bokbok87 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Hello All, Day 4 of chicken keeping and monsieur fox has been trying to get at my new babies (AKA the chickens). I assured my unconvinced boyfriend that there was NO way a fox could get into an Eglu. That it was the state of the art security premises.....that was impenetrable.......well it isn't! The fox has dug underneath where they roost and somehow managed to pull out the droppings tray. It had a small bit of access to nip at the girls whilst they roosted! When I went out this morning they were more flustered than usual and now one chicken who we have named Queen Victoria has not eaten. I am surprised as it has that metal pin that you have to push up to take out the tray. Has anyone had anything similar? What can I do to prevent this? Is there anyway to deter foxes? My OH has been urinating in the gardening daily (don't even ask how I convinced him to do that!!) and that is not helping whatsoever. Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctors girls Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 by the sounds of it you have a eglu classic i bought mine second hand and the owner had the same thing happen to them a fox had managed to pull the tray out and it had some nice teeth mark in it but didnt get in if i were you i would put one or two breeze blocks at the back of the classic and if possible put some wire netting just under the classic with a good 8 to 10 inches skirt around it and may be a couple of bricks on that to weigh it down a couple of photos of your set would be good and they will be plenty of people on the forum who have had the same experience happen to them but you will have to do a few more posts for the forum to let you put your photos on hear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Oh no what a horrible story. As much reinforcement as you can is all I can say. Your little girl is in shock. Keep a very close eye on her, best not to take her away from the others, but you could tempt her with some nice tuna or cat food, or pellet porridge with goodies in it. Put some tonic in their water their tummies are probably doing cartwheels. As for deterring the fox, I really don't know. I've got 3 male dogs and I think that helps to keep them away. Hopefully someone else will come up with some ideas for you. Sonya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PixieDust Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 How awful. What a shock for both you and the girls. I have been arguing so much with my OH to get the security good on our WIR. He is the one saying a fox won't jump a fence and it won't eat through chicken wire, etc., just so he doesn't have to do the work! I can't offer any practical advice as I am still to get my girls but what I have been told is add more security than you think you need. Hope the girls perk up soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennie186 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Hi I used to have the mark one classic. I put a Sheet of galvanised mesh under eglu leaving a skirt of about 8 inches all round then attached it with cable ties to the mesh under the bars. This prevents digging in. Or you cAn buy special squares of mesh from omlet in their spares department. As for the tray , this pulls out quite easy on a mark one. I always kept a granite block behind the eglu so you had to move that before pulling tray out. The clAssic is now inside a walk in run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokbok87 Posted August 1, 2014 Author Share Posted August 1, 2014 Hi, Yes I bought my Elglu classic second hand also. Have they changed the design of them now? I have those square pieces of metal you put underneath it from from Omlet but they are a bit flimsy! That fox came back last night and although I chased it away (in my pyjamas....the neighbours must think ive gone mad) it keeps coming back! Have any of you used those high frequency fox deterrents? I'm wondering if they work or are they a waste of money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I found the Foxwatch (sonic deterrent) worked to deter the fox from using my garden as a regular haunt, but it is ONLy a deterrent, and a determined fox will not be put off - some people say they didn't find it worked at all. Security is the best defence, and now you know it can get at the tray I would just prop a brick or a breezeblock or even a plant pot filled with earth behind the Eglu, to prevent that happening again. Standing the Eglu on slabs or on wire will prevent the fox from digging underneath the back of the Eglu. Foxes like most wild animals don't like a lot of change, and so moving things around in the garden, cutting back undergrowth or long grass etc may also put them off, however urban foxes are incredibly bold and this - like the urine in the garden - may have no effect. Most urban foxes live a short and fairly miserable life of not much more than 18 months, so the chances are that this particular fox will not be a menace for too long - there will always be a fox around, but the next one might not be quite so keen/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acw295 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Might be controversial to some but I'd get someone to trap it and kill it. Seeing a fox regularly won't be good for your girls! In the interim I'd really beef up your security as others have suggested. I won't tolerate foxes on my property, any sign and the guns come out. Easier for us though as we live rurally and we have easy access to vermin control. The farm estate that we live on rears game birds and won't put up with them either. Appreciate that in a town or city this is harder to achieve! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 As you point out, that isn't really an option for urban hen-keepers. In crowded areas if a fox is removed, another is likely to move into its territory within six weeks or so. There are always going to be foxes around, the only solution is careful husbandry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
