We've been lucky so far

chrismahon

chrismahon

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We've been lucky so far. After a daytime visit from the biggest Fox I have ever seen which I interrupted stalking Bottom (our pet Buff Orpington Cock) over 3 years ago, we have only had fruitless night time visits. It all changed today when a medium sized fox appears to have jumped an over 6 foot wall to get into what I thought was a very well protected section of the Orchard.

I was alerted by an almighty racket coming from little Boris and his girls in the greenhouse, which is in the same section. Going over to investigate I saw the Fox come out from under a bush and jump over the wall. A scramble into the bush revealed my worst fears -our breeding trio of Blue Laced Wyandotte Large Fowl had been wiped out. Growler Gandalf Lay cold, stiff and decapitated, his favourite and devoted hen which lay beside him had just been killed. The other hen was missing presumed taken.

Judging by the spread of Gandalf's feathers there had been a hell of a fight. I like to think Galdalf stood his ground and gave his girls time to escape, which clearly they did temporarily. He has always fiercely protected his hens from the other Cockerels. Obviously the Fox stayed around (perhaps to recover) and when eventually Gandalf's favourite hen came out of hiding looking for her Cockerel she was killed alongside him with a single bite to the neck. The only bit of good news is the other hen arrived at the greenhouse at dusk, very traumatised and has been put securely to bed. Gandalf and his hen will be buried together in the Orchard over Christmas.

Giving it more thought; I haven't see any rats coming in from the canalside for three days but they are back tonight. What I thought was an impenetrable thicket of brambles (no rabbits have got in) may have been the entrance point. Checking the exit point only revealed two back paw prints going out. So tomorrow I will hack my way into the brambles to see if there are any runs in there and seal them off. It seems most likely that the fox has been prowling the canalside for the last three days looking for a way into the Orchard and eventually found one, rather than having blindly jumped the wall.
 
I'm so sorry Chris for you loss,shame on your lovely cockrell and hen.It's awafull when its happend.
 
So sorry to hear that news Chris, very upsetting for you and his poor hen!
 
Really sorry to hear this Chris, such a shame :-(
 
Thank you all for your kindness. Its so hard when you lose a cockerel you have hatched and grown so fond of in his 18 month life. It is fortunate I suppose that he and his hen went together, because they were inseparable. Her sister is still traumatised and we are worried about her being on her own, so she is going to live with big softy Arnold, who is her sister's son.

So the seemingly impenetrable brambles had actually died off, unnoticed by us. A whole army of Foxes could have wandered into the Orchard. I found the spot where the chicken wire had been forced past to get onto the canal bank and the gap in the fence panel it then came through to get into the Orchard. The whole lot of brambles has been pulled out and a new fence is going up there tomorrow. There are several other weak spots in our defences and they will all be reinforced -a lot of work and expense, but the alternative is to leave them all in their runs and they would hate that and so would we.
 
good luck with all the repairs and i hope your other girly pulls though ok :D and finds get friendship in arnold .
 
Thanks Karminski. She's still too het up to introduce tonight so I will try to calm her down and get her in tomorrow night.

The French National Emblem is a cockerel Marigold, in recognition of their courage.
 
Cluck, as Rosie has named her, was introduced last night with plenty of Lavender spray all round. The other hen, Bumble, took an instant dislike to her in the morning and fight ensued, resulting in Cluck seeking sanctuary on top of the feed shelter. Problem was Arnold kept getting in the way trying to break them up and Cluck felt overwhelmed. Soon sorted, Arnold under my arm, Cluck back on the floor and 10 seconds later she was top hen. Bumble was a bit miffed that Arnold spent more time with Cluck than her, but I'm sure it will all even out given time.

We've identified 4 weak spots in the boundary. First was Arnolds enclosure which has had 18" added to the wall in one corner. Second was the Canalside where the Fox got through and the brambles have gone and a new boundary fence and posts have been errected with plenty of chicken wire underground. Third is the lowest part of the boundary walls which will soon be dealt with. Fourth is the overall height of the walls anyway, but that's far too big a job even with just chicken wire, as it needs 40 x 8' posts to support it. So we will rely on 'wee' spread over it regularly -it has worked so far in the daytime on one wall but now I have to do two. More fluid intake required!
 
sounds like you are getting there :-)17 dont worry new years eve is a good excuse for more fluid intake :lol: :lol:
 
Oh Chris does the french also heve fox issue?When do you move?
Beer make 'fluids' smell even stronger :mrgreen: :oops:
 
I doubt they have a Renard issue there Tygrysek, they shoot anything that moves! On Sunday there are people with white hats on, carrying shotguns, all over the Countryside. The white hats are to help stop them shooting each other!! There are very few wild birds of any description either. Start enquiring about rentals in the New Year and aim to move end of August. Exchange rate is great at the moment, hope it holds.

We stopped drinking alcohol 3rd July, haven't touched a drop since. Stopped coffee as well. Drink a lot of tea mind. For anyone considering this fox deterrent method you have to keep it in a closed bucket for a week to let it 'ripen' before spreading it. Or you could use it then for dying cloth as the Victorians did! Have to re-treat the areas after heavy rain or otherwise every week. Oh, and watch the wind direction !!!!
 
Sorry, too much detail I think. Awful lot cheaper than 40 posts and two rolls of chicken wire plus the week installation though Karminski.
 
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