clucker1 Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 was fortunately sighted in an adjacent garden today, and our very kind neighbour phoned us as an hour or so later our girls would have been let out to free range with supervision of sorts from 100 metres and a lot of it we can't see as it is under trees. So, for 2.5 years the chickens have wallowed in free ranging in the afternoons. Sadly from now on, they will have to be confined to the barracks unless we are out in the garden and even part of that we will have to fence off as Mr Fox could still easily cause damage there. Any ideas to keep them hentertained? Greens, anything else? I know the chickens will be fine in their run, there is no other choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 Forgot to say, the fox visited our garden this afternoon too as when OH went outside, the girls were standing like statues for 20 minutes. Something must have upset them and I can only think it was that horrid creature. I was at work when all of this was going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheekymonkey68 Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 There are bunches of them about Im afraid. I can smell that we've had a visit to the cube over night..as a male fox has sprayed close by..... hope the little blighter got a taste of the electric fence too!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share Posted January 6, 2013 The electric fence is too kind. Something more painful and longer lasting in my opinion. Sorry anyone who is animal friendly but rats and foxes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby22 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I too have the same problem so my girls stay in the run. I add bales of hay, apples hanging from string/bird feeder type holders, dust bath trays, wooden shoe holders etc that they can stand on and survey their plot I tend to add some random item once a week and they spend days investigating it and digging around it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Well the chickens had a lovely afternoon. I popped down to their run and they were beautifully behaved and let me in....there is normally a mad stampede to get out to fr. I did let them out for 5 mins then got worried FOX might jump over the fence from where I can't see them. Rattled their corn box and they came running. Then gave them some salad leaves as a first which they spent rest of the afternoon eating inbetween doing what chickens do the rest of the time, ie not much but chilling. Clever Matilda climbed up the ramp then old cube steps to reach corn up high, which the other lesser mortals couldn't work out how to reach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooLilac Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Just to say, do not feel guilty about keeping your girls safe. The fox came to us o n New Year's Day and took two of my ladies. We thought they would be fine FRing in the garden (no sign of fox for 18 months). our last three are locked up and only let out to FR with a human bodyguard present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
