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[CallyChook]

Hi, I was thinking about getting a foxwatch and was wondering about the practicality of the set up - does it recognise the hens as not foxes, or do you put it facing right out of your chicken area? if so, I would need three units to cover my ranging area as it has fields on three sides, despite being no longer than 20m. If not, I can put it against the house facing outwards and should be covered. Not sure I can afford the £165+ for three units!!!

 

thanks for the advice.

[Sheilaz]

It won't bother the hens, you only need to consider the foxes when positioning Foxwatches.

 

I'm really pleased with my 2 as a definite deterrent, they do work as the fox visits the garden but stays away from the run. As said, they will go past it if they think they have a chance, so not foxproof, but a great deterrent. Good luck!

[Gelbel]

I've got one and it does work (we had a 'calling card' left when we did not use it for a few weeks) - but I can't get it on the mains due to where I need to site it. It eats batteries so I've stopped again.

 

I honestly believe the DH 'watering' the borders of our garden works as well - and I've seen a fox cross the road to avoid our house. The DH does this most days - strictly rotating where he 'waters'.

 

However, when we go on holiday I will go back to the Foxwatch for the duration.

[bessy190]

hi

 

i have chickens that are 3 months, and chicks of 6 weeks. the chickens although they have a huge run/pen i let the free range from 10 am to 5 pm. they just love being out in the garden. im going to buy a fox watch after reading recent reviews, im going to be heartbroken if i loose any of them[i have ducks also]

 

please tell me what is DH WATERING ???? i read also as gross as it is that a mans wee is a good repellent ?

 

anyone had a bad experience letting their chickens free range ? is it advisable ?

 

julie x

[CallyChook]

hi

 

please tell me what is DH WATERING ???? i read also as gross as it is that a mans wee is a good repellent ?

 

julie x

 

 

I think Gelbel is indicating that her other half waters the garden directly with man wee... without wanting to sound rude.

 

I keep trying to get hubby to do it but he says what if anyone sees (we live with my aunt). I'm a nurse and not easily grossed out so asked if he wouldnt do it directly, maybe he could use a bottle to go in and I would then sprinkle? This got a look of horror from hubby. I keep swearing to him that it's all in aid of my hens welfare!!

[Olly]

Julie, welcome to the forum. You ask if anyone has had a bad experience letting their hens freerange - I think if you look at the 'sticky' in Chickens on 'Fox attacks - what happened' that question will be answered. Hens love to poke about in the garden, and we all like to see them free-ranging but you are taking a risk every time they are out of the run, and that risk is something only you can decide on.

 

If you live in a rural area then you may be lucky - local foxes may not have a lot of human contact and may be a bit scared of coming too near the house. Urban foxes tend to be much bolder because they are used to people. Either way, a hungry fox will take a chance if they see a chicken dinner readily available. Please don't rely on the fact that you may never have seen a fox, unfortunately for many people they don't know that there is a fox around until they find out the hard way.

 

I have had a Foxwatch and it really helped to stop the fox using my garden as a regular pathway, and from hanging around the run staring at my hens and getting them upset. I would never rely on it as prevention though, it's just a deterrent. I choose to only let my hens out if I can be in the garden with them, and so they don't get a lot of free ranging time particularly in the winter, but I feel that's the safest solution. You have to decide based on your own situation, but don't underestimate the fox.

[migsy]

Does the wee have to be from a man? Is it practicalities or is men's stuff actually better?

[Sheilaz]

Does the wee have to be from a man? Is it practicalities or is men's stuff actually better?

 

Yes, it does have to be from a man.

Olly's post is great, so please remember a hungry fox will go past a deterrent if it sees an opportunity.

[Burtie14]

Totally agree with Olly.

 

On the one hand, I have a Foxwatch and it does seem to provide deterrent. We used to get foxes roaming our garden all the time before we even got chickens, and since getting the Foxwatch I think I've only seen one once - and he was sneaking on the far side of the garden, way out of danger.

 

I'm also more than happy to wee all around the garden. I guess I've been to enough festivals over the years that I've lost any sense of self-respect.

 

HOWEVER, I still only let the hens freerange if one of us is physically in the garden with them. I keep reminding myself how terrible I'd feel if something happened to the girls, and just because I haven't seen a foxy on 364 days of the year, it doesn't mean he won't turn up on the 365th day when my back is turned.

 

I don't want to seem like a prophet of doom! As I say, Foxwatch does seem effective but I don't want to find out otherwise the hard way.

[Lydia]

Yes absolutely right Burtie. I have a number of Foxwatches and they are an effective deterrent but only a deterrent.

 

Just a fortnight ago I was outside cleaning out the cube and an opportune fox came over the fence and into the garden. He or she got zapped by the nearest Foxwatch and legged it but, had any of our girls been up that end of the garden at the time, I have absolutely no doubt they'd have been grabbed.

 

Foxes are also very intelligent and work out where the Foxwatches will strike so you might need to move them around a bit. Foxwatches are good and useful but we always make sure one of us is in the garden at all times.

[gongladosh]

I agree with the above - I have a foxwatch - it's been very effective, I used to have to remove fox poo every other day from my garden, now it's every few months. It's not guaranteed to make your garden fox-proof (as the manual says, a persistent or DEAF (!) fox could get through.

 

I run mine from the mains rather than battery as I understand that - 1) it works over a longer range when running on mains (according to google) and 2) I don't have to worry if the batteries have run out. It's low voltage (about 3v or so) so is pretty safe.

 

Oh, and I also 'water the garden'. Best to do that under cover of darkness...