jeffjjack Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 At 02:45 this morning I was woken by my cockerel making alarming noises. Having spied foxes in the field behind my house not 3 days ago I jumped out of bed, grabbed the torch and headed out in my dressing gown and crocks! Luckily I was just in time.. spotted the thin looking vixen in the back field trotting away from the hedge at about 30 yard. All my chickens were ok but we had lapsed and not shut the coop door. By the look of it the fox had been digging under the fence and was very close to getting in. The fox wasn't lamp shy at all and proceeded to sit and look at me from various positions around the field and at one point re-approached the back of the house and then took a ****! lol Now the problem..... Only having a shotgun and with the paddock behind being full of horses and flanked on two sides with houses I was reluctant to give it two barrels in the wee small hours. (and especially without permission from the owner of the paddock) I know she will be back tonight. So what to do to deter the little critter from trying again at me chickens! Any ideas? Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 electric fence or cage trap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Cage trap..or snare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanj Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 shut the coop door ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parapilot Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Borrow a hushpower, or warn the neighbours and give it some BB to eat out of the 12g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffjjack Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 Borrow a hushpower, or warn the neighbours and give it some BB to eat out of the 12g The annoying thing is I've got a hushpower on order... just wont be here for another 4 weeks! shut the coop door ? Well yeah... thanks... would still be in the run and not sure how determined they can be to get into the coop.... I know my dog can chew through wood at an alarming rate when it wants to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parapilot Posted March 23, 2014 Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 The annoying thing is I've got a hushpower on order... just wont be here for another 4 weeks! Well yeah... thanks... would still be in the run and not sure how determined they can be to get into the coop.... I know my dog can chew through wood at an alarming rate when it wants to! It will be back until he gets them now he knows they are there. You will need to sort him out ASAP mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffjjack Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2014 It will be back until he gets them now he knows they are there. You will need to sort him out ASAP mate Yeah I know, thanks for the replies... Been at work today so ain't had chance to sort anything but have fortified the run and locked em away for the night. I have the chance to borrow a hushpower so will ask tomorrow. Will let you know how I get on Thanks again Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted March 24, 2014 Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 (edited) Hushpowers are quiet, but even the 410 is loud enough to attract attention. Depends on how accommodating/far away your neighbours are! 22 with mod and subs if your close enough, or trap and despatch during the daytime with the hushy/22 rf would be my route. Others will follow as its coming up to cub time and they get surprisingly bold when they are either carrying or feeding. For some reason, around 3pm always seems to be a real dodgy time. Don't get caught out, and good luck Edited March 24, 2014 by turbo33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffjjack Posted March 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2014 (edited) Hushpowers are quiet, but even the 410 is loud enough to attract attention. Depends on how accommodating/far away your neighbours are! 22 with mod and subs if your close enough, or trap and despatch during the daytime with the hushy/22 rf would be my route. Others will follow as its coming up to cub time and they get surprisingly bold when they are either carrying or feeding. For some reason, around 3pm always seems to be a real dodgy time. Don't get caught out, and good luck Thanks for the advice, although I know the hushpowers aren't silent I would have thought they wouldn't get people jumping to their windows unlike the crack of the 12.. Defiantly close enough for the 22 (think if I'd squeaked her she have come in to about 15 yards over the hedge) I have made enquiries with the mates that I know with rifles to see who want to come and spend the evening waiting I reckon she defiantly had cubs. Have seen a few vixens about this year and even bumped into a fairly large dog whilst on an early morning dog walk a month ago....Trotted across the road in front of me not 20 yards away... My dogs went mental and he hardly looked at us lol. Heard from a few people about foxes in their area with cubs early this year Edited March 24, 2014 by jeffjjack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 In fairness, say where you are located and get one of the pro fox hunters on here to pop it off for you as a one off - sure someone would help :-). If I had a fox issue I'd do that as I'd love to watch and learn the full art of it all how that do it so efficiently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 In fairness, say where you are located and get one of the pro fox hunters on here to pop it off for you as a one off - sure someone would help :-). If I had a fox issue I'd do that as I'd love to watch and learn the full art of it all how that do it so efficiently. Ha ha, if only it was like that every time, sometimes it works as though I wrote the script, other times it can be a nightmare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffjjack Posted April 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Karma is a wonderful thing!!! The night after our visit the local riding school (1/2 mile away) had all but one of there chicken taken.... Yesterday whilst walking the dogs I found this nice large dog fox on the side of the road next to the riding school after having an altercation with a fast moving vehicle!! https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=9AC01A356B103BA9!233&authkey=!APzM8kChW89cMfI&v=3&ithint=photo%2c.JPG Now thats karma for ya!!! I know there'll be more out there but ya gotta laugh! One down (without opening my gun cabinet!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo33 Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 That looks like it has a belly full of something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pavman Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 build a better chicken run like mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fse10 Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Karma is a wonderful thing!!! The night after our visit the local riding school (1/2 mile away) had all but one of there chicken taken.... Yesterday whilst walking the dogs I found this nice large dog fox on the side of the road next to the riding school after having an altercation with a fast moving vehicle!! https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=9AC01A356B103BA9!233&authkey=!APzM8kChW89cMfI&v=3&ithint=photo%2c.JPG Now thats karma for ya!!! I know there'll be more out there but ya gotta laugh! One down (without opening my gun cabinet!) Do you/ can you shoot at the riding school if not know might be the time to ask Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffjjack Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Do you/ can you shoot at the riding school if not know might be the time to ask Yeah, I am good friends with the owners and regularly shoot on there land... in fact the owner was the reason I became interested in country past times which led to me getting my SGC. The horses are quite use the the guns as we have done a bit of home claying on there before. It was my next move to set up one night in ambush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffjjack Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 That looks like it has a belly full of something I wasn't sure if it was just bloated or had a belly full Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet1747 Posted April 21, 2014 Report Share Posted April 21, 2014 wot ever you do good luck,was hoping to have some chickens my self when I've done the ext build ,as I live in the sticks no doubt the fox will be around we have a few Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffjjack Posted April 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 We'll, just an update, friend recently shot a vixen (firearms) in the area adjacent to my back field that we think was doing the rounds, have not seen any signs of fox in the back field since (lamp every night). Maybe me lamping most nights also has put them off. Other precautions have been taken in that we leave the LED shed lights on all night (overlooking the coop) and ensure the chicken coop door is shut religiously ( bit of an obvious but easily neglected). I know there will be others move in where others have been but so far so good. I shall keep vigilant!! The new hushpower will be here shortly if we are awoken again by fox attack. All this for fresh eggs.... You gotta love the sport!! Thanks all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 I wasn't sure if it was just bloated or had a belly full Bloated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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