[Beewyched]

Sounds like Renyard's got a family to feed if everythings dissapearing FF.  Yep, he'll go for the lambs next once he's decimated your poultry flock!

[Hilarysmum]

Digby has taken up residence in the paddock, and is guarding the hens.  I dont think they appreciate his attentions most are crowded under the caravan, but as the fox just walked past AGAIN, I think the hens should be grateful. 

Sadly the ducks didnot heed Digby and went on out for a swim.  Down to 3 from 7 yesterday.  I have never seen so determined or bold fox.  Have to keep Hilary on the pond me thinks.

[ellisr]

The foxes have cleared out most of the poultry in the village and have taken 3 lambs so far from me.

[Hilarysmum]

Blooming hell, thats terrible.   

[suziequeue]

Have to keep Hilary on the pond me thinks.

Will she float??

[Hilarysmum]

The pond is seasonal and dries out, but has two big Islands which Hilary claims as hers!

On a good note Digby spent the day outside the small meat chickens house, guarding them from the fox.  Which actually worked as the damned thing was out and about in the afternoon but avoided that area.

[Frieslandfilly]

Just had a lunchtime encounter with foxy, I was in the kitchen making a sarnie and heard the rooks making a din, then realised the cockerel was making a racket, went outside to the chicken pen and saw the fox sat on the wall waiting to get over the fence, so i did something like a primevil scream and it ran away but no doubt will be back. Lost 12 hens and a goose in the last 10 days!

[Eastling]

Would pig poo put it off?

[daddymatty82]

they would eat the pig and leave the pooh

[AengusOg]

Would pig poo put it off?

If it was travelling at 600 metres per second, yes.

[Hilarysmum]

Would pig poo put it off.  I dont think so, it appears that its the actual pig sitting around the hen house (or in Digby's  case inside when he gets the chance and wouldnt I love to see that when the fox thinks its in with a chance at the hens) Hilary will chase them and attempt to stamp on them, Digby would probably flatten them as he rolled over in his sleep.

[Blonde]

YOu all need to either bait for foxes or use a marmma dog.  I have   had some 60 littlers since my last suggestion of using a dog  on this site.....which is not that long ago,  and my girls still all have their young thanks to "TOBY".  He is so worth his weight in gold.   I also bait on the other side of the farm and yes they are around but he certianly helps to keep them out of the piggery

[AengusOg]

What is baiting?

[SallyintNorth]

I really like the idea of using Maremma dogs - but the size of the holdings and farms we have here, and the freedom of access people have to the countryside, and in my case the number of roads and amount of traffic we have, seem to me to make Maremmas impractical.       I would LOVE to hear about anyone who has found a way of using them in similar circumstances to my own (which includes tourists on foot, bicycles and in cars visiting the world heritage site which runs through the ground we farm...)

[Frieslandfilly]

Update: We caught the bugger! We were lent a homemade trap, which to be honest I thought would not work, first night nothing, second night just before dark, bang down went the door and lo and behold a fox!! the very same one that I had seen on Friday lunchtime eyeing up my next lot of chooks. We used a pigeon as bait, again I thought, that isn't gonna lure it, but I was wrong. Off to re-set the thing now and see what else we get. P.s we did shoot it, not just release it elsewhere!