[ellisr]

We had the arrival if 2 ewe lambs last night. Mum and lambs doing really well this one is a time served good mum. Worrying moment as she had them in the field as I like but 5 mins after the second was born the foxes started barking and I spotted 2 at the top of the field so OH had to rush to muck out the stable and the horse had a night outside. Lots of work today emptying the junk from the field shelter for new mum and orphan lambs.

[jaykay]

  I'm glad you heard the foxes in time!

[OhLaLa]

Glad they are ok. Will you put a pen around the field shelter to keep them in, or does it close up with a door? What are your plans re letting them in / out?

 

[ellisr]

The field shelter is actually on my drive so I have converted it into stables so it has a door on half and I'm building the other today. I am walking them across the drive so they can play in the home paddock through the day

[andywalt]

Well done for spotting those foxes, please take some photos so we can see them?



andy

[ellisr]

Here they are in Blue's stable because of the foxes, hopefully I'll get the other stable cleaned out tomorrow as I think Blue is a bit upset having to stay out

[andywalt]

ahh they look really good, great stuff, have you any more due?

[ellisr]

yes we have about another 5 ewes still to go, 2 look very close and I am not sure if the others are still carrying after the fox attack at xmas

[andywalt]

ohhh fox attack, thats sounds horrid !!!

[ellisr]

Yup lost 3 of last years lambs and a couple of my rams/wethers were left with puncture wounds. Pretty horrid to clean up as there were just bones every where

[woollyval]

ellisr.....that cannot possibly be a fox attack.....not on large sheep!!!
Did you actually see the fox attacking the sheep?
In all my years of keeping livestock (30 +) I have never ever seen or heard of foxes attacking older sheep. They will take lambs no doubt and I have lost lambs to fox and also a piglet.
If older sheep are attacked and left savaged and with puncture wounds its 100% certain to be a dog (or 2)!......quite probably one that is curled up asleep in a basket in a house  somewhere near your property!

[ellisr]

thats what I originally thought because this has happened to the ram/wethers a couple of times but my neighbour is adament it was a fox as he stood and watched and didn't do anything

[woollyval]

mmmmm has your neighbour got a small brown dog....... Foxes just wouldn't do that....got to be dog...honest!

[shep53]

I have to agree totaly with wooly shepherd never seen or heard in nearly 50 yrs only time ive seen a fox attack is when a sheep was trapped in a bog,even when ive watched 2 foxs trying to take alamb from its mother they kept well away from her.Dog attacks are differant lots of bites/tearing as they hang on and while a fox focuses on 1 animal (except poultry) dogs or dog go crazy injuring /killing/chaseing

[robert waddell]

this neighbour that seen the attack is that the same one that is giving you bother   and does the one that is giving you bother have a dog or dogs