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Tonight was the first time in five years that Ive been afraid when putting the ducks and hens to bed. why? because over the last 6 or 7 weeks someone has been coming onto my land [fenced on all sides] and cutting holes in the wire of the chicken run. so far there are five cuts each measuring between 12 " and 3 foot. no other damage. no birds taken.
one of my regular egg customers suggested that there might be a 'feed the fox' campaign
I havent knowingly upset anyone and we live in a semi rural area where lots of people keep chickens.
anyone else experienced this or have any suggestions what I can do to stop it.

Aww Rainy how awful, this kind of behaviour from others always makes my blood boil.

You must be so worried.

Can you set up one of those lights thats come on when someone walks past it! I'm struggling to think of the proper name! Just been for a walk and me brain is addled!

At least if the light comes on as they approach it may well stop them in their tracks.....or is the hen house moveable..move it closer to your house!

Can you tell from where they are getting onto your property?

I'd be inclined to lay some obstacles in their way, or something they will move against to create a noise, like chimes or something.

Good luck, hope you catch the buggers.

PS! What the heck is a feed the fox campaign!?

Hi.
I like the sound of the noise device - Ill think about that a bit more.
I cant move the run - its 10ft by 20ft and fixed.
I told the police yesterday and they were sympathetic but hey - nobody died so I dont expect anything will be investigated.
Do you think it would be illegal to connect a battery to the fence wire - there might be some noise then when they touch it

Dont know about the 'feed the fox campaign' - he did say he was only yolking

I never thought of the hotwire! We've got hotwired fences everywhere, to keep the animals contained.

That would be a good idea, of course you're only using it to keep the foxes at bay aren't you???

Tin cans suspended from trees, trip wires......garden rakes strategically abandoned..........................man traps.................


I'm sure we could think of all sorts of nasties!!

how about a big sign saying 'you are being filmed and I WILL sue' ?

Pit trap with pungee stakes at the bottom. Just fill it in in the morning........no one will ever know...................it'll just be our little secret.

Does seem rather strange - and unnerving - behaviour if nothing else is happening. I suppose it has to be human activity? Is the wire easily nipped through?

If it continues, I guess you will have to keep watch with a powerful spotlight torch and a camera with a flash. Something that goes 'bang' quite loudly might be good, too.

Rainy wrote: Do you think it would be illegal to connect a battery to the fence wire - there might be some noise then when they touch it

Hi Rainy,
It's really temping to plug it into the mains isn't it? Or just install a few Claymores
We had the same problem a few years ago, in the end it turned out to be some of the local kids who had nothing better to do with their time than cause damage to other peoples property

Unfortunately it's no longer acceptable to give someone elses kids a good clip round the ear when they've been caught red handed, (yes I did lie in wait for whoever it was) but a few choice phrases and the sight of a huge, hairy, axe-wielding, angry chicken keeper running towards them had the desired effect and they never came back.
I'm not suggesting that you do the same, but a few well placed lights and a dummy CCTV camera may do the trick, or borrow a large dog for a few nights.

John

Which one of you two was the huge, hairy, axe-wielding, angry chicken-keeper?

Robin

Simple solution: Wait up for the vandals with a SHOTGUN!

ohareward wrote:Which one of you two was the huge, hairy, axe-wielding, angry chicken-keeper?

Robin

That was me John

Simple solution: Wait up for the vandals with a SHOTGUN!

So, yer just Amish on a part-time basis, then?


Re: the trespass & damage...A dog would sort this pretty quick, I'd reckon. Can you borrow one for a bit?

Just make sure if you do use a dog, put adequate signs up warning that there is a dog running loose.

And get a dog that won't (oops wrote would!) eat your chooks!!

Actually just a few signs saying guard dogs patrolling might be a deterrent in itself !

some of these ideas are fantastic - I particularly like the pit with the stakes at the bottom. I could grow pumpkins on it when it filled in !

I think were going to have to get security cameras - I dont think its kids as they havent touched anything else - if it was me and I was a vandal I would certainly have a go at the veg that was growing close by and the neatly dug raised beds.
The cameras will probably cost more than a lifetimes supply of chicken but it would be nice to catch whoever did it on camera just so I could ask them why.

Does anyone know how to set up a shotgun to a trip wire - joke joke - i wouldnt really use a trip wire