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Luvachicken

Bad fox !!!! Bad Update.

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When I left for work at 8.30 am there was a fox on our drive. I thought my car might frighten him, but no, so I shooed him away, but as I was late I had to leave it.

When hubby got in for lunch he said "you missed all the excitement"

I jokingly said "did it invlove a fox ?"

And he said "yeah "

It was on my new wooden run roof, on the wire looking down at them. Poor things, hubby said they made a right racket.

 

I'm beginning to not like Mr. Fox

And I need to make sure that he is not lurking around when I go to give them their supper, as he could possibly get through the door.

 

Grrrrrr :evil:

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I have just read this article from last year.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1343802/Foxes-getting-bigger--deadly-Marksman-culls-issues-chilling-warning.html

It seems foxes are getting bigger and bolder. I wonder if the urban foxes are worse than rural ones? I live in a small village and have only seen 2 foxes in the 4 years I have lived here. One old one in the field next door (Which was limping and the rabbits didn't even move when he walked past) and another younger one on our lawn when we moved in before we got chickens. I have not seen another one and have seen no foot prints etc. We live near several farms with livestock and wonder if they cull them. I still lock the girls up at night and make sure I am about when they FR just in case. Do Omleteers have more trouble in the town or country?

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:shock: That is scary :shock:

 

I think he is the same fox that ran off with one of hubby's bungees AND I'm pretty certain he stole my pink omlet glove because I can't find it anywhere.

Uh oh...hope he's not thinking of copying this evil fiend :o

"Ooops,%20word%20censored!"%252Bplease%252B_6b835fec6f0f81088e2c525dd58e397c.jpg

 

That's brilliant !!!!!!

That made me laugh out loud and hubby too :lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol

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Yesterday morning the fox was on the drive again.

 

But this morning hubby's garden shoes were in the middle of the garden, both of them, one badly chewed on top.

I picked them up later when I got in from work at lunchtime, and thought I'd say hello to the girls. When I looked I noticed some soil had been dug along the cube run and along the bit in line with the poo trays. And then to my horror noticed lots of muddy footprints on the cube roof.

I don't know what time he came but I hope he didn't frighten my sleeping girls too much.

 

Has a fox ever got into anyones cube ? Are they clever enough to dig under the skirt ?

I'm getting a bit worried now.

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Oh no Luvachicken, what a worry!!! We have fields nearby and sometimes lately we have heard a dogfox bark!!! :( I've tried to be vigilant and only free range the pekins when I'm out with them !!!! Also worrying as I've sited the cube for the winter and put down wood chip it might be more of a target for Mr fox!! But I've thought of using the omlet pegs to secure the run and do check it each day.

 

Something I heard once was a fox getting in via a poo tray! :shock: So I also double check that they are engaged properly after cleaning, you know the sort of clip thingy.

 

I also let Willow our cocker spaniel have a good wonder around the run and do any toileting on the lawn area at "bedtime" as I read somewhere this can put a fox off.

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Well there were 2 bits of Daisy poop out there and she always does a wee before bed, and this didn't stop him.

I always check the trays too, one definitely fits better in one side than the other.

I will have another look tomorrow and see if anything else has happened, and see what else we can do.

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Oh that's funny one of my trays doesn't fit so well either!!! :( Hence the double checking!! :anxious::roll:

 

I guess it's their scent from the cube that's tempting him. Maybe you could extend the skirt on that section?? I think you can get extra peices and then just clip them on? Maybe use the peg thingys aswell??? :think:

 

Please let us know what you do/find helps??

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I have girls in a Cube and run and in 2 eglus and runs. I also have rabbits in Classics. I live on the cusp of the town and close to the countryside but we have urban foxes rather than the more timid country ones that are only a mile or so down the road! The foxes regularly wander over the tops of both cube and classics (I see their footprints). Every so often I'm woken at sunrise by the girls screaming 'fox fox fox fox fox fox fox fox fox - as they do! :shock:

 

No fox has ever dug under the skirts of the runs although they HAVE tried to dig under the classics (at the curve of the unit where the locking bar is) when they have been sited on 'loose' earth (as opposed to a grassed area). If ever I put them on dirt I put the Classics on a weldmesh base.

 

Sadly, the only girls I have lost to foxes have been when they were FRing in the garden without adequate supervision from me. I only let them FR when I am out there with them now. I'd rather curtail their FRing and have live chooks than go through the agony of multiple murders again.

 

Caroline

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One thing you could try is letting Hubby wee around the perimeter of your garden, mine does it regularly and although rare in our area, foxes do visit neighbours gardens, but never ours. It might be "old wives tales" but if it works....(if he doesn't want to be seen weeing, he could do it in a bucket indoors and then just drizzle it in the garden) :anxious:

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Grrr, poor you! I can see why you are so worried! :(

 

I would probably extend the skirt with strips of weldmesh - I have done this on my Eglu to stop a rat from making his home under the house.

 

I also found digging wooden sleepers into the ground for the wooden coop and run to sit on is very useful as it's in the ground as well as acting as a 'skirt' - it's made digging much harder for an animal that wants to get in and I prefer this than the Omlet skirt. I am not sure how this would be for the cube and run, but something to think about?

 

Good luck! Hope Mr Fox moves on soon!!

 

x

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My girls were free ranging this afternoon and when I looked out of the kitchen window there was the biggest, fattest fox I've ever seen in my life! :shock: I immediately ran out, yelling and grabbing a wellie as I went. As I got out the fox just stared at me so I chucked the wellie and then a football, still shrieking "There's a fox in the garden. Boys, get out here and help me!"

 

Luckily, my boys came out as the fox was running away. I told them to guard the rear of the garden whilst I got the hens into the run.

 

A few seconds later, and I'd have a different story. Phew!

 

No more free ranging :(:evil:

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Maybe place paving slabs on the skirt all around the edge? That way they cant dig under and they cant lift the wire either! I have also read about chook keepers putting a piece of wood over the hole in the nest box in a Cube so if Mr Fox does get in, he cant grab a chicken leg through the hole if a hen is sleeping in there :shock: .

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Hmmmmmm, interesting reading.

The fox has been back :evil:

 

The neighbour over the back of us came round specially today, to tell us the fox was on the roof of the wooden run trying to chew the wire yesterday. He said the chickens were making alot of noise and his son looked out of the window to see the fox on the roof. He said his son shot the fox with his BB gun, but it made no difference. I'm not sure how long the fox was there but hubby didn't hear the commotion.

 

He is really starting to get on my nerves now.

 

I stupidly pretended to see how easy it was to chew the wire myself :oops: , it was actually really, really difficult.

So I'm hoping Mr.Foxy can't do it either.

 

We looked at electrifying the roof, but don't think it would work because the fox wouldn't be properly earthed when he touches it.

 

Does anyone know if foxes are just as agile as cats - like walking along trellis or fence edges ?

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Well Luvachicken it's funny you should ask that question!!!

 

Hubby and I were at a dinner do last night and coming home at 11pm through a village a half hour from us....I couldn't believe my eyes for scampering around and across the road were 2 foxes :shock: !!!!!! They seem to be just "mooching around". They were not afraid of my car, or a car coming from the other direction, we both had to slow down!!! Also they were amazingly agile one just did an effortless jump up to and over a 5-6 foot fence!!!!

 

Needless to say had to check on the pekins when I got home!!! :oops:

 

Any ideas on what you can do??? Maybe put that plastic spiky stuff in strips on the roof, the type for fences to deter intruders? My neighbor has it along his fence to try and stop pigeons!Otherwise the poop in to his garden!! :lol:

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Jars of male urine around the coop?! Have also heard clumps of hair can put them off. Thinking of you. Or I have heard of getting a cage/trap and then shooting it if you would be willing to do that/arrange it. I would have no hesitation, foxes are PESTS! We have a local gamekeeper who would do the job for us.

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Foxes are incredibly agile, yes very like cats only stronger.

" Apparently" foxes will go for the easiest, so while trellis is no way no how going to stop one, you might hope that it makes it less easy to "just hop over" for a hot snack!

The worst thing is a cold hungry desperate fox, with cobs to feed... so if others choose to feed them I am not complaining especially as I have some living too close for comfort.

There re also Prica strips you can put on top of fences to deter them.

Anyone that thinks males urinating pr leaving hair about is going to deter them is sadly mistaken ...

Anyone that has watched a few seconds of nature prorgams wil probably seen the town foxes around take away stores ... I am sure the drunk men still urinate in alleys and streets,,,

 

They also regularly patrol football pitches and playing areas..

Free ranging is only safe with an alert adult standing guard.

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