[hedgebottom]

Well he’s been, and in broad daylight too. Killed one, traumatised another. Fortunately I was able to run and yell at the same time (perhaps I’m not that unfit then!) which saved the others. One hen’s reaction surprised me, she was standing on the fence, brave as you like, looking in the direction of where her pal had been taken, clucking away as if she was telling him off. Our neighbour wasn't so lucky, lost all but one of hers and out of the 6 killed, 2 bodies were taken which makes me think she was visited by a pair and they carried away one each. I struggle with foxes, if they’re hungry then I can understand the killing and eating of one bird, but but they don’t stop at that, they slaughter the others, almost for fun which I hate and having witnessed one in torch light circling a new born calf as she was suckling her Mum, I really do not like to see them anywhere near my stock.
Our last encounter was just before Christmas when I heard one of my hens in distress, heading down the garden and there she was running towards me with said fox right behind her and only 2 feet away from me and judging by her reaction yesterday - if anyone asks if hens remember, yes they do.

[kelly58]

Know how that feels HB  so sorry, didnt know if it was a fox or a pine martin someone had spotted about ?
At present l have 6 remaining chucks from my flock in the house, big storm on Friday blew their shed down the field, they were near dead when l found them. All doing  fine, seranading us in the early morning with noises like Mugui off the Gremlins  Tough little cookies !  Not so dumb as folk seem to think.

[SallyintNorth]

 

[hedgebottom]

Update - they came back, and again around lunchtime. I was just sorting the sheep and when you hear the sound, you know exactly what is happening and sadly dear old Stan was their victim this time and it must have taken a pair of foxes to take him down he was huge. Big, loyal, beautiful, moody at times but loved his girls and he died protecting them. Needless to say I have arranged a 'hitman' as they'll be back for certain

[HesterF]

Do you not have a run you could keep them in until he's been got? Horrid to think they could be picked off one by one...

[hedgebottom]

They are in a run and a good one too. First attack they weren't in it, they were out enjoying the sunshire and so was I, hence he only managed to take one. With Stan it looks like he managed to fly onto one of the huts to get out and see him off as the feathers were the other side of the fence

[twizzel]

We had 2 working together back in October. They dug into one of my houses and up through the floor, took all 5 pretty much oven ready ducks. Came back 5 days later in broad daylight and took the other 5 breeding ducks including 3 POL, and killed several of my hens. We set traps then and caught a large dog fox- neighbour said he shone the torch out to see what the commotion was and there were 2 pairs of eyes looking at him. Shot the dog fox and touch wood the other hasn't returned- I think she knew they were rumbled as she tried to dig him out of the trap. Doesn't make up for losing your stock but does deter the remaining offender from coming back. 

[hedgebottom]

It's horrid isn't it. Chatted with the farmer just across the fields and he's on the case, here's hoping.

[The Woodsiders]

So sorry to hear of your loss, I was outside recently when I heard a rumpus coming from the chicken pen, ran over and there was a Fox chasing the hens, when it saw me and bolted into the coop, I managed to slam the pop hole shut ( no hens inside) and trapped the blighter, one less of the bu---rs now

[hedgebottom]

Thank you for kind words and heck, that was lucky with him going in there! There's no other sound like it when fox is around, you just know don't you - quite haunting

[Me]

I managed to slam the pop hole shut ( no hens inside) and trapped the blighter, one less of the bu---rs now

This sort of situation generally results in a lot of labour. A hole to dig in the ground and another one to patch in the back of the chicken house! "BOOM HAHA! That'll teach y - oh bugger..."

[Marches Farmer]

I know of one local area (4* wildlife habitat) where the predator controllers have shot 40 foxes this Winter.  Oddly enough some of the dog foxes have been neutered ..... All our poultry has been locked up in concrete based foxproof runs all Winter.

[Rosemary]

Oddly enough some of the dog foxes have been neutered .....

Seriously?

[Stereo]

Must be urban foxes released by well meaning but ignorant people.