WARNING!!! Those with chickens please read!

[cobsarefab]

Yesterday, my beautiful much loved pet cockerel was killed by a fox. One of my gorgeous new Orpington girls was killed as was my Orpington cockerel. All my chickens are pets and now I only have one hen left. I'm very very upset about this and could only bring myself to write about it now. Everyone who has chickens please check all your pens and put your chickens away before it gets dark don't make the mistakes i did. The killings happened when it was still quite light and they were in there pen but the fix found a weak spot and pulled the wire up. The foxes took all mine but even if they only take one THEY WILL KILL THEM ALL. I raised one of them from an egg and had a special bond with him he'd sit on my hand ir shoulder and talk to me. Please make sure yours are 100% secure they're even coming out in daylight now.

 

[JillA]

I'm sorry about yours - they are really lovely pets aren't they.
I lost two to a fox one evening a couple of weeks ago - they were proper free range farmyard hens and had survived for years getting themselves into the barn at dusk. Foxes are feeding cubs now so desperate for food, they took mine whole and didn't even leave any feathers. The remaining one was so stressed she sat around for several days before she died (they were all elderly though). I have invested in an Eglu for the ones I have rehomed from someone in the village and they aren't as tame as the ones who were taken (they would follow me everywhere) so they will stay behind electric mesh when they aren't actually shut in the Eglu.

 

[cobsarefab]

I'm sorry about yours - they are really lovely pets aren't they.
I lost two to a fox one evening a couple of weeks ago - they were proper free range farmyard hens and had survived for years getting themselves into the barn at dusk. Foxes are feeding cubs now so desperate for food, they took mine whole and didn't even leave any feathers. The remaining one was so stressed she sat around for several days before she died (they were all elderly though). I have invested in an Eglu for the ones I have rehomed from someone in the village and they aren't as tame as the ones who were taken (they would follow me everywhere) so they will stay behind electric mesh when they aren't actually shut in the Eglu.

My really tame cockerel followed me everywhere and looked so lovely. I really hope it was quick there were feathers everywhere. RIP earl grey. You were the only cockerel I knew that was that tame.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

So so sorry OP, even with the most secure fencing, leccy fencing to boot, the dang foxes can and will get into the hen-pen and yes they are destructive, and evil.

Feeling your pain, there was nothing you could have done. Poor chooks

 

[cobsarefab]

I lost him: he was the really tame one.
Him:
And her:
My only hen escaped by hiding under a car but has had her tail feathers pulled out.

 

[splashgirl45]

how horrible for you. my friend had 3 hens and on the day she had her dog PTS, her and her husband were indoors in the afternoon and were both really upset and trying to come to terms with losing him and were cuddling their other dog as she was upset as well.., they then went into the garden and all 3 hens were gone and there were feathers all over the place. one hen was hiding in the bushes and when they got her out all her tail feathers were gone. they got her a friend and she is still ok 2 years later. this was about 3pm so nowhere near the end of the day...when she lets the chickens out now she leaves her dogs in the garden with them at all times....

 

[Clodagh]

It is difficult to free range birds this time of year, I would keep her penned in for now.
I hope one of your new chicks is an Earl Grey II, he was a handsome boy, so sad when you lose them.

 

[Redders]

I'm very sad for you Op and can sympathise with your fear of another attack. I had read that male urine spread around the area can help keep them
Away, but I am not sure how true that is. Well done for taking your bunny inside- maybe you could house train him/her (works best if neutered) and have the bun as a house wabbit? The chooks though, electric fence, full coverage wire and dig the sides in at least four foot (my font of knowledge about everything rural God Father tells me this). I know it's nature, but foxes can be right brutes.

 

[Honey08]

Have you only got one left now? I'd try and get company if so, they're not good alone.

It's horrible when a fox gets in. We lost all 12 of ours in one go a couple of years ago (one traumatised hen came back a couple of days later). We'd let a corner of the 8' fence flop to 5' and it jumped in. Everything was taken over a couple of days. You have to secure runs more than you expect. We dig the wire down into the ground (about half a foot) and chucked a few inches of road planings around the outside to make digging even harder. Keep an eye and walk the fence line regularly- our run is huge and full of trees, I once didn't notice that the hens had practically made a tunnel out by digging bathe holes in the soil right next to the fence! As well as the fence, make sure bolts are secure - they can sometimes get lucky opening bolts by pawing at them. We tie the gates up as well as bolt them just to make sure.

And just when you get the run fox proof you get a blinkin stoat or weasel get through! Sometimes I think that the hens take more looking after than the horses.