Chicken bald back

[The Dogmother]

Glad to hear that they are much better this am Michelle.

 

Have a look at the run inspirations sticky - your lovely OH might like to build a big walk in run for your girls so that they can safely be out all day. Emma (theherd) has a lovely one.

 

I come down past your way to see my folks in Herts, so will give you a shout next time I am passing. Take care of your babies.

[The Brown Clan]

Only just read this post , and am sooo sorry for you and your Chickens,

glad to hear they are a bit better this morning .

 

Foxes make me

[Olly]

so sorry ... only just read this, can't add anything to the advice but wanted to say don't blame yourself - until something like this happens, you don't know what the risk is.

 

I do recommend a Foxwatch as a deterrent - not as an absolute prevention. Hope they continue to recover well.

[Yasmin]

Hi Michelle,

 

Really sorry about your chooks - it's so upsetting to lose them like this. I do hope your injured ones will pull through ok.

 

Maybe you can consider some electrified netting for the future to keep the fox out...I don't know how effective it is. I lost one of my hen's Freda to a feral cat 2 weeks ago.

 

As for wounds and injuries - I use a anti bacterial vet spray aerosol and that causes the least stress for application and gets right into any wound.

[Chickvic]

Sorry to hear your news but glad they are a little better today!

[dogs and chickens]

The chook in the garage laid an egg this afternoon having spent about 3 hours opening and closeing her vent ! Bless her! She has now been joined by another chook who is in a bad way this evening. Lavender is standing on only one leg and is very poorly .

 

The vet has been out to them today. They have all had AB and also have purple spray! The vet had offered to apply the spray but I declined as his bill was already HUGE! However hubby and I have just spent an hour doing this ! Hope they all look a little happier tomorrow. I think they feel really stressed having all been picked on and handled i sore places - bless them!

 

Hubby is sat up the garden again this evening having not seen the fox last night.

 

What a day!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'm glad the vet's seen them - hopefully the antib's will work soon.

 

Fingers crossed for them all.

[chelsea]

yes, I really hope they pull through. They were strong enough to survive the clutches of the fox so they simply must get well and be happy chooks once again.

[Cyber Chook]

Hi Michelle,

I've been weaning myself off from the forum (too many other things to do, and can't resist reading just one more posting...), so I've only just found yours.

 

I'm so sorry to read about what happened, I can't imagine how awful it must be to have to deal with something like this, and no wonder you were crying. What a shock. I really hope that your girls are recovering from the trauma, and you too. As has been suggested already, the homoeopathic remedy Aconite is good for shock.

 

I don't know if this will make any difference to how you are feeling at this point, but having read your post it has shocked me into realising how complacent I've become with my girls, and maybe sharing your experience will help save others from a similar fate, so thank you for that.

 

I've even started letting them stay out in their Omlet netting run when I go out for a short while, because I feel sorry for them locked up in their Cube run - well, I won't be doing that any more. I think I've been incredibly lucky not to have had the same experience as you - we do have foxes around here. What can we do? Having read your story, I think I will have to invest in a run extension (so expensive, Omlet! ), and be much stricter about only letting them out when I'm in the garden.

 

I can understand how guilty you're feeling. The thing is, Michelle, it surely could have happened at any moment. The fox was probably casing the joint for a while, waiting for an opportunity, and there would always be a time for any of us here where we nip inside for a few minutes and leave the girls happily pottering about, destroying the flower beds to their heart's content.

 

Sending a big hug

 

Caroline

[dogs and chickens]

Thanks Caroline, really nice of you. Your right of course no one can watch there chooks 24/7.

 

We have had 6 eggs today I didnot expect to get any. We had 7 yesterday but I just figured that they were eggs alreay in the system. My are great they are still laying at 8a.m in the morning I did have a chat with them though and tell them they were allowed a break!

 

I agree that the run extensions are really expensive. That will be my prefered thing to do, get a couple more of those, then never let the girls out again.

 

However my Dad showed up yesterday with all the electric fencing (have I said this already?) but I'm still unsure how I feel about letting them out in that. It's much to early days to decide I think ?

 

They are all pottering about happily this afternoon, even the garage girls are looking better. The AB have clearly taken effect.

 

Michelle

[The Dogmother]

That's good news Michelle

[Jules.]

I'm glad that things are improving. I'm taking a big risk at the moment as my girls don't have a run- it's being made & should hopefully be up by the weekend. I know what you mean about thinking that your girls are cooped up in their run, & when I had my eglu I would quite happily leave them out of it on my days off. My girls are behind omlet netting ( not electrified).

You must have been on my mind on Tuesday night, as I had a really vivid dream about foxes prowling around my cube at night, so much so that I had to get up to check ( at 4.45am) & then couldn't get back to sleep.

[Cyber Chook]

I'm glad your girls seem to have settled better than you might have been expecting - hope you'll be able to do the same soon.

 

I think that sounds like a good idea, to give yourself time to get over this and think through the best options to make them safer. I have to say that I looked over my set-up this evening and got a bit tangled up in my thinking, whether to build a walk-in run and never let them out, only let them out while I'm in the garden (but will I put them away every time I have to nip indoors? I don't think so), keep them in their Omlet run but buy an extension (still doesn't seem big enough or interesting enough to keep them busy and happy)... I was planning on seeing them through four seasons to see how things are at different times of the year, before making any major/expensive decisions, and I think that's what I'll do.

 

Hope you get a good rest after your traumatic day and that tomorrow's better for all concerned.

 

Caroline

[Janepie33]

I am so sorry to hear about your fox attack. Don't blame yourself, it happens so quickly and it is so difficult to prevent.

One of our girls got bitten by a fox and we took her to the vet to be sewn up (she even laid an egg at the vet!) and now she is absolutely fine - apart from a small bald patch on her back.

When another ofour girls died suddenly last year, my husband dug a hole 3 - 4 feet deep and we burried her (although I read on an earlier thread that this is totally illegal). Nothing ever came and dug her up.

[dogs and chickens]

Morning all!

 

All the chooks are now happily back together in the cube run, they were all so happy to see one another, I wondered if they thought each other dead !

 

Over this weekend we have put up an electric fence round the chooks. We know it works really well, as our dog who never makes a fuss about anything touched it and cryed . So it has some power in it!

 

Anyway my Dad said that the fox has got used to jumping the fence and therefore it would not work as even if he clipped the top as he jumoed over his feet would not be on the ground therefore no shock ? He suggested we put a double layer of netting round the chooks for added safety, thereby making the fox have to jump a double barrier round them. We thought this a good idea, so that is what we decided to do. However we have run out of fenceing 1 and half times round. . I know when I last ordered this it took 2 weeks to arrive, so my questions is:

 

If you have electric fencing or know someone that does, how affective have you found it against the fox? and do you have a double layer? And do you think a double layer is a good idea?

 

I don't mind buying more fencing (we don't really have the money at present - but if the chooks need the chooks get ) but don't want to spend the money needlessly.

 

My other question is, if it were you would you let your chooks free range again, or would you buy another extension for the cube run and move it daily or however often to fresh grass within the electric fence?

 

Thanks all

 

looking forward to your thought's on this one!

 

Michelle

[dogs and chickens]

Forgot to add, has anyone else found that the electric fence has killed off slugs and worms ?

 

I had never realised it could do this This morning we went up to check all was well and found about 6 dead slugs and 1 dead worm by the electric fence! One slug went over it while I was there and hubby picked it up to give to the chooks but before he got to the run it had died ! Is this normal? I was quite stressed by it!

[..lay a little egg for me]

Hi D&G

 

I have never yet seen a fox in the garden or near the chooks so I really don't know how effective the fence is, however, one of my neighbours has been steadily losing her chooks, possibly to foxes, so I have to assume they are around. I have heard that the fox will test the fence at the bottom before jumping over, but whether this applies once he is used to jumping the fence I don't know. Our electric fence is a bit too close to the fence around the paddock, and I know a fox could climb the wooden fence and then jump over the electric but I am hoping he will sniff around the bottom of the netting first and get a shock. I have not got a double layer. So far, we let ours out to free range all day more or less unsupervised (we are usually in the house which is out of earshot of the chooks unless they were making an almighty racket - I do occasionally hear Rosie proclaiming about an egg, but not always).

 

I have read on the internet that electric fencing is the only sure-fire way of protecting against the fox...our local farm shop has a flock of about, ooh, I'd say, 50 chooks, that free range behind electric fencing and the owner reckons that the fox comes to check out the fencing about 3 times a night, but he has never got in (I have no idea what the chap is basing this assertin on though!!).

 

Re the slugs, I've never seen this at all. As the bottom wire is not electrified (on ours anyway) I guess the slugs crawl under the wire OK. You do need to make sure that the electrified wires are not touching any grass or other vegetation as it will lower the power of the fence.

 

If I were you...hmmm...I think that once the fox has had a shock he will keep clear. Could you use the double layer around the section that appears most vulnerable? I mean is there a side that you think he is more likely to jump over without checking the fence first?

[Bondinho]

Foxes don't jump fences as such - they scramble over them so as soon as the fox begins his scramble at the bottom of the fence he will get a nice little shock. So you should be fine with just the single layer of fencing

 

Glad to hear all your chooks are getting better.

[MedusA]

I'm so sorry, D&C, I've not been on the forum much lately and only just seen your post! Please accept my virtual hugs to add to the rest.

 

I have great symapthies as I lost one of my two girls to a fox last year, while they were free-ranging in the garden. Not on the same scale, I know, but still distressing. We had not seen any foxes around for years!

 

I have built my flock up from my one surviving hen (she was bitten and had wounds and lost feathers and had to have antibiotics - but recovered fully) to seven now. I spent some time building them a big, fully enclosed walk-in run, and they spend all their time in there "free-ranging". They only come out in the garden very rarely. After the fox attack, it kept coming back, so my girls were only allowed out when I was physically in the garden to protect them. I know it's a pain, but personal vigilance is the ONLY sure way to protect them.

 

Personally, I did bury my dead hen. Very deep. Then we planted an apple tree over her grave.

 

I do hope your injured girls all survive. You have done the right thing getting the vet to give them antibiotics. I know they will be all the more precious to you for their bravery. Brave little chooks.

 

Big hugs.

[Gamebird]

Morning Michelle

 

A fox took one of my chickens but my dog scared it off and the chicken came home 2 hours later unhurt!

 

However, this scare made me decide that the only way the girls could free range safely was behind electric fencing. I have not had any problems since.

 

I have a single enclosure of electric fencing and my chickens free range all day without me having to watch them the whole time. I am surrounded by woodland and there are at least 3 foxes who make regular visits to my garden but they stay well away from the enclosure. I suspect they have been stung and have decided it is not worth it.

 

My friend's dog went too close and the noise she made just showed how effective the fencing is. She now won't even look at the chickens let alone go near the fence.

 

Foxes usually test a netting fence before they jump it. One sniff is all it takes to get a shock and he will back off.

 

However, I can understand your anxiety. I would keep the fence electrified at all times but for the first week keep the chickens in their inner run just to give the fox time to get the message.

 

Anything that touches the fence from ground level will get a shock although the bottom row cannot be electrified so I can't imagine a slug being killed unless the 2nd row of fencing is touching the ground. However, the chickens can get a shock but they only touch it once! Mine have touched it and now they have learnt not to go close to the netting. They are not stressed by this but happy to free range.

 

There is another similar topic on electric fencing you might find useul *here* if you haven't read it already.

[dogs and chickens]

Really confused now re the slug thing! It's the Omlet netting that I have, I think the bottom is electrified It's the bottom they are slithering over anyway Not sure I can do much about this if that's how the fence is set up (as in when made!) The fence does not really trail on the ground as it is so well tensioned with wooden posts at the corners. It's not on the flattest ground so in two places it is closer to the ground than maybe it should be, but we have a fence tester, which rates it's affectiveness between 1 and 10 and in the places tested (all four sides) it rates it a 10 - so clearly it's working well, but worried if it should not be killing the slugs Not that as a gardener I mind, but really bothered by worms being killed though . Oh dear more things to worry about. Also if the slugs have died and the chooks eat them will it matter?

 

Thanks so much

 

Michelle

[..lay a little egg for me]

Really confused now re the slug thing! It's the Omlet netting that I have, I think the bottom is electrified It's the bottom they are slithering over anyway Not sure I can do much about this if that's how the fence is set up (as in when made!)

You could cut the connections to the bottom wire if you need to...just cut it where the power comes in. Check with your fence tester whether the bottom wire is electrified. The same wire is used but is not connected on mine (so it looks the same). The bottom rows are pretty close together so it does not stop the fence being effective but stops it losing power to the ground. So the first electrified wire is about 3 inches up from the ground.

 

The fence does not really trail on the ground as it is so well tensioned with wooden posts at the corners.

Have you used insulators to stop the wires touching the posts? In wet weather the current can short through the wooden posts. I should check the current on a rainy day...today would be good

 

It's not on the flattest ground so in two places it is closer to the ground than maybe it should be, but we have a fence tester, which rates it's affectiveness between 1 and 10 and in the places tested (all four sides) it rates it a 10 - so clearly it's working well, but worried if it should not be killing the slugs

I always check each wire individually at the furthest point from where the sender is attached.

 

Not that as a gardener I mind, but really bothered by worms being killed though . Oh dear more things to worry about. Also if the slugs have died and the chooks eat them will it matter?

I wouldn't have thought so!

 

Thanks so much

 

Michelle

[dogs and chickens]

Really confused now re the slug thing! It's the Omlet netting that I have, I think the bottom is electrified It's the bottom they are slithering over anyway Not sure I can do much about this if that's how the fence is set up (as in when made!)

You could cut the connections to the bottom wire if you need to...just cut it where the power comes in. Check with your fence tester whether the bottom wire is electrified. The same wire is used but is not connected on mine (so it looks the same). The bottom rows are pretty close together so it does not stop the fence being effective but stops it losing power to the ground. So the first electrified wire is about 3 inches up from the ground.

 

I will have a close look at this, I have several sets of the Omlet netting, so will have to check each set. If it's not electric, I am unsure why why the slugs killed I am unable to check the bottom row of the fence with the tester as, the tester hangs on the fence and would not work on the ground level wire. I will have to look at the connection.

 

The fence does not really trail on the ground as it is so well tensioned with wooden posts at the corners.

Have you used insulators to stop the wires touching the posts? In wet weather the current can short through the wooden posts. I should check the current on a rainy day...today would be good

I had not even thought of this Thanks so much will be checking, in fact just tryed and need a new battery in the tester so will have to wait till later.

 

It's not on the flattest ground so in two places it is closer to the ground than maybe it should be, but we have a fence tester, which rates it's affectiveness between 1 and 10 and in the places tested (all four sides) it rates it a 10 - so clearly it's working well, but worried if it should not be killing the slugs

I always check each wire individually at the furthest point from where the sender is attached.

I will give that a go.

 

Not that as a gardener I mind, but really bothered by worms being killed though . Oh dear more things to worry about. Also if the slugs have died and the chooks eat them will it matter?

I wouldn't have thought so!

Thats' good then, just being a worried chook Mummy.

 

Thanks so much for your very detailed reply.

 

I have ordered another section for the cube run, so if they have to be shut in like now, they will have more room, which is always a good thing. Although I am moving the cube every day at the moment.

 

Another question, Was thinking about putting the cube in one place and putting Hemcore in the run to save the ground a bit. What do others use round the cube/eglu run to stop them sending it all flying out while scratching is going on? Also how often do you then need to replace the hemcore?

 

Thanks

 

Michelle

[..lay a little egg for me]

Hi again

 

If the conncetions are not clear, you could try to pull the posts up a bit so the bottom wire is clear of the ground, test it and then push them back in?

 

Can't answer your hemcore Q though as I move the house every week and the ground, so far, is OK. I do have to mow the inside of the fenced area every so often though as the grass is growing faster than they can eat it (not sure how the winter will go though...).

[dogs and chickens]

Hi again

 

If the conncetions are not clear, you could try to pull the posts up a bit so the bottom wire is clear of the ground, test it and then push them back in?

 

Can't answer your hemcore Q though as I move the house every week and the ground, so far, is OK. I do have to mow the inside of the fenced area every so often though as the grass is growing faster than they can eat it (not sure how the winter will go though...).

 

I will try that then!

 

Mine will be on my veg patch all winter so will not have to worry about the ground then, (Also I'm really hopeful the chooks will eat all the slug eggs and other nasty's from the veg bed, also leave it well fertalised !)

 

Bit worried about the mowing of the grass inside the fence, maybe strimming it will work .

 

M