Poorly chicken

[sari]

Hello....as the title say.. does anyone let their hens out Fring when they are work? I am out from 8.30 til 3.40.....and they FR from then until bed time. They were so eager to be out to day, they had a mad 2 minutes running around the garden, made me feel really guilty We are building a walk in run as I type.....but wondered if any one did FR all day, when they aren't around. Just want to gauge opinion......I have seen foxes at night at the front of the house, about 3 years ago, but not for some time. So is it worth the risk? I live in a semi rural area...my garden in bordered by privet hedging, reinforced with chicken wire, because of the dog...and a deep brrok at the bottom, with a meadow opposite, and normal urban street out front....and there are no gaps. I know foxes can bite through wire etc...just wanted to test the water, and see what you all do!

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Sari x x x

[MummyHen]

Mine FR all day but I'm at home working, my office doesn't overlook the garden so can't see them but can hear if there's a problem. I wouldn't leave them out and go to work or shopping etc even for 2mins. I live in an urban built up area I do see foxes in the road but not for sometime and never in the garden.

 

>>>> Edit

I should add that now the evenings are drawing in mine are back in the WIR by 5.30 and it'll get earlier as the days get shorter. Also food will gets sp"Ooops, word censored!"r as winter approaches for foxes and if they know an easy meal is available ...... need I say more.

[C&T]

Ours are in the run when we are out. That way I know that they're safe, and I know that they are fine as the run is plenty big enough, and they have food, water etc.

 

They attempt the guilty thing - but even if we are at home, they are not normally let out before 2 or 3 (in the summer) anyway - garden preservation!.

[mrswalton]

My 3 freerange all day when I'm out at work. I kept them in at first but they seemed so bored and they love wandering around the garden. They had a year of being confined to a battery cage and Ihate the thought of keeping them shut in a small run.

 

I know there is a degree of risk but I equate it to letting my cats out at the risk of them being hit by a car or keeping them as house cats which I would never do.

 

X zoe x

[Egluntyne]

I don't ... because foxes are regular visitors to our garden.

 

They do play out when I am home though.

 

You have to weigh the risks in your own situation and base your decision on that. There is no right or wrong answer to this question.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I keep mine locked up when I'm at work (also 8.30 to 3.40!) but it's only 3 days so I don't feel so bad. They're out all day when I'm home but I don't watch them constantly. We've also seen foxes about but nowhere near our garden.

[Bexibex]

I let min FR all day. I work 9 til 5 but my partner often pops in and out of the house during the day if his work takes him nearby. I do worry about them and will hate myself if they ever do get taken by a fox but they hate being cooped up in their run and after their horrible life as battery hens, I want them to be as happy as possible. Having said that, after the awful start to their life I would it to end in such a horrific manner as well so it's a tough call.

[sari]

I'm grateful for all the input. I am not sure what to do for the best. The walk inrun is about 8' x6' with a staging level which with have perches/ branches etc attached to it. I know this will be ok for them until I get home, but I reckon it won't be done until next weekend.....I think I'll have to be toughhearted til then

[karena]

I'm having the same dilemma. For the first month they stayed in their run with me umming and ahhing over different advice. Then I decided to let them out, as I wanted to have them mooching about, and they loved it so much that I now don't like keeping them cooped up. I'm quite lucky I can be around some of the time, but I do find when I am around I don't stand there watching, just check every now and then. The worst thing I have found so far is that they have made their way into the neighbour's garden. So it makes me wonder would they be OK if I wasn't here. In reality what would I do if I was? - I've seen tales of foxes attacking hens where people are there, so what difference would being there make? I also haven't seen any foxes, and there are often bin bags left out which don't get pulled apart so I wonder if there aren't (m)any around.

 

I like the cat analogy too.

[Plum]

I feel you should be consistent and they'll be happy so if you keep them in during the day that is the way they are happy to live. Mine are out when I am there but would never leave them when I'm out not only because of foxes but what about dogs? I feel happier since they have had a WIR and often they return there when they have the freedom of the garden.

[sari]

talking of cats, I was giving the hens a bit of scratch feed about 6ish, when the grey tabby from up the road ( who I found last week on top of the guinea pig run) appeared from nowhere and jumped at Florence, the Leghorn. Well Florence did the loudest BokKurk!!!! and flew up t it and chased it down the garden with the others in hot pursuit.....I threw a small windfall at its general direction....then killed myself laughing as the girls bokboked themselves silly up and down the fence where it had gone....I think this means I won't FR them when I'm at work...but know that the girls can hold their own against a cat....

[Charlottechicken]

I wouldn't risk it to be honest. I've had too many cat incidents lately Unfortunately, mine just run in the opposite direction and make an awful lot of noise, and Lola does her VTOL trick (Vertical take off and landing) and lands on whatever is the highest point around. I also know that 10 or 12 years ago we did have foxes visit our gardens around here, so no chances being taken here.

[coco]

I only let mine out of the run if I'm around although I will leave them to FR if I go out with the dogs or nip to the shop.

Chickens get used to routine. I can open the run door in the morning and they make no attempt to come out but as soon as I come home from work they are clamouring at the run door.

[Janty]

My pekins are out all the time when we are at work. I have three separate groups and have been letting one group out each day to get them used to each other. For the last two weeks they have all been out together mingling. However, we have no reason to suspect dangers in the garden.

[migsy]

I think it is a very personal decision. Yes they will be safe if you keep them in a run during the day but their life will be more interesting if they are outside. Only you can decide what weight you give to the issues of safety, risk and enjoyment. I suppose a lot of it is how you think you would react if a fox took any of them.

[sari]

Thankyou for all your comments and advice....I'm taking it all under consideration, as the politicians say, and will mull it over in bed in the wee small hours....

[Olly]

As Egluntyne says, you have to weigh up the risks and make a decision. I would however comment that the fact that you haven't seen a fox does NOT mean there is not one around. They are prevalent in urban areas and I would be very surprised if there wasn't one somewhere around you. She/he will already know that there are chickens living in your garden - they have much better hearing and sense of smell than humans. For many people the first time they know there is a fox is when their hens or bunnies are taken.

 

It's your decision, and as said above many people feel that for battery hens their freedom is the most important thing; just don't start your decision from a false premise, namely that there are no foxes around.

[jackie45]

My girls FR everyday and have done since the first three came.I live in the country and haven't seen a fox for about 20 years in the garden.We have redone the fences over the past few years.They have escaped a couple of times but our next door neighbour was on hand to get them back. One problem with FR is laying in inaccessible places. I had an e-mail tonight from my daughter (I am in Colorado) that she had found 11 eggs in a little nest.

Jackie

[Chucky Mama]

Mine free range all day every day. I am at home most of the time and so can see and hear most things going on in the garden. I also have a dog that is in and out. We are in a very rural area and so foxes so far tend to be more fearful than their cousins in the town. We have had dawn and dusk fox attacks in the village during the cub season but access to our walled garden whilst not impossible would take some doing. DD has forgotten to shut the girls up 3 times and thankfully each time they have been fine. Of course I am under no illusions that one day we may get caught out but I have weighed up the chances and it is risk that I feel is worth taking.

[MarkBevBen]

I think as others have said, it's a very personal decision depending on your own schedule and situation, where you live and everything. There seems to be no right or wrong answer.

 

We live in a town/country situation and our garden is fully enclosed. I wouldn't let our girls out in the garden whilst we're out at work as I'd be worried what could happen as we work a good hour or so away - even though they'd probably be fine.

 

I think also because we lost one of our girls the other week I'm even more precautious too.

 

I have noticed as well that when we open the run door, the girls often potter in and around the run so they do seem to like it there

[Dolly]

I couple of weeks ago I would have told you we are happy to let ours FR while away for a few hours but not any more. Last weekend our neighbour who also has 3 hens, asked if we'd seen 'the fox' in our garden recently, as he had. In the 2 years we've had our girls I've never seen a fox here (we are semi-rural) and up until now I think we've been lucky. So from now on they'll only FR when someone is around - if anything happened to them I'd be devastated, but as everyone else had said, you need to do what feels right for you and your girls.

[chicken bark]

That's why I went down the electric fence route. Didn't want them to be cooped up but wanted to make them as safe as possible too.

 

I've done the same thing for my cats too - ended up living in a place as far from roads as I can get. Just got to worry about farmers accidentally shooting them, or them eating rat poison now...

 

If electric fencing is not possible then you have to decide if a short free life is better than a cooped up safe one. I don't know the answer.

[sari]

Thankyou for all your input......I think once the WIR is finished I'll feel better. I hadn't realised quite how small the run is once the ch0oks are in there. I have got all sort of enrichment things in there..but its too small, and will go on ebay once the WIR is done ( this weekend fingers crossed). I know there has been a fox around here historically, so it may come back...I'll think they'll be fine until the weekend..... Thanks again for all the input x x x x

[whoopsie]

I'm looking forward to our WIR. We get our new girls in October and I don't want them all shut in the Omlet run even though it has an extension. OH is scared of them being totally free in case of Mr and Mrs Fox but I guess we'll assess that one later.

[cathybc]

I only let mine do this in the REALLY hot weather (not this year then!), otherwise just when I am in, although I must admit I do leave them out if I just pop to the shops. But I have never seen any foxes. As Egluntyne and Olly say, it is all down to personal circumstances and risk assessment! (can't you tell I work in compliance ! )