karencopas Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 hi all, I don't often use the forum, but need some sound and good advice today please. We've kept hens for a few years now and yesterday experienced foxes for the first time our oldest hen-Blackberry Crumble has been lost to the fox, we found her body left under her favourite tree and one of our newer girls-Mighty White is gone apart from loads of feathers now we have just one hen, Blubell. She seems to have escaped Mr fox; not before losing a lot of her tail and back feathers tho! Blubell is eating and drinking and moving around and appears to be OK, we are obviously hoping these are good signs? She is inside at the moment in a dog crate so we can keep an eye on her. The worries we have are what to do now... -should we put her back into her eglu? -will the fox be back for her? -how sad and lonely she'll be and lastly we're so upset at the moment (and haven't told our daughter who Blackberry belonged too) that we don't feel we want to get more hens, but don't know if its fair to keep a single bird. We'd be so grateful for any thoughts, advice or suggestions, many thanks xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Sorry to hear the fox got two of your girls. Sadly the fox will return now he knows there are chickens. Were they free ranging at the time. Provided the Go has a secure run I would put Bluebell back, perhaps keep her inside for the rest of the day so that you can keep a close eye but if she is ok I would put her in the Go. Few people manage to keep a lone hen, they normally need company. I think some on the forum have managed to keep a happy lone chook. If you have a secure run I would get two more to keep her company and then just FR when you are in the garden. It is very sad and I feel for your daughter but keeping animals teaches children about life and death and the good and bad sides of life. When my children were younger I thought the loss of pets was a good lesson although horrid at the time. Best wishes. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karencopas Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 Thankyou Chrissie for your kind and wise words, i know you are absolutely right about telling my daughter and i completely agree with you. Its just the dread of knowing the sadness that's coming We do have a run on the go so I think Blubell would be safe as i trust the go to be fox proof. I just feel sorry for her on her own and was a bit worried about how cold it is at the mo. The hens had been free-ranging as they always do and we had got comfortable with them being out without keeping such a close eye on them, i think it probably happened as they had gone in for the night and before we had closed them in most of the feathers were in the run and house. We do feel very responsible for it happening, sadly. I just don't know about introducing more at the mo; busy, cold time of year and not really having the time to spend doing it properly, as well as feeling like giving up on chicken keeping completely!! We have loved having the girls so we'll have to think carefully, thanks so much for your reply x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Sorry to hear it. If Bluebell has any puncture wounds then she may need antibiotics but if she's not showing any signs of that, then I'd put her back in her usual environment. The fox will be back so you need to make sure it can't happen again. If the run is secure then put her back, I'm afraid my hens only free range when I can be in the garden with them. You may want to think about a run extension to give more space. Cold won't matter, hens are fine in cold weather and she'll be swarm enough in the Go. Finally I agree, she'll be happier with at least one companion. It is upsetting but you can make sure it doesn't happen again, and you obviously enjoyed keeping hens before this happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karencopas Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 Thankyou Olly, She seems fine at the mo I can't see any blood or bleeding, but will check her over before putting her back out. It's good to know she'll be warm enough and we had been considering a run extension just the other day as there is less time for free ranging. We were told to always keep 3 hens, do you think 2 is ok? We did have 2 for a while and quite liked a pair, but went to three again when we were down to only one Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 My one remaining ex batt lives on her own in a , it is within a WIR so is in sight of others but she has been fine on her own in cold weather. She and the other hybrids in the WIR just don't get on and are much happier in the own sections chatting through the wire . Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Sorry to hear that Karencopas. Plenty of good advice already. You can tell if a hen doesn't take to being alone simply by her not talking to you. They gradually (couple of weeks) drift into what seems to be a trance and stop eating and drinking much as well. She will be in shock now anyway, so very be quiet I expect. Another companion would be good for her anyway. People usually introduce a younger pair just in case anything happens to one of them. Our neighbour has recently done that having been left with a lone hen (after a fox attack killed the other four) and one of the new ones died after two weeks. Mycoplasma type symptoms she had. Fortunately he still has a pair keeping each other company. But we watched the solitary hen go downhill slowly, despite us trying to keep her company and give her treats. After a month she was completely inactive but fortunately quickly got back to normal when the new ones arrived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 I also had a lone hen not thro choice or fox but thro her mate dying. She seemed ok apart from egg eating and then we had a chance of a picked on hen of a friends. Long story short - Maggie our hen (complete with bumpa bit to come off this week) has a mate Rhoda and they seem ok - occasional argey bargey - but its someone to cuddle up with on these cold nights and she looks less bored. (see my thread on bumpa bit for long version -- yawn ) Sorry to here about your girls. I took Rhoda on as we hadnt time for a trek to farm and WIR is still work in progress. Both girls had been on their ownb so I didnt bother with segregation as figured any disease wouldve raised its head already. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Sorry for your loss. I know the feeling. I lost a broody hen to a predator. I was nearly crying while I was dumping her eggs. The best thing to do is to get replacement as soon as possible and be more careful. your daughter will love the new hens as much as she loved the previous ones. If possible get replacement before you tell your daughter. If affordable buy a fox trap and try to get the fox. the fox will come back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 LeeWeedon bought a Havahart X-large single door treadle trap quite cheaply, off Ebay I think, after his fox attack. The fox came back as expected and he caught it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 The other thing to do is to get fox snares. remember dogs can get caught in them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Hi lee how are you? Hope all has been well for you x we have missed you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Hi lee how are you? Hope all has been well for you x we have missed you, Glad to see you are back Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 The other thing to do is to get fox snares. remember dogs can get caught in them I am sorry, but I dont thing talk of traps or snares is appropriate in this forum. Decidedly uncomfortable reading. Plz remember that caught foxes have to be dealt with. Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 The other thing to do is to get fox snares. remember dogs can get caught in them I am sorry, but I dont thing talk of traps or snares is appropriate in this forum. Decidedly uncomfortable reading. Plz remember that caught foxes have to be dealt with. Ax Quite so sparkysmum....I don't think it appropriate either, I think theses so called humane fox relocator are awful too, they offer the removal and relocation of the fox....that is just horrific, we are responsible for making sure our girls are safe from the fox...I appreciate we can make mistakes but that isn't really the foxes fault is it?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 I think this whole catching foxes business is quite astonishing. Something that wouldn't be remotely possible here in the Netherlands. Even if you wanted to shoot duck or rabbit, you need a permit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 A final thought from me . This is a family friendly forum with some quite young members. If fox killing makes uncomfortable reading for me then I am quite sure it would cause greater upset for our younger members. It is right and proper to discuss protection of our poultry and fox deterrent but NOT trapping/snaring/killing of predators. If this is something which interests you I am sure there are gamekeeping forums where likeminded people can share ideas. I hope I haven't upset or otherwise caused offence. Love, Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Yup, I'd just have to make my lot a bit more fox proof. The foxes were here before us so it's up to me to make sure all are kept apart for both chicken and foxes sakes. Sorry, I like foxes too and if they are presented with a chook deli (which it is because mine free range all the time without supervision) then their nature of kill and come back later if times are hard even when it isn't, is something that cannot be changed. Nature can be such a nasty thing sometimes - but that is not the fault of the fox. Anyway, am really sorry to hear about the attack - not a nice thing to find, but it might be worth having the little birdie looked over by the vet in case of a slight scratch. If infection is setting in then s/he will be able to check Bluebell's temperature. When we went on holiday one year the guys chooks had been pounced on by Monsieur Reynard and their lovely buff orpie was stressed out. She didn't get much better so they took her to the vet and he found a tooth embedded under her feathers! Sadly the time it took for them to go to the vet for antibiotics, it was too late - that and probably stress finished her off. Very sad because she was a beauty. Hope this doesn't put you off having birds. Just be more determined to outwit the fox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Totally agree Valkyrie. Foxes were here first, they're displaying natural behaviour, it's us who have introduced something artificial by keeping domestic hens. Don't get me wrong I'd be devastated to lose any of my girls to a fox, but for me I wouldn't think killing it would be the right response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
