[Thyme]

How awful, I'm so sorry

[in the hills]

So sorry.

Are there no gamekeepers/ hound packs nearby that could help?

They're lamping around here most nights at the moment. We've lambed Soay outside for a couple of years with no problems yet .... maybe just luck or the foxes are kept down by the keepers or the Soay are fierce mums.

[Porterlauren]

ME - It sounds like the only thing that will solve your problem is either lamping or night vision at night. Once they start doing it that regular, chances are you have a pair of foxes or more targeting them with regularity.

[winkhound]

disturbing ewes and lamps at night with lamps is not recommended. Early mornings sitting up is generally the most effective method.  But of course this takes more time and dedication.

[Me]

PL the A Team (errr maybe F - Team) have been contacted. Winkhound I am there tomorrow morning, lurking. Again. All methods now deployed, even witchcraft (stockholm tar) currently making a voodoo fox.. (not really)

[winkhound]

Hope you were successful

[Porterlauren]

Winkhound - If someone knows what they are doing, then shooting foxes in lambing fields using a red filter isn't particularly disturbing to the ewes at least no more disturbing that having a fox running about the fields.

Early mornings only work if thats when charlie passes, if it only comes at night then its not much use being sat there at day break.

ME - The tar can work, so can other concoctions.

Although i'd be leaning heavily toward setting wires all over the shop one eve and hoping you've hung foxy up in the morning!

[winkhound]

We will have to disagree on that then

I can only comment from my knowledge and try and be helpful. After 15 years of being a professional rural pest controller (90% of paid work being foxes) i have a fairly good idea of their habits and control methods, also a fairly good idea of the majority of other peoples control methods.

Most actual lamb killing is done just before light or just as it gets dark as this is when lambs are slowing and settling or getting up. Unless they lambs are being born outside but most on here seem not to be.

A fox in among lambs/sheep is very common and causes very little disturbance unless specifically targeting lambs. most just clean up afterbirth or more often milk rich shite without being a problem.

Nowadays most people who lamp with a rifle drive most of their permission and therefore create disturbance and push about settled sheep/lambs.

Effective pest control is as much about observation as anything else.

Snaring can be a very effective control method but less people would volunteer to snare for free, it involves more skill and again it is non targeting.

[Me]

It would seem the tar does work! Had a tarred lamb with minor injury this morning being two circular puncture wounds in its head approx. the width of my thumb apart and a skinned tail - but alive... so there we are sign me up for the voodoo etc etc

[Porterlauren]

We will have to disagree on that then

I can only comment from my knowledge and try and be helpful. After 15 years of being a professional rural pest controller (90% of paid work being foxes) i have a fairly good idea of their habits and control methods, also a fairly good idea of the majority of other peoples control methods.

Most actual lamb killing is done just before light or just as it gets dark as this is when lambs are slowing and settling or getting up. Unless they lambs are being born outside but most on here seem not to be.

A fox in among lambs/sheep is very common and causes very little disturbance unless specifically targeting lambs. most just clean up afterbirth or more often milk rich shite without being a problem.

Nowadays most people who lamp with a rifle drive most of their permission and therefore create disturbance and push about settled sheep/lambs.

Effective pest control is as much about observation as anything else.

Snaring can be a very effective control method but less people would volunteer to snare for free, it involves more skill and again it is non targeting.

Think our differing opinion may be based upon the fact that we lamb outdoors here.

Snaring is a very handy method as it's working when you are sleeping.

[Cosmore]

Shooting is the only permanent solution - if you can't do it or don't have the time, have a chat with the BASC (British Association for Shooting and Conservation) Tel: 01244 573000, they will be able to put you in touch with someone in your area who would like the opportunity of a bit of shooting, their members are insured, responsible, licensed and safe shooters.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

So.... put six lambs out yesterday... I have two left this morning. 

How on earth do people lamb ewe lambs outside and have anything left to sell at the end of the year? Near this spot I have seen a three month old lamb being eaten alive by Gulls and crows (not mine thankfully, and I don't know how it ended up in that position). I have now lost 10 lambs in two years (and counting) some confirmed as fox kills most disappeared.

One carcass left on field eyes gone, guts out three day old lamb, I carried him to his mum before dark last night to make sure they were "mothered up". He now baits the fox trap (which has never yet caught a fox).

It is heart breaking.

Is it the same on all your land? Why not get some hunters in which can get rid of the vermin.

[Me]

No it isn't, but they can't all stay on the "safe" stuff

[Kimbo]

Yesterday morning, about 9-45am with tractors about doing their slurry spreading and people riding, I saw the biggest fox Ive ever seen stroll across one of our fields bold as brass.
I shouted at it but is just looked at me and carried on....not a care in the world. My little dogs wouldn't stand a chance against a fox that size, let alone my hens   

[lord flynn]

So.... put six lambs out yesterday... I have two left this morning. 

How on earth do people lamb ewe lambs outside and have anything left to sell at the end of the year? Near this spot I have seen a three month old lamb being eaten alive by Gulls and crows (not mine thankfully, and I don't know how it ended up in that position). I have now lost 10 lambs in two years (and counting) some confirmed as fox kills most disappeared.

One carcass left on field eyes gone, guts out three day old lamb, I carried him to his mum before dark last night to make sure they were "mothered up". He now baits the fox trap (which has never yet caught a fox).

It is heart breaking.

I am sorry to hear this. It's of no use probably but a local farmer and I were chatting about lambing indoor versus out. He lambs outdoors and reckons on 10 percent losses. He did tell me the difference between badger and fox kills though and he said badgers go for the guts and leave the rest where it is, foxes move the lamb or at least most of it. We have a lot of both and he reckons he loses more to badgers than to foxes.