fox family has struck

[annaradiog]

Went to see my chickens at my allotment after work this morning and all that greeted me was an empty coop and a few feather. Yes Mr and Mrs Fox and 2 cubs had a tasty meal in the night.

I was devestated, my neighbour was quite upset too, he quite liked watching them as he was digging away and happy to get rid of his slugs!

The only good thing is at least the foxes ate them and not just killed them and left them like they normally do, at least they had a use.

Don't know whether to forget the idea and not get any more or to get my thinking cap on on how to make the coop safer and try again, any suggestions?

I managed to collect some feathers as a keepsake! How sad is that!

From a mourning chicken keeper

[mandyballantyne]

So sorry to hear about the chooks, maybe look at a stronger enclosure and keep those pesky foxes out!

Good luck next time, Mandy

[shirlthegirl43]

Oh dear, sorry to hear that news.

Make a stronger coop and keep old foxy out next time.

[annaradiog]

The coop wasn't the problem, the foxes prized the roof off the coop and the chickens must have flew out in panic. Its a heavy roof, I struggle to lift it. I shall have to put blots all the way round the roof next time.

I don't blame the foxes though although I am liking them slightly less at the moment!

[witch-1]

I don't blame the foxes though although I am liking them slightly less at the moment!

... all the same, sorry for your loss.

Jan

[yoanbob]

really sorry for your loss we were visited by the foxs earlier this year and we were devastated, we are not getting any more till we can afford good fencing.
I kept some feathers too.
I do miss going out to see them every day.

[Chilcoj]

Sorry to hear your news, makes me glad that I'm only having to cope with the bullying not the loss.

Keep going and make it stronger next time

[kirsty b]

Been there too and I really sympathise. Every day I go down to see my new girls I check every last inch of the run now any holes no matter how small are filled in, and I check the wire, closing up any bits that have come loose. At dusk when I go to make sure they have all gone into bed and close the pop hole I do a head count as well.

[Two_Sheds]

...the foxes prized the roof off the coop and the chickens must have flew out in panic. Its a heavy roof, I struggle to lift it.

How on earth??? Are you sure they took the roof off?

[Snadger]

If there'a a way, they'll be in! Sly as a fox is a very apt term!

[chickenjane]

Yuo have my sympathy too. i guess it happenes to every poultry owner at some time but the shock ,grief, anger & impotent rage that you wren't there to protect your girls when they needed you is still horrid.
Re the roof..if you suspect they prized it up then they probqbly did. I had a temporary run once while we were in rented house. Wire weighted down all round by concrete blocks I could barey lift. B****y fox got in under these.
Stoutly buried wire run surrounding a strong coop with a lockable pophole is the only way in my experience. Have considered gun emplacements from time to time too.
I wouldn't see foxy made to suffer by poison or torture but nor is he a cute & cuddly vegetarian.

Don't be put of by this attack. Life is never as complete without hens.( & worse now you'e had a brief experience of time with them)

[moggssue]

So sorry to hear your sad news. I don't keep chickens but can still sympathise. Don't give up, don't be beaten, just be stronger!

[Birdie Wife]

That's terrible, those foxes must have been really determined. At least you didn't have to deal with bodies all over the place. Consider building a run using weld mesh (much stronger than chicken wire), fold a foot or two outwards and bury it a foot down. It's a bit more expensive but then if you aren't able to provide very secure digs for the hens and you have a local fox problem then it's worth considering whether it's fair to keep hens or not. I'm really lucky where I am that foxes are shot every year. Now that they've had a good meal at your allotment, they'll definitely be back, so be ready for them!

[SueA]

Really sorry to hear about your chickens but as you say at least they appeared to have been taken & eaten & not just left lying around injured & in pain. I love to see foxes but then again I don't keep chickens so have a rosy view of them. I'd be careful about getting any more hens straight away & take any advice you can get on making the them fox proof.

[Birdie Wife]

Update: foxes visited me last night too. Most hens are missing or found dead, one wee bantam seems to have died of fright as I found her lying in the coop this morning with no marks on her. The fox had ripped one of the runners off the sliding door to get access to the coop. They must be getting more determined and hungry as the cold weather sets in. I rang our local keeper and he said he'd be lamping in the next couple of weeks so hopefully that should sort the problem. Just really sad, it's been one thing after another these past couple of months with work/family/car problems. Time to Fort Knox the coop.