This morning I was out hanging clothes. The chickens were all around me. Any time someone walks through the weeds, the grasshoppers go flying and the chickens know that so they follow us around, catching what we scare up.
I was hanging clothes and looked up and probably 50 feet from me and the chickens was a gray fox. A fox! Right there! Vince is still home recuperating and though he’s moving a bit slowly, it was better to get him go after the fox than me try it. I would have done it if I were here alone but . . thankfully, I wasn’t.
Fox Hunting
Don’t know if you can see it, but Vince . . always thinking of safety first, took the time to get his hearing protection on. Good grief . . get out there and kill that fox before he kills my chickens! No, I didn’t say that. Vince did see the fox but he couldn’t get a good shot at him so . . he’s still out there (the fox .. not Vince, he’s back in his recliner reminding me that he’s just had surgery and he shouldn’t be called upon to do such strenuous things!).
How many times will I get up and go outside and check on the chickens today? Way too many!
Susan T says
There’s never a dull moment is there?
Our only battle is with chipmunks. They are really cute, but dig holes and eat everything in my small garden. DH found that they had a next under our back step – a concrete step on the patio. He pulled it out and removed the nest and two piles of seeds and grain (they must have been enjoying someone’s bird feeder). The next morning, one of the piles of grain was already replaced! He cleaned it out again, and plugged the tiny space that had been their entrance – so far so good!
Penny Holliday says
Judy ~ Whew! Thinking of the chickens & that fox just worries me! I’m still thinking about the question of your “failures” ~ I very much agree w/ Vince’s definition of “failure” but I also think it is a matter of opinion and just how each individual perceives what is “failure.” I don’t think your examples of what has happened in your garden this year are “your failures” ~ those are “acts of nature”~ unfortunately not good ones. I like that you view life as “the glass is half full “so you truly inspire me! So I think that if your blog was written about what I might think are “failures” I probably wouldn’t read it much!
Penny in So CA
Helen Koenig1 says
Wow! Here the only battles I have are with (1) black squirrels who like veggies, (2) birds, particularly doves, who like not only veggies but also veggie seeds, (3) a black with white striped “kitty” that likes my son’s car parked in my driveway – and meanders (slowly) through the back of my lot, sampling as he (she) goes and crosses over to the neighbour’s yards (they have a VERY unhappy dog now!)
angie kiker says
It’s good that you know that Foxy-Loxcy is around. Yes, I’m sure he would like a chicken or two. Our neighbors have chickens and have lost a few—not to the neighborhood Fox, but to the Chicken Hawks. He has confined the chickens lately in hope the hawks quit hunting here….I told him that is unlikely as fox and hawks are part of living out here in the country. I’ve seen the hawks take a squirrel right off the pavement in front of our garage. Swoop, poor squirrel didn’t know what hit him.
Sherrill says
Here’s a recipe for a fox repellent-haven’t tried it as don’t have the need. Doesn’t sound TOO difficult…
http://www.ehow.com/how_6911686_homemade-repellent-fox.html
holly garemore says
Wishing Vince a speedy recovery! Oops, he’ll be home when you get the mail, hopefully you won’t have any deliveries that you didn’t want him to see, LOL
Sharon says
And here I thought Vince was the only FOX on your property! 🙂
AngieG9 says
Judy, you have so many pests around there I’m surprised you have the courage to even look out the door. I’m not sure if I could deal with a fox, but if Vince manages to shoot it I would bet the barn you’ll find a way to put the pelt into a quilt 🙂 There is never a dull moment in your life, and I love reading about all the adventures you have each day.
Diana in RR, TX says
We have grey fox here too. Have seen them in the front yard. Hopefully they won’t dine on your chickens, they will prefer rabbit instead.
Susan says
Maybe you could send that gray fox to Susan T to help her with the chipmunk problem?
Toni in Oregon says
Once I spotted a coyote out on our frosty field We have 17 acres. I really enjoyed seeing the “dog” versus just hearing them until I asked my husband “What is he doing?” His reply “Stalking your turkeys.” Immediately I’m going get the gun, get the gun! He missed but the turkeys were saved that day.
Linda Steller says
Yipes! Not a fox in the henhouse? We have to be careful of the raccoons here. They can really do some damage to the chickens on their quest to get the eggs. I hope this fellow was just passing through. Hope Vince is feeling better soon!