The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: MiriMaran on May 28, 2010, 09:24:03 pm
-
We have a fox that is taking a hen most days. Last Sunday I was in the field at 1345 cleaning the hens out with my OH and 2 children when Oliver shouted fox. It had grabbed a hen and was running back up the field :o. So I ran after it screaming like some sort of Banshee. It dropped the hen, ran to the wall and then turned around to get the hen again so I started screaming again and it eventually ran away. Argh!
We have one hen house that has an outdoor enclosure, but its not big enough for all the hens. We can't afford to put 6 foot fences around a 2 acre field. We have a fox trap in the field, but I'm not hopeful of catching it. Our poor hens are easy pickings. :'(
-
Miri we have human hair tied up in tights and ties to posts all around our land. We have "Fox Watch" machines too and since doing this we have had no losses. We replace the hair with fresh stuff every 3 weeks too and we have several times saw the fox around but never on our land. These precautions are very cheap and may we worth considering. Hope you have no more losses.
-
What is Fox Watch?
-
Ok just googled it. Does it go off if the other animals go near it? Would the hens and pigs be bothered by it? How did you decide where to place it? Lots of questions.
-
A machine that you can run on battery or mains, you stick them in the ground and when the fox goes past it sets off a sound that the fox hates and makes them do a runner. I think they are about £10 each off the internet, the more you buy the cheaper they are. I swear by them. just google "foxwatch".
-
I phoned the shop I bought it from and asked the same questions but was told it only effects fox. I have goats, rabbit, ducks, geese and hens that pass them all the time and show no effect from it. I think it covers 20/30 yards but to be honest we only bought 6 and have a lot of land, I think the hair does a good job.
-
The children are in need of a haircut so I'll take them to the Barbers and get all their leftover hair - yuk!
-
We have 2 hairdressers in the next village that collect the hair for us.
-
I'm off to the hairdressrs - and to have a look at FoxWatch - useful, thanks :)
-
Wow great information, I'm not going to cut my hair but its interesting to know.
We only have 10 chickens and have a natural boundary of the sea so touch wood dont have a fox(s) down here yet that have realised there is a food source. I am def going to look at the fox master though as you can never be too safe.
I got home late last night after having a few problems and the chickens wernt looked up safe in their house and only in their netted area. Its still a panic to get home. I am sorry to hear your loosing yours, must be annoying if not horrible for you + kids to actually see it happening and you cant do anything to stop it.
Ta
Baz
-
One whole side of my property runs along the side of the River Eden. This is wide and tidal and on the other side from our property there is a bird watch, as this estuary is protected, the bird watchers in here often tell stories of seeing the fox swim from one side to the other!!!
-
I'm just wondering if this "foxwatch" thingy is any good in the ongoing battle i have with cats :-\
-
You do get a version that is especially made for cats if my memory serves me right Dave.
-
OK I now have a big bin bag full of hair and have dug out all my tights. No guesses what I'm up to this afternoon!
-
Compliments of the season Miri All due respects Wasting your time? ??? :farmer:
-
You do get a version that is especially made for cats if my memory serves me right Dave.
That's good news James, as i'm getting rather fed up running around like an idiot with the supersoaker :D
-
We're having problems with a Fox as well, it took our Norfolk Grey Cockeral last night, a Light Sussex Cockeral and a Duck the night before and a Marsh Daisy before them. It looks as if it also had a go at the Silver Dorking but he managed to get away, although he looks a bit ragged. Thank goodness for the 'purple spray' it works wonders.
My sons have acquired a 'Live Trap' but no success so far.
I've googled Foxwatch and they cost around £49 on Amazon, but it sound as if it's worth trying.In the meantime I've found the hair-cutters and my 15 year old son is ready and willing to have a trim. (it's end of term anyway and my Mum always said that the difference between a bad haircut and a good one is 2 weeks!!)
-
My god they have jumped up massive in price, they must be getting popular so they can charge what they want!
-
they look good
http://www.selections.com/GF7215/fox-watch/?utm_source=googlebase&of_tid=avsrC1IzwrxGPohwUIGUut_0RZTm-_xQFHuReLubG6zpfMnoLxtxgq6rnZx0Qdae
what does actual hair cuttings do? is it the smell?
-
I think its the human smell that it gives off.
-
My MIL hung tights of hair round her chicken pen, and also asked all the menfolks to pee round the pen! (You should have seen my brothers face, I think it was the first time he met her ;D )
Anyway - the hens were fine, until some rescue hens arrived and showed them how to get out of the pen!
-
human pee is also supposed to do the trick, especially male - order all the boys in the family to wee around your land where the hens are. When we have a fox near I even collect all the girls' in bottles and pour it around the fence just to make sure there's enough out there . ;D :&>
-
???
-
------ and I'm waiting ? :wave: :farmer:
-
We have now put 10 bags of hair around the field and spread the rest up the wall that the fox jumps over. The males in my family regularly wee in the field so we have that one covered. We also let the dogs run in the field as I would imagine that may help a bit.
-
Good luck now Miri, hope this does the trick. :)
-
Thanks
-
Got up this morning an d let out my hens around 7- came in made a brew and about around nine was standing at the kitchen sink looking out. I looked down the field and saw what i thought was one of the one of the hens outside the run- loooked again- thought he was moving a kinda funny- studied a little more- it was a young fox in the long grass eyeing up his breakfast. The dirty fri**er i thought. I ran out and made a dash down the field- (wife in fits of laughing)
Foxy looked up and casually sauntered away- looking back with that arnie zwartsenegger(!!) look - I'LL BE BACK.
The cheeky bugger- in the middle of the day- gotta get me a gun and a trap!!
-
or a pack of hounds - apparently they are good at getting rid of foxes.................................. ::)
-
According to Phil the now retired Whipper in at Brocklesby once told me the pack costs a small fortune to keep in food alone.So I still think a rifle is the best permanent answer ??? >:( :farmer:
-
Don't set your dogs onto it whatever you do, cos if you can't kill it once they've chased it you're in breach of the hunting law. ::) :P There's always an anti watching. ;D
-
Good point, but personally I wouldn't want to risk one of my dogs getting bitten.
-
After all my recommendations tonight I am a duck missing. We have searched everywhere but no sign. The tide was out so got right along the riverbank and again no sign of her. Bugger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >:( >:( >:(
-
so sorry, James! Hope she's going to show up tomorrow! :&>
-
Thanks Kerstin there is still no sign of her so I have to assume Mr Fox took her. >:(
-
Kinda glad there's no sign of foxes around these parts, they must be scared of the local inhabitants :D
-
Kinda glad there's no sign of foxes around these parts, they must be scared of the local inhabitants :D
Well if that were true Dave, Guardbridge would definately have no foxes ha ha.
-
Don't worry to much yet some one may have liberated her of course ??? :farmer:but foxy usually leave a few feathers. :wave:
-
James, you can only do everything to protect them on your own property, your ducks have a brilliant and free life on the river, even if it's sadly cut short occasionally :&>
-
Mr Fox definately got my girl, just found a pile of feathers away down and in the undergrowth. Not happy!!!
-
Kinda glad there's no sign of foxes around these parts, they must be scared of the local inhabitants :D
Well if that were true Dave, Guardbridge would definately have no foxes ha ha.
Here's me thinking Guardbridge was a nice wee place ???
Can't be as bad as Ballingry.... they're a strange breed up here :o
-
I told you the rotten things left a few feathers but from what you say he dined on the job Get someone to shoot the rotten thing >:( :farmer:
-
so sad, James - my girls asked which duck ??
it's not so easy, Wizard...James had a gamekeeper waiting there before for days and no show, of course, waste of time and money, impossible especially if it strikes outwith the property, can't just shoot wherever you please :&>
-
Hi Kerstin it was one of the Buff Orpington girls. I decided to let them out again today and they have all just been put in their run now and no further losses.
-
Sorry to hear about your fox coming back James. We can only do so much can't we? I don't want my free range hens to be couped up, but don't want them being eaten either its a difficult balance. We haven't lost and y hens for a few days, but one has a few feathers missing so I'm guessing she was lucky and got away.
-
My hens, ducks and geese are all totally free range too MM and keeping them in a run all day, every day doesn't appeal to me so I know the risk involved by letting them roam. Luckily we have suffered very few losses over the years but any loss is 1 too many. The ducks and geese love their life on the river and don't really know what life is like to be cooped up.
-
This is the life my ducks enjoy, the tide is well out in this picture but they have just as much fun. They couldn't have a better quality of life. Normally they have the company of wild ducks, swans, heron and even the seals are making a lot of appearances these days.
-
NFD Admitted You do just have to put a little effort in to it.He doesn't usually send you a card saying when he is next going to pay you a visit ??? >:( :farmer:
-
wee, hair and a lot of human presence has done it for us so far, fingers crossed. I hope we are also lucky because all the neighbours have large dogs and there is a lot of wildlife around us where the foxed keep the abundant bunnies down which so far have in turn left my veg plot alone...seen a stoat recently, not so good :o :&>
-
An old boiler suit scarecrow, wired to a fence as if seated keeps them away. You can use a ballon for the head for some movement.
-
The fox made another kill as we were no more than 15 metres away. I scared it off, but it didn't run until I was almost within touching distance. It dropped the hen behind the hen shed. I have now put the hen in the fox trap and put the trap behind the hen shed where the fox left the hen. All hens are now kept in although our enclosures are not really big enough to house so many hens so it is only a tempoary solution. I'm hoping that the fox will get desperate by the lack of hens and go into the trap. It has nibbled the tail feathers through the bars, but as yet has not gone in. Am now thinking that we should put food at entrance to trap to get the fox braver at going near trap and then slowly put food further and further into the trap until bingo!! What do you reckon?
-
That's a bugger MM, you are not having much luck these days. As much as we have what we thought was adequate protection over the last few or so the damned fox has been seen several times very near to and on my land. Yesterday morning I went out and found a headless baby rabbit lying near our front door and this afternoon a customer was walking over the footbridge when he saw the bugger run along the side of the river and our land with something in its mouth. All my livestock was quickly checked and there was nothing missing but the swine is out there and close these days!
The customer that did tell me the story said he was my goose collecting the 2 goslings and ushering them quickly out on to the river with his wings fully spread and hissing like hissing Sid. He said it was amazing and funny to watch. Lets home neither of us have any more losses.
-
I am certain that if I let my hens out we will have more losses, but hate seeing them cooped up all day.
-
Lets hope you tempt him in to the trap then. Ofcourse once you get rid of 1 I dare say it is only time till another comes along. I hate everything about the damned FOX!
-
Well I'm guessing its partner would get bolder and more desperate. Boo Hiss
-
hmmmmm, I'm not liking this Fox malarkey either, never had a problem till about a week ago, when they started lingering around. Thankfully no losses yet, but the foxes are getting bolder day by day. gonna have to get the gun out ;D
Good view from my bedroom window ;)
-
I keep telling you the only good ones are dead ones or on pictures of hunting scenes ??? :farmer:
-
Isn't it terrible news about the twin babies in Essex that foxes have had a go at? It just goes to show that it's not only country folk who are affected.
-
Well maybe a shocking story like that will open the doors for the ban to be revoked! Come on Cameron, sort it out!
I blame the Labour Government LOL!
-
I don't think the ban will ever be revoked, much as I would like to see it.
There are too many bunny-huggers out there who put vermin before people.
Take the example of the hedgehog cull in the utter hebrides. The hedgehogs are a damn nuisance and lay waste to groundnesting bird species, yet the huggers managed to stop the cull and have the vermin relocated to the mainland instead of being humanely destroyed. As if we haven't enough of them here already. Do we not have groundnesting birds on the mainland then?
Then there's mink...foxes...buzzards...corvids...grey squirrels...and, dare I say it? badgers...
-
I got into awful bother on R.C F I voiced my opinion that every bluddi animal has more rights than me bar rats and mice but it won't be long before we have a league of Rodent Huggers ??? :farmer:
-
Badgers are a nuisance, they're vicious, they'll take your stock, spread disease and there's not a thing you can do. The Fox may as well be protected too as there's sod all being done about their increasing numbers and the destruction theyre causing.