The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Bramblecot on February 14, 2012, 10:16:58 am
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Over the last 2 weeks we have suffered fox attacks and over 20 of our chickens have been taken - it only left 3 bodies, the garden is a mass of feathers. They have been taken at all times of the day and right from the back door. Our neighbour has recently shot several foxes but we think it is a large dog fox returning to our house from another direction.
The question is - how old will my lambs have to be to withstand an attack? I can put them in a barn behind hurdles but that is some way from the house, and a fox could easily get in there. In previous years my Shetlands have become anxious when I housed them post lambing. Usually they lamb outside and I bring the lambs in for a couple of nights at most. I know any twins will be most at risk. All advice gratefully received.
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I would get some boys from the gun club and sort them i payd 6 pound a fox they got 6 bso very happey.
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Are they orphan lambs or with mum?
If you have sheltand ewes and no way the lambs can become seperated from them (ie stuck the wrong side of the fenec) I personally wouldn't worry too much. My last shetland girls would have battered a fox that was going for the lambs, they certainly put a sheep chasing dog in the vets for a few days ;)
I did tell the owner to keep the dog on the lead, but they didn't. Then i got shouted at cos his dog got injured even though it was me fished it out of the river for him ::) ::)
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can't help with ages I know foxes have taken lambs but in any event I would put a ram in there for protection.
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what area you in maybe someone got a gun round your way best way to stop worrying about foxes is to take them out set a trap and shoot them
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Know who your local 'keeper is? If he can't help, I'm sure he will know someone who can. I keep some BBs handy for foxes, but you have to be pretty close, better to have someone with a rifle.
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Thanks everyone. We have had blokes come round at night to shoot them (no joy, but some funny stories) and the farmer next door has shot 6 in the last couple of weeks - but other people have seen this large dog fox during the day - and it is that one who we think has come right up to the house at 1000 in the morning. I'd shoot the thing myself but don't have a licence (or gun).
My first ewes to lamb will be GFD's - lovely but very dopey and slow, and 3 are first-timers too - then the Shetlands will follow on. We have a young Shetland ram running with them and he is pretty alert. But the fox comes through the lambing field to get to the chickens. Our sheep are ridiculously tame and take no notice of my dogs even when feeding.
I have been advised to put a radio on in the lambing shed/barn and to stick a dollop of Stockholm tar on the lambs head as foxes hate the smell. Is this true or an old Dorset wive's tale? Worried that the ewes might not like the smell either! I have 2 weeks to sort this out.
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I'd house them - maybe even in separate pens when small, see below. Then there's no way any ewe is going to let a fox into a pen with her whereas if the lambs are separate and in a corner I suppose it's just conceivable a fox might grab one. Much easier for ewes to defend the lambs collectively if they've got walls around them than out in an open field.
My lambing system is as follows.
In mothering up pens for 3-4 days. Out in the large grass holding pens with access to the main barn, or just the main barn, depending on weather, for up to another week, out after that. This is largely because the weather here is so foul but it also helps keep them safe.
I wouldn't put tar on the lambs, as you say, it might make the ewes take against their lambs too.
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I would house the ewes if possible, and yes a radio would help. I have had a radio on in my goathouse (also close to one of my hen houses - and as yet no fox attack in over five years. I would have thought it unlikely that a fox would go into a barn to take lambs, even if all ewes/ lambs are in one big pen rather than individual ones. Foxes are opportunists and won't go for a fight, but take the lamb when no ewe is there to defend it (or lamb is not well). Also I would leave the lights on.
If you have a dog getting him/her to do their business near the sheep house should also help.
In general the only thing that really saves poultry from fox/dog attacks is electric netting.
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We haven't lambed yet but we have a big wether in with them who is very protective of "his girls" and faces up to all visitors. But we'll keep our lambs very close for a month.
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I don't think a radio puts fox off. Was mucking out the horses one day with the radio on and fox walked right into the yard, about 3m away from me. It took a look at me, then walked back out again. ::)
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It's supposed to be on Radio 4 to upset the fox.
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:D
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It's supposed to be on Radio 4 to upset the fox.
Only when the Archers are on..
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The Archers are enough to drive me out never mind a fox!! But I will give radio 4 a try. I was told it was because it is mainly talking - sound of human voices rather than music - whereas you play music to milking cows.....
News this morning - one neighbour has shot 6 in the last 3 weeks and another has shot 15! Where are they all coming from? ::) ::)
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Its not unheard of for animal welfare charities to 'rehabilitate' injured foxes and release em all in one spot. Have also heard of town foxes being caught live and 'humanely' dumped in the countryside.
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Have you considered Alpacas?
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That definitely has an effect. We used a couple of our boys as lamb guards last year and will do the same this year. There was no doubt in my mind that the alpacas were protective to the lambs.
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Get a male member of the household to tinkle around the lambing shed - that's meant to deter them, although it sounds a bit difficult to me unless they have a bladder with the capacity of a water bowser! I will see if I can get time to bring the gun over. Hope your losses on the poultry side have stopped.