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[Chucky Mama]

Sorry if this has been asked a 1000 times already but am worried about recent fox attacks in the village (none in eglus). Has anyone had a fox get into a cube run? Our garden is not easy to get into but I am worried about the prospect of a fox being able to dig in during the night. The run is pegged down with tent pegs. Am currently making sure that the girls are shut in to the house during the night but have previously been leaving it open slightly so that they can let themselves out in the morning.

[Guest]

HI

I dont know if the fox has ever got into a cube run but if the soil or earth is soft enough I could see that a keen fox would be able to dig a hole. It would take it some time but is possible.

 

Am sure with all the safety checks ie securing the chickens in and not leaving them out alone thats pretty much all you can do.

 

I am constantly filling in a fox hole in my field with horse manure and it is always digging it back out again ..fox makes a pretty good digger..I am now going to put some bricks down it.

 

But definitely shut the chickens in at night. I am amazed that people dont! Thats why they have a house with a door to shut them in. Unless they are on a completely concreted jungle of a wir?

Good luck

indie

[Bald Carl]

Hi Chucky Manma,

I lost a chicken this morning from an eglu cube run. I do still think they are fox proof though. The fox tried to dig in (evidence can be seen at base of the run) but it ended up dragging a young, 8 week old bantam through the run at the back where the thin gap is for the lever which raises the cube up on the wheels. I would defintely reccomend shutting your chicks away at night though.

 

I still think the eglu/run combination is pretty secure combination. I may improve on it by putting paving slabs around the outside and zip tie some wood to the thin gap to prevent a chicken sticking it's head through.

 

A fox will constantly try to get in to any chicken house/run combination. I attached some blue plastic membrane (what builders use) to the top of the run to waterproof the run. I now have several sets of teeth prints in this where the fox has tried to get in. It has never got into the run yet but I will improve it's security now.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

[Olly]

There are a very few reported cases of a fox getting into an Eglu run, mostly it seems to be that as Carl describes, the fox has managed to injure a chicken through the run.

If it's pegged down and it's on firm soil then I think the chances of a fox getting into the run are very low.

 

The Cube/Eglu is foxproof if it is closed. Personally I leave the door open because I think the risk of a fox getting into the run itself is very low, and it is outweighed by the logistical difficulties for me of closing/opening the door at the appropriate times at night and morning. It's a personal choice.

[Chucky Mama]

Thanks it is is helpful hearing your stories and I will take this on board.

[Sarahw12]

I had a hen bitten and seriously hurt last week by a fox grabbing her through the mesh and then trying to pull her out through it. It didn't get in, but it was a near-fatal injury, and I've had a big vet's bill to pay as well as the distress.

 

I would agree that you should definitely shut them in at night, and/or zip tie some smaller gauge mesh over the weld mesh.

[Chucky Mama]

I have taken the safe option of shutting them in at night, plus they are quieter in the morning . When we are on holiday however and the people looking after them may be letting them out much later in the morning, I may well take your advise and put some finer mess around the run. Thanks for the tip.

[Gallina]

I have had a hen killed through the mesh of the small Eglu run, but feel that the Cube run is much safer, because the fox cannot lie on top of it and swipe.

 

No fox has ever yet dug under the skirt of my runs, even though I have very light soil and probably do not have it weighed down enough.