Millie-Annie Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 (edited) My husband shouted upstairs this morning, the fox is on the shed roof. I ran downstairs just to see him chase it away. Then I saw him walking round the run and I knew. He came in and said "he's killed them all" The two ex-batts were intact, but had been bitten. My beautiful Brahma Clara, was headless and Octavia my Orpington was headless and bottomless. She was the one that must have fought the hardest as there were feathers everywhere. It was horrendous, like a murder scene, well it was. I was sobbing and crying as I picked them up, apologising over and over for not protecting them. I had them cremated by the nearest vet. We couldn't see where he had got in. Our run is made of galvanised steel, not chicken wire. We have slabs all round the edges. Tonight I went over it with a fine tooth comb and found one piece behind the built in compost heap, that was chicken wire and he had pushed his way through there. It wasn't even visible from outside, he squeezed between our fence and next doors fence to get in. I feel so guilty, and so very very sad. My beautiful girls didn't deserve to die like that. I am now terrified for the guinea pigs and I have moved them into the old cat run. But will I ever dare let them out in their run in the summer and I am scared for the tortoise too, as I have read they can take them I know its nature, but I swear if I had a shot gun.......... Edited April 14, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 What a terribly sad story. Sorry for your loss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Oh no! How horrible! Must have been awful to find them like that. Sounds like you had your protection in order, but these foxes are so determined... Please don't blame yourself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 I am so sorry this has happened to you and your girls. Such a sad story to read about. Sending you lots of hugs xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Millie-Annie so sorry to hear this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeramaSilly Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 So sorry Millie-Anne xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Chick Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 How awful - I'm so incredibly sorry to read this. As others have said, please don't blame yourself for this x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted March 9, 2017 Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 Thank you for your kind words. It's so hard I just picked up an over ripe pear out of the fruit bowl and went to put it by the back door for the girls in the morning. Then remembered for them there is no morning. I do blame myself, I knew he was hanging around I should have gone over that run with a fine tooth comb. My head knows though, if not today then some other day this would have happened. Every time I close my eyes I see that horrific scene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Terrible scene to have in your mind. Thinking of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roksteddie Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 We lost our flock in December and the loss is all still so fresh. It's an absolutely devastating feeling and you can't help but feel responsible. Time makes it easier and hopefully in time you'll be able to start again with new girls - it's so worth it. Best wishes. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gavclojak Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 I'm so very sorry to hear this. Thank you for being so honest because all of us hen keepers learn from stories like this. I had a scare last year, I had fruit net on the roof of part of my enclosure and thin chicken wire in one front area. One morning at about 6am I saw a fox walk straight across the roof, how he didn't fall through I will never know so at that point it was bib and braces. We spent the next few days fox proofing so we were very lucky. Even now when I let my dogs out in the night I often see a fox in the roof of the enclosure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mars Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Sorry to hear that Millie-Annie I lost hens to the fox, I know the feeling, we learn as we go. get yourself occupied with other things and the memory will fade away with time, if I was you I fortify the weak part, put something attractive to the fox inside and see if it can get access, after a few weeks I will get other hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Sorry to hear it, I know how devastating it can be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 do you know I am reading this and yet somehow cant believe its me I am reading about I have always read abut fox attacks and thought thank God my run is sound, except it wasn't. Today I went up there for the first time since it happened and there were two broken eggs on the ground. There were no eggs in the nest boxes when I emptied them out, so I can only presume he has been back and he found them from somewhere. Unless it was rats, but we have never had any signs of rats before. Mice, yes, but not rats We are going to completely rebuild the run and this time it WILL be fox proof, with no weak spots. Before that though my husband is going to build me a new guinea pig hutch, screwed to the wall and solid. The guinea pigs are living in the old cat run at the moment, the cats having died a few years ago. But Monty is miserable. He cant see anything except the brick wall and his mates, the cats next door cant visit him every morning and he loves those cats. Then all I have to sort out is the tortoise Thank you so much for your kind words. I miss my girls so much. Last night I was in tears as I threw the left over spaghetti away, my girls loved spaghetti. Give all your girls, and the odd boy, a hug from me and keep them safe Thank you again xxxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 I'm really glad to hear you're planning for the future. Your new hens when they come will help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 I'm really glad to hear you're planning for the future. Your new hens when they come will help Ditto what mullethunter said xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share Posted March 13, 2017 It won't be anytime soon a) I need him to lose interest in my garden b) we need to build a new run and this one will be complete with electric fencing. It seems to be the only way. My immediate concern is my existing pets, my guinea pigs and my tortoise who is still hibernating. So I have just spent £350 on an Omlet run. I hope it's as good as it looks, anyone know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 I think your guinea pig will be very happy in the Omlet run - does it come with a guinea pig house too ? I was just wondering about your tortoise and the fox. Does your tortoise stay out all night in the garden when he is out of hibernation or are you worried about the fox hurting your tortoise during the day ? My Mum's tortoise often comes to stay with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted March 13, 2017 Author Share Posted March 13, 2017 You can buy a hutch but my husband is going to build me a new one. Complete with tiled floor as he has just tiled the hall and there are some spare ones. It will then be built on a stand and bolted to the shed. My existing hutch was tough but it was a bit wobbly on the stand and if he had jumped up and swung on it, it would have fallen. I moved the guinea pigs and their 7ft hutch on my own on Thurs night. My husband came home and I said you know those film clips you see of mummy cats, sensing danger and moving their kittens even though they are nearly as big as them? Well thats me. He said what do you mean and I took him out the garden and he said where are the guinea pigs. I said in the cat run and he said how the hell did you move that huge hutch on your own off the stand and down the garden? My reply.......mummy cat muscles That fox was not getting anymore of my pets. Yes my tortoise does stay in the garden all night, but I shall be putting him in the new Omlet run at night. I am worried about him in the day but he would be so miserable in a run, plus he's very territorial and attacks the guineas given half the chance. I think fox attacks on tortoises are extremely rare. How old is your mums tortoise? Humphrey is mid 50's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 How old is your mums tortoise? Humphrey is mid 50's I think he is about 15. She got him when he was 2. He gets to sleep in a cat box indoors at night. We had a tortoise when I was younger who stayed in a little log hut at night, but he was attacked and killed by something, we think a rat or weasel, so this tortoise has always stayed inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 I hope it's as good as it looks, anyone know? I have had the lo rise one for about 2 years now and am very pleased with it. I know a fox has been about and the girls have stayed safe. I've never heard of a fox getting into a properly constructed, properly closed Omlet run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted March 14, 2017 Author Share Posted March 14, 2017 Thank you for that Mullethunter. I have ordered it today and the pegs to secure it to the lawn. I left the cover as we can buy something for that. It doesn't need to be safe just functional. Sorry to hear about your tortoise luvachicken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orangediva Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 Sorry to hear about your loss, it must be devastating. Another vote of confidence in the Omlet runs from me - I've had my two full height WIRs for my rabbits for two years and they've been secure in them since then. A year ago I moved to the edge of a village adjacent to farmland and see foxes all the time - my bunnies occasionally thump ( they did last night) but the runs seem to be 100% secure. I've got mine meshed underneath due to the rabbit propensity for digging and I have the skirts very securely pegged down. I'm as confident as I can be in them. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 Thank you. It arrived today and I can't wait ti get it put together. Two questions: How easy is it to assemble Do you recommend the rain/sun covers and if so which one? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 I have the old shape so not sure about the new one. It was definitely a 2 man job, the instructions were very clear. I have rain and shade on mine, but that's because I have an extension. They get shade under the cube itself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
