dancing cloud Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Start with the good news - everyone's ok and on the mend, safe and secure. Wednesday evening, still daylight so chooks pootling round the garden, I heard screaming and looked out of the window to see a fox with a hen pinned down in the flower bed. Flung the window wide and yelled at it but then had to get through the house to the back door, tripping over cat, dogs, dad on the way. Chased the fox down the garden, with something in its mouth but couldn't catch it. Feathers everywhere, Marguerite gone presumed taken away, Myrtle in the flower bed badly injured and in shock . Brought Myrtle in for treatment, while dad and dogs went to patrol garden but no sign of fox or Greety. At time of going to bed, I thought I had one dead hen and one so badly injured and shocked she may not make the morning. No one got much sleep. Thursday morning, Myrtle was still alive with wounds dry and clean, but still very stressed and whimpering if anyone went near her. Let dogs out, and about a minute later heard a hen yelling. Raced out again, even though I didn't think a fox would risk three big dogs and only when outside remembered Myrtle was inside , and found Greety hiding near the greenhouse and shouting at the dogs . For all there were far more of her feathers than Myrtle's in the garden, she had nothing worse than a couple of bald patches and small scratch . Not sure how she escaped, but I've never been so happy in my life to see a chicken . Myrtle is very much on the mend (cat food works wonders!) and she and Greety are both safely tucked in their cube run, with no more free ranging and a walk-in run on the way. I suppose I should be grateful I've had 7 years fox-free and only now need fortifications. As Herbie-dog has very limited vision, I can't go for an electric fence and I'm hoping an Omlet walk-in will keep them safe. We've survived Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 That sounds like a little wonder! Hope they'll be safe and mr Fox won't come visiting again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 Very grateful and happy to still have my two girls ! I'm certain Miss Fox will be back - she's quite young and very smooth-furred, not much bigger than a beagle - so the walk-in run is on order. ETA 11th August means we'll have time to clear the patch and get everything ready whilst the chooks are convalescing in the cube run. Horribly expensive but well worth it to avoid another night like last Wednesday. We're just outside the Omlet delivery area and I know with dad's ill-health and my arthritic paws we'll struggle to get the run together, but we'll take our time and get there in the end. We're getting a 2m x 4m and going to attach the and to it. Meant buying a run for the as well ( ) and it will give us two households and a playpen, or even three households if I put the in the run. Future-proofed ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Grrr, these foxes. I'm sorry you have had such a nasty experience with the fox but so pleased both your girls have survived and continue to make a good recovery. I'm sure they will be very pleased with their new runs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Gosh, what a scary experience but amazing that both girls have survived relatively unscathed . I'm so glad for you, it could have been horrible . Have fun building your new fortifications . It'll be lovely knowing they'll be totally safe . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 So glad everyone safe. Looking forward to new WIR pics Ax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
