How The Red Devil Managed It.

[jok 3,035]

The thing managed to get in my run and caused complete havoc. For the life of me I couldn't find out where the shit was getting in. I checked, rechecked and rechecked and there was no way of getting in to my run. The roof is half way solid and the remainder scaffold mesh to chicken wire. Thing is, Iv'e 17 dead birds and a beautiful cockerel. Can't deny, as I posted earlier, right royally pissed off. Well, my mate Gaz popped round with some rabbits and asked to have a butchers. It wasn't long before he found the point of entry/exit. 7ft up, top of my boundary fencing, a Fcking hole about a foot in diameter which previously had been attached to my fencing and posts.The sly little murdering shit had broken a wooden support peg and the chicken wire to get in. Looking at it made me both mad and admiring. He had to scale 7ft, kill, carry, climb, run off, return, 18 Fcking times. That is some doing. Whilst I was watching the obvious he was doing the opposite, the shit. I wondered why the trap wasn't being visited. Now I know. Needless to say Iv'e regrouped, am redesigning the pen and getting more birds.

[gnipper 5,945]

Get a snare in the hole and a couple of knackered hens in the pen.

[Chicken_man 1,651]

Bloody thing. Restart mate ?

[Chicken_man 1,651]

As gnipper said ?

[neil cooney 10,415]

Are you saying the fox killed all 18 birds and kept returning 'till he had all of them gone OR was he killing 1 at a time and did this 18 times ?

 

I've known a vixen jump in a hole 8 foot up a wall where a block was removed for ventilation and killed 24 or so hens. She then jumped back out the same hole from the flat ground with nothing to help her and she had a hen in her mouth. Never ever let your guard down regarding foxes.

[jok 3,035]

No Neil. He/she killed 13 first visit and left 5 in the pen. I foolishly figured where it was coming from and set the trap accordingly. Next visit was the end of the flock. Like I said in my post, you have to admire the cunning and ability of this red devil. I just would never have dreamt the thing clearing 7 ft. That is what's upsetting more than anything. Had I have looked up then I would have saved 5 and the cockerel. Lesson learned. He'll not have any more. ?? Wishful.

[taz2010 1,297]

Get a snare in the hole and a couple of knackered hens in the pen.

exactly he wont be taking any more that is for sure

[jok 3,035]

Sorted. .223. Done and dusted. Now we can get started again.

[LaraCroft 863]

Sorry to hear that Jok ( the loss of chickens, not the sorting out ) It is soul destroying seeing so many go. Wishing you all the luck with new birds.

[jok 3,035]

Lesson learned. Thank you for your comments one and all. I will never have to post such a harrowing topic again and hope it has helped other poultry keepers. I have a new flock coming from a lovely lady who owns Harlaston Poultry. I've known this lady for some years and she has good stock. I'll never, however, find a cockerel like the last one. Here we go again. Pics to follow.

[stevo79 569]

I have just lost all but 3 out of 30 Rhode Island reds I've kept since I was 18. I've also decided that I'm just going to keep a few birds for eggs now and sell all my stock as I'm sick to death of losing birds to the fox. It's soul destroying losing years of enjoyment to one visit from our furry friends. I've been breeding birds for 18years and it's time for a break.?

Edited May 31, 2016 by stevo79

[forest of dean redneck 11,183]

Shame that,I've been lucky never had bird taken.but now I'm in middle of housing estate its lucky I got the 6 hens as racket they make 5.30-6 Am,waiting to come out,I'm shocked noones complained. I get up let them out an feed them shuts them up till they lay egg .