Chicken killed while in Eglu and unsure how to keep the other safe!

[luckylambchop]

Hi everyone. Sad day, a fox somehow got to one of our chickens while she was in the chicken run (we have an egle which is supposed to be fox proof!) this morning and has killed her. I can only assume he bit her through the bars and tried to pull her out?? , I really don't know. the other two had fled into the Eglu and I closed the door and left it shut, i didn't know what else to do.

The fox itself will not go away, if I shout at it it runs off but seconds later comes back. I am assuming it wants its dinner (my chicken) but i have disposed of it.

My question is, how can i keep the other two safe? I knew there was a fox on the prowl which is why they were in the run and not free ranging, but he got one anyway.

Any suggestions?

[FunkyBarnYardBroom]

Oh how sad 😔 never had an eglu.. can you relocate the chooks temporarily?

[Knitella]

Was this in the dark or daylight?

I have a Eglu Go Up with a run, omelet net around a grassy area and some keen foxes. I can only let my ladies out into the larger area when it is light and lock them in their run as soon as it starts to get dark. I also always close the door to their house at night to put the fox off (can’t see them).

Did the fox visibly injure your chicken or could it have taken a bad fright? If injured I would probably attach fine but strong mesh over the run using cable ties.

Sorry to hear that happened 😕 It is such a stress and I have had to chase away a fox in broad daylight.

[luckylambchop]

Thank you so much for your replies.

Knitella this was in broad daylight, about 2pm. I've been thinking about it and I think you are right, I think she possibly died of fright (she was an incredibly flighty and nervous thing), after which the fox saw an opportunity and tried to pull her through the bars. I just can't see how he can have killed her through the bars. I feel slightly reassured by this theory as it makes me less worried about the other two.

FunkyBarnyardBroom thank you. I can move them but I don't have anywhere they will be hidden so I am certain the fox would soon find the new location.

As I suspected the fox was back this afternoon. He will be chased off (mainly by me shouting "P*SS OFF!!!!" at the top of my voice, neighbours must love that!) but comes back straight away and I can't really spend all day standing by the chicken coop. I have surrounded the run with large potted plants so it's more difficult for him to get to them through the bars. Poor things won't be free ranging for a while but they spent all last winter in the run because if avian flu so I am sure they will cope.

This is our first chicken loss and the worst of it is, it was our 9 year old daughter's chicken. She has taken it very badly bless her.

Thanks again for your help!