mostin Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 So sorry to hear that Peter. Sorry if I'm being insensitive, but I'm assuming that they burrowed under in just one night , is that right? Certainly makes me think about beefing things up around me Thanks. Yes, no sign of any burrowing yesterday (or indeed ever before), so all happened in one night. We're going to lay some patio slabs and try to attach some wire mesh to the bottom of the run to stop this happening again. Thanks for that Peter. My brother in law is a landscaper and we are getting his left over flags to go round our new walk in run, but it's not fully enclosed yet. Perhaps I should get a wriggle on . Once again I am so sorry you lost all your girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter S Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Update on our fox attack: So the fox came back last night, which we were expecting. What we were not expecting, however, was for it to bring with it the decapitated remains of one of our hens (Nicola), which it left in the garden. Is this typical fox behaviour, or do we just have a really vindictive fox? Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mostin Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 Now that is just cruel . I had heard of them burying hens where they kill to come back and get them later, but not returning to the scene of the crime with the bodies . I'm so sorry . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted June 12, 2009 Share Posted June 12, 2009 i hate to ask when it is so upsetting... but did it/they dig at the nearest point to the run or right under the Eglu.? I thought the skirts were supposed to stop them doing this, but even paving slabs might not stop them???????????? Chic cubes are the samew principal too So sorry for you. really awful, will def keep mine shut in Eglu at night now:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter S Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 The fox dug underneath the Eglu house itself, where there is no skirt at the arched grey section of the house. It tunnelled under and into the run. I guess it tried to dig at the run but the skirt stopped it getting in, so it simply madeits way down the length of the run until it came to a section with no skirt. The cube should provide better protection, as the skirt goes all round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Thanks Peter... Maybe you could email that info to Omlet... Think it needs to be be looked at, I am sure you agree.. So sorry, makes me feel real sad Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter S Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Thanks for you condolences - we are missing our ladies greatly. I emailed this information to Omlet on Thursday, and even spoke to them on Friday when I was looking into possible underfloor mesh and wondered if the wire sold for the rabbit Eglu would be suitable (it isn't to my mind, as it's very flexible, but the Omlet folk said it should be okay!). However, I've received no correspondence from Omlet regarding the fox intrusion, although I also thought that this would be of great concern to them. Watch this space, I suppose! Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Peter, where are you planning to put it. 16 gauge or 19 (lighter) is generally accepted is being fox proof for WIR . I have gone to thicker 16 on mine. So would think you could buy a piece or strip of wedmesh to go under and arounfd at not much cost! I bought ready cut skirt way back for my run, though blowed if I can recall who from! It has largish squares , maybe 2 inch, but must be somewhere in between those gauges I mentioned. they would sed it to you cut to your size too. Will have a quick lookey about for you. got mine here http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Haven_Hen_House.html others sell do search for no dig mesh chickens. Am sure FOF will cut something for you. and advise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter S Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Thanks for the info - it supports what I thought. I bought a 6 m x 0.9 m roll of 16 gauge galvanised wire mesh with 2 cm x 2 cm (3/4" by 3/4") holes from Mesh Direct http://www.meshdirect.co.uk/Wire-Mesh-Galvanized-20-x-20mm-holes-900-mm-wide-x-6-metres-16-gauge-pr-393.html This cost £30, which I think is quite reasonable. I also bought some a pair of hogring fencing pliers and some hogrings to attach the wire mesh to the run. I will also be drilling into the base of the house so I can attach the mesh to the house itself with some screws and large washers. I couldn't find anything in the width required, so I will have to construct two panels and join them together with hogrings. Then, the whole unit will be positioned on some newly-laid slabs and filled with bark to gve something for the new girls to scratch around in. Looks like I am about to embark on some major DIY! Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 good luck with it all. Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saracook31 Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Boxing day last year one of our light sussex hens was taken by a fox, we didn't even notice until the next morning when we let the remaining hens out. There wasn't a single feather around. The next afternoon at 2pm, fox came back, killed my two Maran and my Aracuna Madge, also leaving my other light sussex badly wounded who sadly died the next day We never even heard the fox or chooks, but this time there were feathers and dead bodies everywhere. Was horrible. I wouldn't risk this again, so our new chooks have a large garden like run with very secure fencing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 I'm so sorry to hear that . What a horrible experience for you . Glad to hear you have fox proof accommodation for your new girls though . You've got quite a collection there . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saracook31 Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Oops this was meant to be on the fox attack sticky! I dunno how to move it or even if I can! silly me! As if by magic! Egluntine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgieB Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 I've received no correspondence from Omlet regarding the fox intrusion, although I also thought that this would be of great concern to them. Watch this space, I suppose! Peter I'm not surprised you haven't heard back from them Peter. Considering they say their Eglu's are fox proof it doesn't reflect very well on them that they have turned out not to be. Omlet also say on their website that they will donate £20 to the BHWT if you rescue any ex-batts when buying an Eglu or Cube from them. But I was told by one of the BHWT coordinators that they haven't given them any of the donation money from the sale of these for a whole year! So it looks like it's just a ploy to get more sales! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter S Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 [i'm not surprised you haven't heard back from them Peter. Considering they say their Eglu's are fox proof it doesn't reflect very well on them that they have turned out not to be. To be fair to Omlet, I received the following reply earlier today: "thank you for the feedback. This can only happen if there is a little uneven bid under the eglu. The part I would recommend to get is 2 of the panels that go around the wheelbase of the cube and lay this flat underneath the eglu. This retails at £10 per panel. I also would recommend not to put any bricks on the run skirt. If the run needs to be put down, please use run pegs." May be of use to others, I suppose. Not good about the lack of BHWT donations, though. Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgieB Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 I think they should supply the Eglu with the panels then if you need them to make it fox proof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisdog Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 I lost a chicken when a fox got into my run and Omlet were very helpful, excellent customer service, they apologised and replaced the broken run parts and sent me a new chicken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the oneill family Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Just let them out in the morning, unsupervised even though people where in the room closest to the garden. We have this overgrown allotment at the back of the garden and theres a hole in the fence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Sorry to hear that . How many chickens did you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the oneill family Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 2 so ones left by herself but might be getting ex-batts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucking mad woman Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 i'm now a very sad mum my ducks were attacked two weeks ago,one came out of it with a large bite.despite myself and my kids on guard duty .the fox managed to get all three of my beautiful buff orps.then a rabbit.to top it off three nights ago the ducks woke me up and there was the fox trotting round my garden with another of my rabbits .despite it being locked up in it's eglu the fox managed to pry the wire door open. now the remaining rabbit and ducks will have to be shut in their house at night which they hate to keep them safe the fox came in over the row of garages and managed to go out over a six foot fence i hate the silence in my garden as my girls used to chatter all the time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucking mad woman Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Frequent Layer Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 7:24 pm Posts: 217 Location: SE Wales I lost a chicken when a fox got into my run and Omlet were very helpful, excellent customer service, they apologised and replaced the broken run parts and sent me a new chicken i've just ordered a new door ,clips bolts shotgun off omlet and the woman did'nt even say sorry.all she said was i've never heard of that happening!not much comfort/help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisdog Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Sorry to hear that; it might be worth emailing James directly about this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgieB Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Our hens free range all day and we have been lucky so far in that we haven't had any fox attacks. But after reading all the posts on here I decided to purchase an Electric Poultry netting Anti Fox Kit. Link below if anyone is interested- http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320388130584QQssPageNameZMERC_VIC_RCRX_Pr2_PcY_BIN_IT&refitem=320380228910&itemcount=2&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&usedrule1=CrossSell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget&_trksid=p284.m183&_trkparms=algo%3DCRX%26its%3DS%252BI%26itu%3DUCI%252BSI%26otn%3D2 I know these things aren't cheap but I think they are worth the investment to know your hens are safe. I have wondered why more people don't buy these so their hens can free range all day. Seems a shame to keep them cooped up when you don't have to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisdog Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 We had one of these running at 7000 volts and the fox still got our duck from behind it, we do not know how But I think that is very unusual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
