MadMitch Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 I need some advice on my garden. I've got a run coming with my cube and I am also going to build a permenent enclosure for days when I'm not around but I keep reading about people chicken proofing their garden, checking fences etc. My garden is approx 1 acre bordered by hedges and a wood (live almost in the middle of nowhere). Please tell me I don't need to put a fence all the way around before I can let my chickens out....it will cost me a fortune. If I am around while they are out will they be ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 They should be OK if you are around....but they will get engrossed with foraging and wander if unsupervised. It sounds as if you have go a wonderful set up there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 They should be fine free-ranging whilst you are out in the garden. In some ways it's better to be out in the country, relatively speaking (I assume you're not in the middle of a city or large town with a garden that size!) - urban foxes are much bolder than country ones and will come into gardens in broad daylight, even when humans are present. Most of the losses here seem to be to urban foxes or where chickens were left to free-range without supervision. I would start by checking your boundary for chicken escape holes and blocking them where possible, so they can't wander off and get caught, then start with supervised free-ranging and play it by ear. If you'd like to give them more freedom and you're worried about foxes, how about installing the Omlet moveable fencing in a section of your garden and electrifying it? The whole thing shouldn't set you back more than about £100. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 You can buy complete electric fencing kits, battery or mains, from www.flytesofancy.co.uk. As long as they don't have anything inside the netting that they can use to get enough height to get out they should be fine. Mine do manage to escape from it if I secure it to the cube run as they jump up onto the roof of the run then down into the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emily95 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 My garden is like yours and our chickens are fine if we are around. We have also got them used to us calling them and then giving them treats, so if they got into any trouble we would just have to call them and they come running! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMitch Posted April 5, 2008 Author Share Posted April 5, 2008 Thanks for the help, I think I will try emily95's way first and try and get them used to me. If that all goes wrong I will have to get some electric fencing and just move it around the garden so they get a bit of everything. Only moved here back in November. Had a 30ft hedge down one side which I have just had re-layed and gained about 6ft of garden. Also there was an old large breeze block green house type thing which I have had to knock down but I have left a row of blocks around the bottom as I think this will make a great start to my permenent place for the chooks. 33 days to go before the cube arrives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...