Sad day! Lost 7

[sab]

7 out of 23 at one time... what a bummer!

Found piles of feathers... trailing over the ravine. Day attack. I don't let the girls free range if I'm not with them. Today hubby was going to be outside working so I thought it was safe to let them have a treat. UGH!!

Neighbors have been making over watching the 'cute fox with her 7 kits' over in the ravine. Not cute now -- pretty sure it was a fox pack that got the girls. We haven't heard any coyotes at night for a while and when they are in the neighborhood, those howls are eerie.

I hate that they can't free range! The last girl to come home is scratched up with patches of feathers missing on her back and all around her neck. Can't imagine if she was in their clutches how she survived.

Anyone think an occasional trip through a tunnel/moat is adequate? I realize they are not predator proof but thinking/hoping that it could be predator proof enough for day time use. Chickens are always locked in at night. More than keeping the predators out is keeping the girls contained so they can be watched. If they go over my hill into the ravine they are out of sight and easy picking. And they love it down there.

I hate to go through the work and expense of making a tunnel network if it can't serve my purpose.

Appreciate your thoughts!

 

[FowlPrincess]

I'm so sorry for your loss. That is heartbreaking!

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry for your loss! Consider the electric poultry fencing and help from Premier1supplies.com. it should do a good job of keeping ground predators away from your flock, and give them more 'free range' space rather than those tunnels. You might need to eliminate that fox family, if they were actually the problem, although without evidence, it could have been a dog, or some other fox or coyote. Meanwhile, keep your survivors on lockdown, because your visitor will return! Mary

 

[AnnieSantiago]

Dang! I'm so sorry

 

[keesmom]

I lost my first flock to a mother fox with 6 kits to feed. We didn't know she was under a neighbor's shed not too far away. She came through at noon and wiped out the whole lot, one right after the other across the yard.

Either get an electric fence, or keep the rest of your flock locked up until the young have moved out.

 

[sab]

An electric poultry fence might be the answer! My question is .... if that fencing is strong enough of a shock to stop a fox, what does it do to the chickens? I've been looking at poultry fencing. Looks like it has to go to a solar unit or a battery. Do they have them that just plug in?

 

[Folly's place]

Check with the folks at Premier1supplies.com; they have products and good information, and living breathing people on the phone! Mary

 

[michelleh2294]

7 out of 23 at one time... what a bummer!

Found piles of feathers... trailing over the ravine. Day attack. I don't let the girls free range if I'm not with them. Today hubby was going to be outside working so I thought it was safe to let them have a treat. UGH!!

Neighbors have been making over watching the 'cute fox with her 7 kits' over in the ravine. Not cute now -- pretty sure it was a fox pack that got the girls. We haven't heard any coyotes at night for a while and when they are in the neighborhood, those howls are eerie.

I hate that they can't free range! The last girl to come home is scratched up with patches of feathers missing on her back and all around her neck. Can't imagine if she was in their clutches how she survived.

Anyone think an occasional trip through a tunnel/moat is adequate? I realize they are not predator proof but thinking/hoping that it could be predator proof enough for day time use. Chickens are always locked in at night. More than keeping the predators out is keeping the girls contained so they can be watched. If they go over my hill into the ravine they are out of sight and easy picking. And they love it down there.

I hate to go through the work and expense of making a tunnel network if it can't serve my purpose.

Appreciate your thoughts!

 

[michelleh2294]

so sorry for your loss....i had 3 hens for 3yrs and within 6wks in march and april, theya ll were killed by we think a fox tto, and one of the times was in the middle of the day too...i was devastaed, my chickens are probably mor for pets than egg, then we got 3 new one that were 5 months old now and last week my americana got prolapse, took her to the vet made it thru surgery, then died on the way home...its so hard to lose them

 

[Katrina89]

7 out of 23 at one time... what a bummer!

Found piles of feathers... trailing over the ravine. Day attack. I don't let the girls free range if I'm not with them. Today hubby was going to be outside working so I thought it was safe to let them have a treat. UGH!!

Neighbors have been making over watching the 'cute fox with her 7 kits' over in the ravine. Not cute now -- pretty sure it was a fox pack that got the girls. We haven't heard any coyotes at night for a while and when they are in the neighborhood, those howls are eerie.

I hate that they can't free range! The last girl to come home is scratched up with patches of feathers missing on her back and all around her neck. Can't imagine if she was in their clutches how she survived.

Anyone think an occasional trip through a tunnel/moat is adequate? I realize they are not predator proof but thinking/hoping that it could be predator proof enough for day time use. Chickens are always locked in at night. More than keeping the predators out is keeping the girls contained so they can be watched. If they go over my hill into the ravine they are out of sight and easy picking. And they love it down there.

I hate to go through the work and expense of making a tunnel network if it can't serve my purpose.

Appreciate your thoughts!

I'm so sorry to hear that! My heart aches for you... Is there a way for you to make your own ravine in your yard? Hopefully, they'll like that one... and be safer.