clarefm Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I only started keeping hens this summer and love them madly - I've already got 5 and am getting more this weekend. We built a pen, 6m by 6m, which is 6ft high and there is another 30cms of wire under the turf. So far I haven't seen hide nor hair of a fox, but with winter coming and food running scarce, who knows? Most days I let them free range around the whole garden, but have started clamping down whenever I go out for any length of time and already shut them into the pen if there's a chance I won't be home before dusk. (They sulk!) We are in a semi-rural location - last house on the lane, with open fields and woods to the side. I have occasionally seen a fox at night out on the main road, but never in the garden. I was thinking about getting a movement responsive security light, solar powered, that would point at the door to the hen house inside the pen, just in case a fox got in. I would hope the shock of a light coming on would scare him away. It would of course be helpful to have a light down there in winter anyway. Does anyone have any experience of using light as a deterrent? I've heard of Foxwatch, but reading some of the posts on here it seems it doesn't always work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 The only really effective way to deter foxes is an electric fence. Putting a roof on your chicken area would also work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 hi clare - I am currently checking out something called Niteguard, which lights up with red shiny eyes and is supposed to scare the foxes away... we are also hoping to get a solar panel on the run roof to trigger a light so that I can see when I go out at night. we've also got light up tent pegs (!) for the electric fence, so I'm hoping that any/all of these might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Is it possible to place an electric fence on uneven ground? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 hi migsy - yes it is, but you have to be careful about getting the fence taut enough between the posts. ours is on fairly uneven ground, and we bought some extra posts and lots and lots of metal tent pegs - so we add posts where we think it needs it (with corresponding extra guy ropes if reqd) and peg the bottom of the fence down between the posts. It is important to keep the bottom tight with the ground, and then not allow the next horizontal wire down to come into contact (else it shorts out), so the ideal thing is to mow the grass vvv short, or weedkill in the area of the fence, and then keep removing fallen leaves and other debris that blows in. I would not say an electric fence is 100% fox-proof, but it is a good solution if you maintain it properly, keep it tidy etc. having said that, we lost 4 girls this summer - the weather had been very dry, so the earth around the earth spike had dried out and thus lost power... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerlady Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Human male urine works well, get hubby/brothers to "oblige " around the perimeter of the fence..it works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve the Gas Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Are you taking the ............... Yep it does work imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkBevBen Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Human male urine works well, get hubby/brothers to "oblige " around the perimeter of the fence..it works! I noticed on our Omlet guide we got when our Eglu/girls arrived they say that too! Also a dog's scent is meant to help deter them as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerlady Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 It's worked for me..has to be a mans wee though..more hormones etc..we gotta do what we can to protect our girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkBevBen Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 It's worked for me..has to be a mans wee though..more hormones etc..we gotta do what we can to protect our girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Human male urine works well, get hubby/brothers to "oblige " around the perimeter of the fence..it works! I noticed on our Omlet guide we got when our Eglu/girls arrived they say that too! Also a dog's scent is meant to help deter them as well My Doctor has deterred me from eating Fish and Chips - but if I'm hungry enough and then I smell the vinegar .... A hungry fox with cubs to feed might be put off - but .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarefm Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 Blimey! I'll get all the male members of the family to do their duty for the safety of the girls then! (How often does it need doing?!) Aside from that, I like the idea of the little red eyes lights - perfect for Halloween too! I had considered electric fencing, but decided that a pen 6 ft tall (I heard foxes can't do more than 5 and a half) with the extra foot under the turf, would be as good. I'll look into it. How high does it have to be - isn't it just a wire that runs round,rather than an actual fence? In which case can't the foxes go over it? I'm going to try a solar powered security light anyway, since I can see the pen from the kitchen window. Should anything get into the pen I'll see it if I'm in the kitchen - at the moment its so dark out there anything might be happening and I'd be oblivious. Thanks for the ideas everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 wish my OH would oblige... however he has a theory that if he were to wee directly on the electric fence by mistake then he might possibly get an electric shock in a sensitive place. (might it be worth it for the girls' safety though??!! ) he's also concerned about getting an ASBO off the neighbours... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Sadly, I think there are people who will say their security lights are regularly triggered by foxes, so I'm not sure that would stop a fox. Spreading urine around may help, but like all these things it is only a deterrent. As said above, a hungry fox will overcome a lot of obstacles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 hi migsy - yes it is, but you have to be careful about getting the fence taut enough between the posts. ours is on fairly uneven ground, and we bought some extra posts and lots and lots of metal tent pegs - so we add posts where we think it needs it (with corresponding extra guy ropes if reqd) and peg the bottom of the fence down between the posts.It is important to keep the bottom tight with the ground, and then not allow the next horizontal wire down to come into contact (else it shorts out), so the ideal thing is to mow the grass vvv short, or weedkill in the area of the fence, and then keep removing fallen leaves and other debris that blows in. I would not say an electric fence is 100% fox-proof, but it is a good solution if you maintain it properly, keep it tidy etc. having said that, we lost 4 girls this summer - the weather had been very dry, so the earth around the earth spike had dried out and thus lost power... Thanks Beach Chick! I appreciate the advice. I just need to get the energiser. My Omlet netting doesn't even keep the chooks in at the moment as they just duck under it. Clever birds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerlady Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 Weeing around the fence should be only 1 barrier method..you should do others too, very high fencing in FR area, leccy fencing( if wanted) really just putting up every possible thing going to keep them as safe as possible. Another good one is human hair..if you have a friendly local hairdresser, Get some hair and put it in pop socks? I did that and placed them around the perimeter and it seems to have worked..i replace mine every few weeks My girls are on the back of a field that's bound to have lots of foxes..but touch wood..only ever seen one once... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 decided that a pen 6 ft tall (I heard foxes can't do more than 5 and a half) with the extra foot under the turf, would be as good. Foxes can scale 6ft no problem.... Especially if their is an easy dinner on the other side.... They are very agile - more like cats than dogs in that respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
