4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Eggstatic!]

Yesterday afternoon i had a massive shock , a fox the size of a small border collie was making a bee line for my girls. luckily they are all in a large walk in run and they did very well alerting us. I am just a bit worried now that if he comes back and frightens them to death. My question is can anyone let me know their opinion on fox watch please.

 

thanks in advance.

[Old Speckled Hen]

I have a foxwatch which goes on at night. I lost three chooks in a night raid last year and while I cannot say for certain that it has not been back I can say that I haven't seen any fox paw prints in the snow during this snowy spell.

[Larkspurs]

Having read a number of stories about fox attacks on the forums we bought one as a precaution, we are not taking any chances even though we have a six foot fence.

 

We feel its a must have..

 

Dave

[Guest]

I have one as well. There are plenty of urban foxes in our area as I have seen them marching up and down the road in the early evening. I am still taking great care of my chooks in this mating and cub season, but also have not seen footprints or faeces in the garden since I have had the Foxwatch.

[Eggstatic!]

Will definitely order one, tonight.I have been worried about them all day while i have been at work.

[Olly]

It's not an absolute guarantee, and I still won't let mine free-range unless I am out there in the garden. I am convinced it's deterred the fox from making a regular path through my garden, though.

[OwenLdn]

Hey guys,

 

Ive just bought the Foxwatch- even though my chickens will be kept in their house all the time unless im around to supervise them.

 

I was wondering whether you would suggest having the foxwatch on all day or just in the evenings on a timer?

 

I have 2 cats- which im hoping will not be affected by the foxwatch- ive heard it doesn't but would like to hear form people who actually have cats and a foxwatch.

 

Thanks for your help

Owen

[Tessa the Duchess]

Hi Owen. I would have the Foxwatch on 24hrs a day. I have one which is plugged into the mains in the shed. My cat does not seem to be affected by it. When I first got the Foxwatch I didn't see a fox for nearly a year, but during the really cold spell recently I saw a big fox in the garden in broad daylight on two occasions, so do not rely on it as a 100% deterent, you will still have to be vigilant for your girls to stay safe.

 

Tessa

[likeastar--x]

we have one, but problem is we bought it as an additional precautionary item aswell as other fox deterrents, so we dont know if its that which is keeping the fox away! However, we noticed recently that something bit through the wire so it no longer worked, and we havent seen a fox anyway.

 

if you have the money going, then its good to have as an extra, but it will never completely protect your chooks.

[sandyhas3chucks]

we have one, but problem is we bought it as an additional precautionary item aswell as other fox deterrents, so we dont know if its that which is keeping the fox away! However, we noticed recently that something bit through the wire so it no longer worked, and we havent seen a fox anyway.

 

if you have the money going, then its good to have as an extra, but it will never completely protect your chooks.

as you know to your sadness likeastar , that you don't always SEE the fox at all then it is too late.

any idea how long the wire has been bitten through or what might have done it, if you can you could put the wire through some cheap plastic pipe available from wicks. then it can't be bitten through.

[OwenLdn]

Are we sure that cats aren’t affected by the Foxwatch- its either that of my chooks are sure doing a good job of showing who is boss- she wont go near the pen!

 

Ive only set the Foxwatch to come on from 10pm to 7am - hopefully this should be ok- although ive heard that when foxes have cubs to feed they do get more bold and come out during the day.

[sandyhas3chucks]

yes.. from the posts on here you'd do well to just leave it on i would think.

[Suzy]

My ragdoll cats don't go out very often - only when I am with them and the foxwatch is on the whole time - and it doesn't seem to worry them at all. I know they have very astute hearing so it is not their ears.

 

Only thing I would say is don't believe the hype that a battery lasts for ages - mine got through a batter in a week. The mains cable is very long and means you can be sure that it is plugged in (providing nothing chews through it!)

 

My one is set up to go on as I do chicken run so I know it is on all the time as you hear it clicking away.

 

Touch wood, no foxes either....

[kayandrob]

Ok this might be a bit of a stupid question, but after reading this thread its got me a bit worried, I don't let my girls free range at all unless I am in the garden otherwise they are in their extended eglu run, but I am getting 3 ex batts at the weekend and we have just bought a wooden coop, should I be worried about a fox being able to get into it? xx

[mostin]

Are we sure that cats aren’t affected by the Foxwatch- its either that of my chooks are sure doing a good job of showing who is boss- she wont go near the pen!

 

Ive only set the Foxwatch to come on from 10pm to 7am - hopefully this should be ok- although ive heard that when foxes have cubs to feed they do get more bold and come out during the day.

 

I have my foxwatch plugged into the mains and have it on 24/7, we tested it on the cats by making them walk past it and set it off. They didn't even flick an ear so we knew the pitch of the noise didn't upset them.

 

The arrival of the girls however did upset them alot. My male cat Oscar was terrified of the chickens and wouldn't go into the back garden for the first 2 months we had the chickens . He would only use the front door, and go out as little as possible. Both cats have got over the shock now but keep a healthy distance from the girls, the chickens are definitely in charge though . My poor puddys .

[ted]

We had fox tracks in the snow leading to the pond in the cold snap but it was on the edge of foxwatch range. I dont fully rely on it.

Also the point on cubs out during the day is spot on. We had a couple playing in the garden last year. Somehow pre-bantam they were quite cute. Different story now...

[Henhathnofury]

We have two Foxwatches in the garden: one to oversee the Eglu and one to oversee the lawn. During the cold snap, I heard two foxes in the garden and saw them playing on my frozen pond. I knew that the girls were safe and locked in their Eglu, so I watched to see the behaviour of the foxes. They did not go anywhere in the stretch of the Foxwatch, implying to me that they may have been in the garden before and sussed out its range. They also did not go anywhere near the Eglu...a hungry fox would have done this as the whole garden would stink to them of chicken. I'm not sure if one of them suddenly set off the lawn Foxwatch but they freaked out and suddenly left.

 

We have the Foxwatch on mains - it is much much better than batteries and I believe that the signal is stronger. It might be worth moving the Foxwatch regularly so that the foxes, if they come at night, do not work out the range. They are clever.

 

The snow was quite a revelation, as it showed us where they came in (squeezed through a gap in the gate, now fixed) and how they behaved once in.....

 

Cats are not at all bothered by the Foxwatch. It's the chickens who scare them!

[ted]

 

We have the Foxwatch on mains - it is much much better than batteries and I believe that the signal is stronger. It might be worth moving the Foxwatch regularly so that the foxes, if they come at night, do not work out the range. They are clever.

 

That is interesting that (as I found) they may have the range sussed out and therefore I think that is an excellent idea to move the unit around...

 

What sort of range do you think you get on mains power? I think about 20-25ft on battery going by the fox tracks.

[sandyhas3chucks]

such a pity they effect dogs though, as I like my girl going out at night, hoping she is keeping foxes wary. can you reduce the range of fox watch?

Am thinking of getting one for Daytime use when we take dogs out.

Whilst safe in their run I would still like the added deterant!

[tidygirlsuk]

Ok this might be a bit of a stupid question, but after reading this thread its got me a bit worried, I don't let my girls free range at all unless I am in the garden otherwise they are in their extended eglu run, but I am getting 3 ex batts at the weekend and we have just bought a wooden coop, should I be worried about a fox being able to get into it? xx

 

 

I would just put an extra lock on it, because i've heard foxes can scratch open simple latches. I've got a shed type lock with padlock on mine. It keeps out small children too.

 

hope this helps.

 

Claire with

 

 

arrived 14/02/09

 

p.s are you the one with yellow poo post ?

[sandyhas3chucks]

Ok this might be a bit of a stupid question, but after reading this thread its got me a bit worried, I don't let my girls free range at all unless I am in the garden otherwise they are in their extended eglu run, but I am getting 3 ex batts at the weekend and we have just bought a wooden coop, should I be worried about a fox being able to get into it? xx

 

 

I would just put an extra lock on it, because i've heard foxes can scratch open simple latches. I've got a shed type lock with padlock on mine. It keeps out small children too.

 

hope this helps.

 

Claire with

 

 

arrived 14/02/09

 

p.s are you the one with yellow poo post ?

Sandy here I have vivid yellow but we think we know why, may not be good, fdor poor girl.

Re wooden I would also check that if you have overlap slats that none are loose as have read of them pulling out slats to get in. IOt will depend what type, also read of them opening those slidey uppy pop hole doors & getting in.