TAJ Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 This morning (11.30 am) I went out and emptied the poo tray, collected eggs, checked food, etc and let the girls out into the Omlet netting. I was inside chatting to OH when Rye started Bork, Borking - I knew it wasn't an egg announcement as I had just taken the eggs so went to the dinning room to look out - what a shock! The Omlet is almost touching the house on the patio outside the dinning room - a fully grown fox was standing in the middle of the Omlet netted area about 1.5m from the Omlet, with the girls were on the grass in front of the fox - no more than 1m from them. As soon as I saw it I ran to open the door and shouted to OH. The fox just jumped over the omlet netting OH chased after it and it tried to get under the garden fence when it couldn't get through it just climbed over the 6ft wooden fence into the next garden. Luckily the girls looked completely untouched and I put them back in the run for the rest of the day. I think I am still in shock, we have never seen a fox in the garden and this was midday and if you saw how he just jumped over the netting and up over a 6ft fence you would certainly realise how easy a fox kill could be. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I'm so glad your girls are safe. IMO, if you have hens as pets then have a large enough run for them and then only free range them with supervision or an electric fence! sorry if this sounds harsh but I wonder how many warnings have to be posted before people realise that free ranging without sufficient safeguards is soooooooooooo risky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Oh heck. That was a close call. Supervised free ranging from now on. You find heaps to do in the garden. Am glad all is well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 blimey, I would have ran into the garden screaming like a banshee it if was me... Am amazed it jumped over the netting....was it "taught"? as the netting is quite high - im surprised it could elevate itself over the top from a standing position/without something to grip on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 yes but remember to put real shoes on my feet froze today in my crocks(with socks) & couldn't/ wouldn't leave them to get shoes the thoughtof a fox getting my girls makes me feel ill. As poet says , so many fox posts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I'm glad it was a close shave and not a tragedy . You'll need to be extra vigilant now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poachedegg Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Phew! That was close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Glad you were just shocked and made it in time to save your girls. Mine only ever have supervised free-ranging since I lost a hen about 18 months ago. Sadly, we all seem to learn the hard way before we realise just how easy it is for a fox attack to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Glad everything turned out ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAZAROO Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 blimey, I would have ran into the garden screaming like a banshee it if was me... Am amazed it jumped over the netting....was it "taught"? as the netting is quite high - im surprised it could elevate itself over the top from a standing position/without something to grip on... One leap and he can be straight over a 6 ft fence.... Caught one in the yard the other morning- my dog was going crazy; he scaled the fence as she ran out the door Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 I'm so glad your girls are safe. IMO, if you have hens as pets then have a large enough run for them and then only free range them with supervision or an electric fence! sorry if this sounds harsh but I wonder how many warnings have to be posted before people realise that free ranging without sufficient safeguards is soooooooooooo risky! They were not completetly 'free' as they were inside the omlet netting. They only ever go out in that when I am in hearing distance of them, otherwise they are safe inside their run. They have happily done this for 11 months with no problem, but now they will have to be under closer supervision if out. Our house is on an estate that backs onto farm land, so whilst we see foxes at a distance in the fields they do not usually venture into our garden unlike urban foxes - this is the first fox we have seen in our garden in 10 years. The girls were not happy when I took the extra step of locking the Omlet door tonight, so no early rise for them tomorrow into the run. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy chickens! Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 It's not an easy decision is it? I thought my girls would live happily in the run and cube, but now have seen them free ranging and how natural they look.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 .... this is the first fox we have seen in our garden in 10 years. we've never seen a fox in our garden but after reading so many warnings on here, we decided from the outset that we'd have a large run and supervised free ranging. Becaue our original girls were/are ex batts we decided that even if we had to keep them in the run most of the time, that it was far batter than where they had come from, so there was no feelings of guilt on our part. I know some people feel guilty for keeping them in a run but personally, I'd feel far more guilty if something happened to them. It's individual choice but I would never let mine out unless I was with them as I've read too many horror stories on here I'm glad yours wasn't one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I think that keeping the hens inside a pen made from Omlet netting is probably less safe than letting them free-range in the garden. Unless the netting is electrified, the fox can get in easily. But the hens cannot get out, so it has a good chance of killing them all. Please everyone reading this topic take note. No one sees a fox in their garden until it comes for the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Probably best to be aware that even with closely supervised free-ranging, there are no guarauntees of safety. The fox is a darned sight quicker than most of us and remember that Tiggy had a hen taken from right under her nose when she was in the garden with her girls. The fox's mating season is upon us ....you are likely to hear blood curdling screams at night. The police often receive 999 calls at this time of year from concerned residents reporting a murder. Cubs are born around early March, and that, in particular, is the danger time for hens as the hungry vixen will take the easiest option when it comes to hunting. Vigilance, balanced with what you consider to be an acceptable risk for your hens is the way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 After having exactly the same experience as TAJ yesterday (details on another thread) my chickens have been confined to their run. This morning the fox was back he/she spent ages in the garden, drinking from the pond and just sitting and staring at my run I was mesmorised and tried to take some pics. but he/she blended in with the shrubs too well. So the party is over for my girls, no more freeranging unless somebody is out with them, and in this weather that is not going to happen very often I have a foxwatch which is mains connected and is working. Be careful everyone, it just isn't worth the risk. Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 My goodness TAJ, you were so lucky the fox didn't make a grab for one of yor girls. I'm afraid that now he/she knows you have chickens it will be back. Unelectrified netting is only good for keeping chickens off any parts of your garden you wish to keep intact. Foxes have no problem in jumping 4ft netting from a standing start. However, what they do first is test the netting (usually with their noses) and if it is electrified they will back off pretty quickly - if not they will take advantage of the situation. That's why if you have electric fencing you must keep it on 24/7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
