Im a bit worried

[jessabelle]

Hi all

Ive had my 3 girls for over 5 weeks now and im getting 3 eggs pretty much every day. Im really enjoying having them and my boys love going out to check on egg deposits but for the past couple of nights a fox (sneaky one) has been getting into my very enclosed garden and going for the hens who i might add dont take any nonsense but not just the worry of that all the carry-on is causing alot of noise, my partner is not keen for us to keep them anymore and says mr fox wont give up now he knows they are here, im not really sure what to do.

Also had a soft egg yesterday is this normal or should i be giving hens something else to eat.

Thanks jessica

[Bramble-Poultry]

Soft eggs are a common symptom of a fright so I wouldn't worry at the moment.

Foxes are pests and the cure around here is usually a shotgun however not always practical. You need to find out how and where he is getting in and try to remedy this, remember foxes can a do climb over and dig under so try to secure your garden accordingly. Foxes go for an easy option currently thats your chooks but if you live in or near a town then there are plenty of other things around so if you make his life a little difficult he will just move on! He is probably after food for young so just wants a quick easy target.

Electric fence is fantastic, put this around your hens enclosure or even garden perimeter, you can leave it turned off during the day to prevent children and pets getting a shock and just turn it in at night to deter the fox - Electric fence is not a cheap option though!

Another successful method is to raise the chicken coop - this along with the shot gun is the main method here - if the coop is 3 ft off the ground the hens will still use it with a ramp but when shut in at night and the ramp removed the fox can't get anywhere near! Also helps to alleviate rat issues too and damp.

Don;t give up just yet - try to stop him coming in first.

[Flummery]

Make sure your coop is in a secure enclosure. Mine is inside a big run which is toally enclose in fine weldmesh fastenened to steel supports, has a roof and slabbed floor to stop climbing and digging. I hope a fox would slink off in frustration eventually. The chickens come out when their automatic door opener deploys but can't be got at unless the fox can reach 2 bolts, one at ground level and one at 5ft 9".
I hope you manage to keep him at bay.