[tomandroz]

Hi,

Fox has cleaned out my chickens, again :censored: I have an 8 foot chicken mesh fence, and still the fox has managed to get into the pen, which is 30ft x 25ft kill all but one of the hens, and taken back to the den only one, the rest are hidden in the long grass around around the pen. I cant manage to find the den, but it cant be too far away.

I let them out at 06:00 this morning, my wife went to see them at 08:30 and there was only one left. Thats one brave fox to wipe them out in broad daylight in two and a half hours.

Cheers,

Tom

[artic]

Sorry to hear that.

Do have access to a rifle?

Have you dug deep enough when laying the fence line?

This post has been edited by artic: 05 June 2009 - 02:23 PM

[Tis TM]

tomandroz, on Jun 5 2009, 01:48 PM, said:

Hi,

Fox has cleaned out my chickens, again :censored: I have an 8 foot chicken mesh fence, and still the fox has managed to get into the pen, which is 30ft x 25ft kill all but one of the hens, and taken back to the den only one, the rest are hidden in the long grass around around the pen. I cant manage to find the den, but it cant be too far away.

I let them out at 06:00 this morning, my wife went to see them at 08:30 and there was only one left. Thats one brave fox to wipe them out in broad daylight in two and a half hours.

Cheers,

Tom

He/she'll be back to pick up the hidden ones if you can lie in wait....
Gutting when that happens isn't it :(

[tomandroz]

Hi,

Sadly dont have access to a rifle, and yes the fence is well buried. The bugger cleared the fence. And yes I know they will be back, all I can do for now is keep a good charge on the electric fencer, and hope for the best..

I did hear that hanging human hair clippings (from a barber) in an old pair of tights was a good deterent?

Cheers,

Tom ;)

[wiskers]

carnt you get the loan of a live catch fox trap
put one of the chooks in and dispose of the f***ker

[Sterry]

Is the mesh taught, because if it is the fox can just run and use it to climb up, but with a "floopy" fence they climb up and it doesnt allow then to put pressure on the fence without it giving way.
But still a lead injection seems another component of the solution. and maybe a electric fencwe wouldnt go a miss

[salclalin]

A Farmer friend had is Crollweitzer turkey hen attacked by a Fox in his garden the other week. This was about 11o'clock in the morning.Luckily she survived. Ironic really as Red Dog has taken at least 14 foxes off this farm in a 3 month period in the wires.

This post has been edited by salclalin: 06 June 2009 - 10:20 PM

[tomandroz]

wiskers, on Jun 6 2009, 10:00 PM, said:

carnt you get the loan of a live catch fox trap
put one of the chooks in and dispose of the f***ker

Hi,

Now i hadent thought of that, any one local(ish) to me have one going spare !?! and to answer the other points, there is a fair bit of slack in the wire, and the inner fence is powered by an electric fencer.

Cheers,

Tom

[tomandroz]

Hi,

Just been done over again :censored: I cant believe it! had just returned home after walking the dogs, passed the hens on the way home (they were all there) put the dogs away and went to shut the hens away and they were all spooked and I was one missing, the cheeky bugger must have got in during the five minutes I was in the house, still have no idea how they are getting in, and no joy with the live trap either...

I am at a total loss to as how to combat the problem..............

Cheers.

Tom ;)

[andri]

I know how you feel mate,i had all barr a couple wiped out a few weeks ago.still not caught it yet. A matter of time :gunsmilie:

[blubitch]

tomandroz, on Jul 2 2009, 10:03 PM, said:

Hi,

Just been done over again :censored: I cant believe it! had just returned home after walking the dogs, passed the hens on the way home (they were all there) put the dogs away and went to shut the hens away and they were all spooked and I was one missing, the cheeky bugger must have got in during the five minutes I was in the house, still have no idea how they are getting in, and no joy with the live trap either...

I am at a total loss to as how to combat the problem..............

Cheers.

Tom ;)

Maybe you could make the run into an avery with a top panel /roof just a suggestion ( ive lost loads over the years).

[tomandroz]

Hi,

Sadly the area that the hens live in is huge! 30m x 60m with a 8ft perimeter fence, it would be a bit of a task to net the top of it. and maybe your right patience and time, still doesent half p*ss you of though !

Cheers,

Tom ;)

[neil cooney]

Live traps for foxes rarely work, especially in an open area. A walk in the area around you with a good terrier running loose might result in you finding the cubs. If conditions allow you might be able to follow the trail of feathers which will tell you what direction she's carrying the chickens back to her cubs. Also I'd have a line of snares around your pen on all runs and check them daily.
An electric fence outside the pen is what a lot of people use to some degree of success.

[tomandroz]

rodsmith, on Jul 3 2009, 09:05 AM, said:

neil cooney, on Jul 3 2009, 08:33 AM, said:

Live traps for foxes rarely work, especially in an open area. A walk in the area around you with a good terrier running loose might result in you finding the cubs. If conditions allow you might be able to follow the trail of feathers which will tell you what direction she's carrying the chickens back to her cubs. Also I'd have a line of snares around your pen on all runs and check them daily.
An electric fence outside the pen is what a lot of people use to some degree of success.

i live in west berks chap,roughly where do you live? if not too far i may come and help.could certainly make your chicken pen fox proof!! could show you the correct way to set snares etc to PLUS i work terriers and have firearms if its safe to do so?? PM me..

Hi,

Cheers, for the ,message, I have PM'd you

Tom :thumbs: