Wanted Please - Harrogate / York / Leeds area

[Chicktastic]

just read a post about leaving eglu doors open at night. The main concern seems to be foxes. I don't live in the country, I live in quite a busy Village/town.

 

I have 5 springer spaniels and a terrier so when I moved in to my house one of my first jobs was to make the outside area of the house Angel Proof!!! (She's the terrier) So that when the dogs were out of their run, they wouldn't get out of the garden.

 

I deem my garden "Angel Proof" so would it be fox proof???

 

I figure that if Angel cant get out, and believe me, she can get where water can't then the foxes cant get in???

 

Chooks are in a Go with run attatched at night.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I'd be wary of making that assumption . I think foxes are able to sort of climb/jump which dogs can't (at least mine can't ).

 

I've heard that 6ft fences don't necessarily keep them out. Are there things like sheds or garages outwith your garden that a fox could use to get in?

[sjp]

foxes can dig like you wouldn't belive we've got one on the allottment dug out about 4 barrow loads of soil and sand since just before Christmas and is still digging most of it in less than 2 weeks

[Stevie]

No such thing as a stupid question.

 

Dont underestimate the humble fox.Few weeks back i lost all my hens to one and it managed to scale a 7ft fence! They're not climbers like a cat,but sort of 'scrabble' their way over obstacles and will obviously use bins etc as a launching pad.I have since attached trellis to the top which adds height,but also makes it darn hard for anything to get over-a neighbous cat cant walk along it anymore so im confident it will stop a fox.

 

Although the Eglu is fox resistant-what one would do once inside garden is jump up & down on the coop to frighten the hens out where they're vunerable.Foxes are much smarter than some give them credit for.

[Lewis]

I don't think it necessarily means its fox proof - but would help

 

Could you get a shade/shower curtain to cover the Go run?

I think they'd be fine with the Go door open (to the run) overnight ... as long as its on slabs/concrete as well

 

I live in a town and always leave the eglu door open, always been fine ... until Saturday when the run door was open, FR'ing

[Olly]

Afraid I agree with the above - I bet your terrier couldn't climb a 6' fence, but a fox can - they are surprisingly agile. Also, urban foxes (and there will be one around you, I guarantee, even if you've never seen it) are much bolder than rural ones, because they are used to humans.

 

I wouldn't risk it.

[TAJ]

Having heard a noise and finding a fox in the middle of the netted area in the middle of my garden last year and when it saw me it just climbed up and over the 6 ft fence I would say terrier proof is not fox proof.

 

Tracy

[sandyhas3chucks]

they are agile enough to climb some trees, though not like cats.

And can get through a 3 inch gap.(if small )and

The hole in the wire that Archie and the gang have excavated through is three inches wide. The wire was opened and bent by us to get a camera inside. So these clever guys built a ten foot long tunnel and got all the earth out through a 3 inch gap. Its a good point to add all our british wildlife can get through a four inches gap.

[MrScruff]

Hi

No personal experience with foxes (keeps fingers crossed), but my neighbour asked me about the chickens today (soonish to arrive) and mentioned that they had a fox in their back garden the other night.

Security lights didn't scare it off, but the thing is all of our gardens are side by side and back onto similar gardens that all have a 5ft wall with about 2-3ft foot of trellis and climbers on top. Locked side gates etc.

They have no idea how it got in..or out, but am definitely glad I got the heavier duty wire mesh for the WIR

Ian

[MaggieMcHen]

foxes can climb most places a cat can - they will climb/jump using the plants. that is how they got my first hens - over a 6'+ fence whilst GS was snoozing on the back step - she woke up- but couldn't get over the other fence between the hens and the rest of the garden., so had to be satisfied with making a lot of noise to alert us.!

 

I do leave the door of my Cube/Eglu open at night both before and after WIR.