofers had upset them. I found some poo at the top of the garden (hopefully not the roofers) it looked more like cat poop, no berries seeds etc, but you can't be too sure. I am glad your ladies are all ok! close call! Nice photo of the 'evil one' by the way Bill Oddie would be well chuffed, but he doesn't keep chooks does he? Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisnrob Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Blimey, looks like your girls did have a lucky escape tonight then. Have you ever seen a fox in your garden before? I wonder if they can 'sense' chickens at a distance which is why people suddenly see foxes in their gardens when they'd never seen them previously?? Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 ALthough an evil thing, they are very sweet looking Hard to beleive they can do so much harm........ Well our dog hasnt left the side of the garage since he found where it was hiding........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 We have seen them in the green previosuly, just is outside of our house, but never in the garden........ We will have to now take measures to stop it getting in the back garden, as my presence didnt seem to bother it......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 foxes aren't evil , just hungry animals living by instincts, but it goes to show how easy it is to loose a pet if you are not vigilant. It is easy to think/hope foxes don't live near you but they do! Foxwatch thing will be ordered tomorrow! Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Phew....that was close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I found some poo at the top of the garden (hopefully not the roofers) it looked more like cat poop, no berries seeds etc, but you can't be too sure.Kev. I wouldn't put it past the roofers Kev Fox poop does look like cat poop - we have a book on it ( ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 For those of you not of a nervous disposition, here are some pictures of fox poo (scats) , for you to compare with what you find in your garden. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 eeeewwwwwww! I think foxes are amazing and much maligned, they're amazingly bold and have a terribly short lifespan in urban areas, I think the average is about 2-3 years. They're beautiful up close, we get one that visits our patio at night - I've seen it when I'm ironing. That's why our girls are tucked away nice and snug every night! Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Egluntine you have now put me off my breakfast! Close call Karl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Thanks for that Egluntine!!! Glad the girls are ok!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 How very graphic Egluntine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Great pic of the fox - I too like them in the balance of nature - but . The poo really smells as well - and if they "scent" in your garden it has a very strong musky, distinct smell - they do pong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 They are beautiful, I just wish they would be beautiful out in the green for everyone to see and not sat on my eglu I think we will be foxwatch buying today, or something similar..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Thatcher Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Hi guys....... Our girls had a lucky escape tonight......I have been sat in the garden in the gazebo chatting to a couple of you off here when I noticed what I thought was a cat walking by me (in the gazebo) when I got up to look it was a fox...... What time did you see the fox? We are letting our chooks free roam until we go in for dinner, then in a non-fox proof run until about 7.30pm at the moment. After that, they go in their Eglu run until they roost about 8.30pm. It is still light until after 9pm at the moment, but I'm not sure what a fox would count as dusk and I don't want to take any chances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 I have found poo like that before at the bottom of the garden and have always assumed it was cat poo, thanks for the pictures Egluntine, they may be gross but they are very useful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted July 12, 2007 Author Share Posted July 12, 2007 The fox was in our garden quite late 10pm onwards I would say........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 sorry, foxes don't use clocks in my experience! If there's a fox around, you can't rely on it only coming out at dusk - broad daylight is just as likely, especially if it has hopes of a chicken dinner. Last time I chased one out of the garden it was 6.30 pm, and that was only a few weeks ago, at midsummer. Don't take any chances! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 I find cats burry their poos, whereas foxes leave them on the lawn... We got a foxwatch about two weeks ago, and so far I definitely would recommend it... we used to get woken up in a panic every morning around 4.30 am with foxes bothering the chooks... since we've had foxwatch, it's only happened twice, and on both occasions by the time we got near the window the fox had already gone, whereas before we could see it fussing around the eglu or on top of the run... That's a lovely picture of a fox... I don't believe they are evil, it's just they can't go to Tesco's for their chicken like people do... but obviously whether we like them or not, we don't like the thought of them breakfasting on our beloved chooks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Blimey that was a close shave! keep an eye out though. They are beautiful creatures though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted July 14, 2007 Author Share Posted July 14, 2007 http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9410935&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=fox&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1184399436120&isSearch=true&selected=products Is this the same as foxwatch??? Whatever I choose is going to affect the dogs??? So at least one with a PIR it will only affect them when something sets it off.......Hopefully point it away from the house and it wont be too bad....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted July 14, 2007 Share Posted July 14, 2007 Yes that looks very similar to foxwatch and quite a bit cheaper too... My cats don't seem affected by the foxwatch, I was told on this forum that the frequency used to deter foxes and dogs wouldn't bother cats... though the product description for the b&q version seems to suggest it repels cats dogs and foxes.... maybe it's set differently... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
