I have 6 hens (around 24 weeks old) and a Springer Spaniel. Foxes have got our neighbour's hens recently (and not for the first time) and as I did not want to keep the hens locked in their run all day I have been training Charlie (the springer) to roam with them in the garden. The idea being that any fox would be put off Charlie's prescence.
Being a dog Charlie greets the hens by sniffing their backsides and following around eating their poo! He bounces around a bit wanting to play but the hens either move away/ignore or peck at him if he gets too frisky. I work from home and keep an eye on things out of the window. Charlie loves the company and I can get on with my work too.
As anyone else tries this?
What a brillant idea. I just have children patrol as we sit in the room looking aver our garden so it used to be 'cat' shouted loudly and then I could run and see.