Fox attack??

charlielavin

charlielavin

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Hello everyone,

I've just been away for a lovely couple of days and came back to find one of my beautiful chickens missing. Searching round the orchard we sadly discovered a large pile of white feathers :cry:

The weird thing is there was no other sign of her, I thought we might find something else. I quickly got the other chickens in the run and they have been there for the rest of the afternoon (and none too happy, but at least safe).

Do you think its a fox or something else? We've never had a problem but they sat this time of year is the worse for foxes. How long should I keep them in the run?

Love Charlotte
 
Hi, could be a fox- or a stray dog- anything smaller and you would see a body. If it is Mr Reynard then he will be back now he knows where the fast food restaurant is!!
regards, David
 
Thanks David,

I'm gutted really, I'm really hoping its not a fox, I don't want him to come back and get anymore of them. Poor thing, she'd only just come into lay again. We've not had much luck at the moment one of our other chickens was carried off by a dog before christmas, she didn't die straight away but the shock was too much for her.

I've been getting the other half to pee in corners, well its a long shot but you never know!

Charlie
 
Hi, It doesn't work i am afraid- what about all the town foxes and all those wonderfully smelling alleyways after a Saturday night out :shock:
regards, David :)
 
my bro in law pees in garden and since doing it not had a fox attack. every thing worth a try
 
only one sounds more like a dog or cat than a fox, its very rare they kill only the one when given the chance its normaly evet thing.

your biggest problem now is that he now knows where to go for a nosh so either he has to go, you have to go, or like me you have to completley chicken wire the whole pen sides and roof so he cant get in at any time of the day.

human wee and hair might work on dumb country foxes but it would be laughed at by my townie foxes, these sods are so clever and confident they use buss passes rather than walking the streets
 
Pete,

Bus passes,that made me laugh :lol:

And confident! the ones round here sit on the grass verge outside my house watching the cars :o
 
i see more foxes in birmingham that i ever did in the country side of south warwickshire.

my pen is at the allotments and it has to be fox proof day and night as they will spend the day sunbathing on a shed roof whilst the guy tends to his allotments. 20 foot is average you can get to an urban fox before it shifts, no or almost very little fear of humans near me, you see them day or night walking the streets.

the only reason they dont sign on and get benifets is they wont use a paw to sign for the giros,

all the old tricks for foxes are great in the countryside in 1800's but are of no use what so ever in birmingham today, wee wee and hair, ha ha ha

foxes round here will eat cold baltis and curries and popadoms.
 
Fortunately, our country cumbrian foxes are still behind the times (so we all are in cumbria! ;) ) and so far we've not had a repeat visit. Which makes me think I was a little hasty in blaming foxes, I know think it was one of the dogs from the big house (we live on an country estate). Typical though no note or apology or anything, just a big pile of feathers :( Ah how the other half live!

Thanks again for the replies.

Charliex
 
Personally, I'd put money on it being a fox if your orchard isn't open to a dog walking in. Dog attacks are rare unless it's your own dog or a dog that has been given access.

A dog usually leaves a few feathers, no more in my experience or takes a clump of feathers from the birds back.

Dogs tend to chase and if they catch, will grab the bird and carry it in their mouth. A fox will 'break in' kill on the spot (normally take the heads off or bite through the neck to kill) so it leaves feathers where they killed the bird.

Foxes will kill just the one - dash in, grab, kill and move off. It's only when there are birds in close proximity like a hen house or run that they start killing more than they can carry or eat.

They often kill a few and bury them so they can come back later.

This video is interesting - because it shows what a small gap a fox can get through...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crcHA_j30PQ[/youtube]
 
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