[Tony J]

Hi Katrina
Sorry about you loss, I lost 5 hens about a month ago. I now make sure all the others are in the houses at dusk, shut the pop holes and put a pin or long bolt through the pop hole shutter and the wall of the house so the pop hole cannot be opened - it's worked so far as I've seen the & heard the fox recently, and some neighbors saw it the other night carrying a hen, not one of mine cos I went & counted them. We used to have a hunt but thats all stopped unfortunatly as you know
Tony 

[katrina4068]

thank you for the advice. poison i think would be our last resort. vigilance maybe at the moment is key!!!
we bought said duck a new girlfriend the next day which perked him up no end (much hilarity watching them get to know each other) and much as he was protective of ellie - shouting at her any time she wandered off this time he doesnt seem to be doing that (new duck naed belle) but has taken to challenging me every time i walk wihtin 20ft of them. it started yesterday with him running over to me and just quacking and today chasing me as i wander off quacking away behind me. and then has started nipping the back of my legs ... don't get me wrong not in the least bit painful... and wildly amusing but i'm wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to stop him?
I tried turning around and getting down to his height looking at him and at first he made a retreat and, well now he doesn't retreat and nips the fornt of my trousers and my shoes.... never have i seen such behaviour fomr a duck that is normally such a scardey cat......
still if nothing else at least now he is coming near us!! well me!!

wiht regard to weeing round the fencing... all boys have been instructed to use the garden guests as well!!

i'll keep cheering in the meantime everytime i see a splatted fox by the edge of the road.

thank you so much for the advice.

Katrina

[Micki]

We have lots of foxes around where we live. A big dog fox has been seen lots of times in the village. A fox took 2 of my broody hens last year. They'd took off and sat on some eggs , i never did find oyt where they were. They came home everyday for about 1/2 hour for some food and went back when you weren't watching them. The fox killed my 2 hens and next door had a young turkey, a hen and 8 chicks killed in 1 night. A local man(2 men actually) goes out regularly to shoot the foxes around here but we've still loads around, although it's no worse than when the hunt came around regularly.