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Original poster

Bastard foxes

17 replies

ifeelloved · 15/04/2012 19:24

My lovely girls were taken last night and we're all devastated.

We have the eglu classic and all was good. Foxes kept coming and sniffing around but they were always safe and only ever free ranged if we were I. The garden with them.

We recently moved them onto softer earth and forgot to close the eglu door last night, bastards dug beyond the skirt and got in and took them.

Feel so guilty, it was our responsibility to care for them and keep them safe and we fucked it up Sad

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TunipTheVegemal · 15/04/2012 19:26

I'm so sorry.
Don't feel bad. They will have had a good life and the fox will have had a good dinner.

Original poster
ifeelloved · 15/04/2012 19:56

:o( !

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PoppadumPreach · 15/04/2012 20:00

apparently alpacas are fantastic chicken protectors - very territorial. friends of friends who keep chickens got 2 alpacas and haven't lost one since. do you have room for an alpaca or 2?

Ratbagcatbag · 15/04/2012 20:03

Hate stuff like this, I know the foxes are only doing what they need to do but it's still heartbreaking when your pets get taken.

Really sorry for you!

Original poster
ifeelloved · 15/04/2012 20:20

Dh not keen on the whole alpaca idea Grin. We're in se London, not known for its huge gardens but thanks.

DDs still in tears at bedtime Sad

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Original poster
ifeelloved · 15/04/2012 20:21

And the garden seems so empty Sad

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stayathomegardener · 15/04/2012 20:28

You have my sympathy's!We had this happen to our ducks before Christmas-I still feel so guilty.

Just hatched four new duckling-see photo on profile(proud mother alert)DD adores them and they are filling our duck shaped hole already

Perfect time of year for you to hatch some new ones,buy hatching eggs on ebay and buy/borrow an inccubator and DD will be thrilled,

Going to have to guard new ducks with our lives,cannot happen again!

Original poster
ifeelloved · 15/04/2012 21:52

We are thinking of laying pavings stones under the Eglu and run and around the skirt and then cover with earth and chicken wire too. Agree re not wanting this to happen again.

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LilyBolero · 15/04/2012 22:02

:( I'm really sorry. Fwiw, we keep our houses/runs on paving slabs, with easibed/aubiose to scratch in, it prevents the foxes digging under, and is also easy to clean - might be worth considering if you get some new girls.

Original poster
ifeelloved · 16/04/2012 09:36

Think that's what we'll do now but with earth instead.

Apparently the school ate getting some eggs to incubate next week and we may be able to have the chicks once hatched, what would I need to do this? How much more care is needed? Are eglu's ok for chicks? So many questions!

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LilyBolero · 16/04/2012 10:14

It depends what age you get them, if very young they may still need a heat lamp. Also, make sure you can accurately sex them, you don't want an eglu full of boys!!!

LilyBolero · 16/04/2012 10:15

Ime, easibed is much better than earth, it stays fresh longer and they seem to like it.

Original poster
ifeelloved · 16/04/2012 10:56

Thanks lily - forget about only wanting girls, not sure the neighbours would appreciate a morning wake up call!

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daftwit · 16/04/2012 18:13

I hate bloody foxes, caught one sniffing at my ladies Eglu run on Friday morning, my Hens are on bark and have put odd tent pegs on the skirt of their run, was shocked to read that the fox dug beneath your run, i do not always lock their Eglu door either. Hope you get some more chooks to love soon.

Flightty · 16/04/2012 18:38

I know how you feel...we lost several last year. Then built a massive covered run, I did lay paving round the outside but the only thing that's dug in has been rats, and the rabbits we had in there burrowed out eventually....and they got killed Sad

It seems such a waste doesn't it, and I still feel terribly bad about that.

But the chooks have been fine in there since. The metal roof stops it getting wet and muddy, it's about 5 metres by 2 and a half and you can walk around in there.

I do want to sort out the ground somehow so we can put rabbits in again but it's tricky. Maybe a layer of wire under the earth....I wish the chooks had grass and plants etc but it's either the run or they get taken, the foxes here are greedy buggers and always around.

Grockle · 16/04/2012 22:08

It's awful, isn't it? The fox has killed 4 of my girls and often sleeps on the top or their run Angry

RIP Doris, Dorothy, Lucky and Gloria

Original poster
ifeelloved · 16/04/2012 22:17

We knew there was a high chance of being got as there are foxes that live in the garden behind ours, but I honestly thought they'd be ok in the eglu and run, didn't think the foxes would dig under the skirt. I thought they would be killed if we left them out free ranging and got complacent about being out there with them.

Can't believe how upset I got!

We're still looking into the idea of getting chicks but not sure if we'd be able to.

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