[phil_rich]

  Hi everyone,

Long time lurker and first time poster here.

We had 10 hens until mr fox paid us a visit last week and took our numbers down to 4. Luckily I went out to shut them in and saw him in the run, so grabbed my wood chopping axe and went running down to defend our girls, he scarpered before I got to him but the damage was done. Now we have the problem of the remaining ones won't return at night. Our run is 12m x 20m and fenced to 7ft, with electric fencing outside the high fencing and we have never had any fox issues. Now with the bad weather the run is like a mud bath so we open the gates in the morning to allow them free run of the garden in the day and they had been going back in themselves at about 3.30 - 4pm then I would shut up shop. However, since Mr fox has been they will not go back in. 3 fly high into a tree to sleep and the 4th, well, i'm not sure where she goes, but she is always back in the morning...?

Is there any way I can tempt them back in? It' not really a big issue, but when we need to go away for weekends of a few days its difficult not being able to shut them in etc.

Any advice appreciated.

Phil

[plumseverywhere]

Hello Phil

welcome to TAS    really sorry about your chickens.  We had pretty much the same thing happen just before Xmas, had 14 - now have 3.  The 3 survivors stayed in a small broody coop for several days after, terrified to come out and seemingly enjoying the safety of a small enclosure.  They didn't lay for about 6 weeks and are just starting to now.
I think it takes time to get them back feeling secure enough to follow their routine tbh. do you have a small house with a run or something you can put together that they could go in for a few days maybe?
Like you, we'd never had any fox issues either. We'd seen one about but after that attack we saw 6 different ones regularly. Cold weather and breeding season seems to draw them out to places they might not otherwise go. Neighbour has shot 2, we have a baited trap...

[phil_rich]

Hi plums,

Yeah we do have a small movable run/house we could pop them in, if we can catch them.... might be worth a try. Although we are still getting 2 eggs per day, so they are going back in the coup at some point...

We now have a baited trap out for Mr fox, so hopefully we can get revenge. We live about 25 yard from 'the hunt' with their many hounds but foxy seems to know that they are penned in and seems to like goading them. I watched him last night strolling across the next field over which being barked at by about 15 hounds, didn't seem to care. Very surprised by their 'confidence and arrogance' if animals can have such things.

Phil

[plumseverywhere]

They are certainly brazen - the day we lost pretty much all of our flock, the fox arrived at 1.30pm and despite the fact that a man was hammering at a fence less than 20 yards away, decimated our chickens! Man with hammer chased the fox which gently ambled away, just as my husband arrived home to the carnage.

[Marches Farmer]

Can you put 2 sides and a roof of a run adjacent to the coop then tempt them into the coop with grain and have a pair of hands with the third side ready to shut them in?  A couple of days in safety might be enough to restore their confidence.