Quick name change as too identifiable and don't want to be outed on other topics.
I now how you feel, but why do I feel sad when I have seen 4 dead foxes, clearly very young on the of side of the road this week alone?
I lost 10 in Feb, no trace, no heads, no feet, just lots of feathers and again 2 months later, my new 8, this time 2 headless bodies left. One lone magpie chook appeared the next day but she was so shell shocked and with a broken wing and with teeth puncture marks on her back, I'm afraid I left the coop open and let the greedy bastard take her, which he did within hours. I couldn't despatch her as I have an injured shoulder so couldn't do it cleanly and DH is a wimp.
They have free ranged for 5 years with no problem. We are rural with 200 foot gardens but there is fox and cubs next door, and has been for years, but they have stayed away from us , maybe because of our fearsome Burmese cat!
I am looking at putting in electric fencing and have a man coming shortly to look at enclosing an area 30 x 30 on the back of my existing aviary, as I have a new flock of 7, jus starting to lay tiny eggs too!
DH says the eggs are costing around £100 each! Bt I do love going down to see them and hear their gentle murmuring and then they get excited when they see me too!