The Poultry Keeper

sasha.p · Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 502 Location: gwent

as you all seem to have experienced foxes with your chickens i am seeking advice i actually like foxes and any other animal but i do not like the thought of foxes killing my chickens even if it is only nature i shut my chickens in at night and they are in a run all day we are very secure where we are now and i think if anything was to get at them it would be a mink or something from the river in front of our house but we are moving soon to somewhere there will be foxes i notice some of you say they have had your chickens during the day what is the best way to prevent this?as i know foxes and other animals will pass through our grounds and i am not going to discourage them either but want to make my hen house and run safe Question

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

If they are being kept in a run, then so long as the run is secure you shouldn't have a problem.

If you are letting them free range, then it would be worth considering electric fencing, Nigel has experience of using this.

Sueeltringham · Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: 10 Location: Northumberland

Electric fencing is excellent. It is the only thing that has kept our chickens safe. Foxy visits at all times of day even while we are in the garden! We know town foxes have been caught and released around here, which is why they are brazen! If we free range, we loose hens, at any time of day. Electric fencing is moveable, looks neat (mine's green and blends in with the garden) and, I think, cost effective. Depends on the space you have. I like being able to change the ground the hens use frequently, it keeps the worm burden down and allows the grass to recover. Best thing we've ever bought, apart from the chickens of course!

Sue

Aussie Chick · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 8:51 pm Post subject:

It sounds rellly good, do you have a picture of it?

Sueeltringham · Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: 10 Location: Northumberland

Yes, this is the picture the suppliers have, we use the close mesh version and it looks neat.

Sue

[url]http://www.electricfencing.co.uk/DataForm1Detail1.asp?EFD_Action=Filter("(Animal ='Poultry1')")&EFD_Position=PAR:[/url]

PS not sure why the url doesn't work, it does in preview mode!

Aussie Chick · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 9:43 pm Post subject:

Thanks. I cut and pasted it. It looks ok.

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

You can use tinyurl to make one which will work

Wink

http://tinyurl.com/9bva9

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

Looks interesting, our garden is enclosed and has lots of shrubs, bushes etc, how far away from the fence do you need to put it?. Do they run off battery and how much does a 50M kit cost roughly? I also need to get around the garden, will it stop this?

Sorry if it seems a bit obvious but just want to know if it is possible to do, we don't have areas of grass with no vegetation.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

it sounds like your garden is a bit like mine Pete & Jackie ~ I have shrubs all over the place and in the end decided against the electric fencing. The only space I would have been able to do it would have been in the middle of the lawn around an apple tree ~ how boring would that be for the girls? Even to get the run from the house to the lawn would have been hard going ~ so mine just free range around the garden in the day, having been in the covered run for the morning, and they go back there about an hour and a half before dusk.
I have had a visit from foxy one morning ~ but the girls are aware if he comes around and will ALL start shouting at the same time~ so we go out and talk to them and it settles down. This only seems to happen when they are in the run though not when they are out and about.

Sueeltringham · Joined: 05 Aug 2005 Posts: 10 Location: Northumberland

It does depend on your garden of course! Our netting goes around some apple trees and two large conifers and has a hedge on two sides. We put it right up to the hedge and make sure we keep it trimmed, so it does not short. All we did originally was to strim a 6 inch wide path and the hens did the rest of the clearing. The net cost about £70 for 50m, you also need an energiser and battery/mains, you can get it cheaper if you search. The company I mentioned will make up packages according to your needs. You can also buy 25m nets. If your garden is fenced you could also consider running an electric strand at the top and bottom of the fence. This is supposed to keep the fox out. Depends on the extent of your fox problem. We have ours at the top of the garden, but you can easily get in by turning the fence off, then walking over. Newer type fences have gates.

Sue

Pete&Jackie · Joined: 03 Sep 2005 Posts: 209 Location: Hertfordshire

I've had a think about it and I just can't see where it will go. We have a large shed in one corner next to the run, no grass areas at all, large boarders all over, a pond, stones!! You name it we have it.. except the space to put a fence.

I have never seen a fox in the area but I am told they are in the fields nearby and a neighbour who had a massive garden and some woodland lost all her chickens but she just had them out most of the time with no protection and miles from the house.

I hope the smallness of the garden and the fact they are close by will be ok, that and getting them in their run, like you said an hour or so before dusk.

I put hasps and padlocks on the nest box, main hatch and the run door today just to make extra sure nothing can get in, I feel much happier for that!

NannyP · Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 11:13 pm Post subject:

I have been very lucky, and have also read some horror stories on PP.

My hens are enclosed in a run and coop at night, but free range all day. We live on the edge of a valley and are semi rural, with a river along the bottom. The hens could, if they wanted, walk out of the garden and down the valley, and of course the fox could make the same journey in. So far, in 18 months, I have not smelt or seen a fox anywhere near the hens.
I hope this continues, I cannot imagine having the restrict them all day.
Confused

I have posted this twice as there are 2 threads on Foxes. I expect Deb will consolidate the 2 threads later Wink

(Hey Deb, job for you Laughing

)

sasha.p · Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 502 Location: gwent

thanks for the advice everyone i will have to definitely get some fencing before we move then as that sounds like the safest bet .will take a look at that website now too cheers Very Happy

poultry poofs · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 12:17 am Post subject:

Hi
RAPPA.CO.UK do electric fencing and very reasonable prices.

rich