megalin Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 Hello all, I would really like to let my girls free range a bit. I live in london and there are foxes around so I don't know if it's a stupid idea. Does anyone do free range in the daytime in the city? If so how do you keep the foxes away? Naturally I would not let them out alone in the day but I also can't be out there all the time in the winter. Thanks Megalin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 I think that city foxes are far bolder than country ones. My sister who lives in London says not to let them out of their run if you are not in the garden with them. Sure that is not want you want to hear but better be safe than sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooker Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 We live in Bristol, still in the city. I would tend to agree. Urban foxes are braver, we had one in our house chasing the chickens in. I daren't leave them out of my sight. I have even had a fox in the garden when I have just steped out of the garden and intot the garage for a moment. I find digging the garden keeps my warm! Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nattie Posted November 15, 2010 Share Posted November 15, 2010 We live in Leicester and had a fox scratching at the french door one night, when we told our Welsh farming cousins they were amazed that one had come that close to a house and people. I agree they seem bolder in the cities. We only let our girls out when we are in the house or garden and can keep an eye on them. When we are out during the day they have to stay in their run. As soon as we get home from school we let them out, even though they only get an hour out before it's dark they do enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Kate Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 I live in south east london (near lewisham if anyone wants to pop round) and my girls free range whenever I am in the back of the house. if i'm in one of the front rooms then I don't but if I am out the back I figure I'd hear a commotion. the reality is that I would probably be too late but i thought long and hard about it and decided that i would rather the girls enjoyed their freedom and we took the risk than that they were always locked up and a bit miserable. i appreciate that's not everyone's way... AND since getting them i haven't seen hide nor hair of a fox and didn't even hear them mating in the spring (thank god, awaful noise) so maybe the chooks scared the foxes away! megalin you're very welcome to come round if i am anywhere near you so you can see our coop set up and how that has been fox proofed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 We free ranged ours in Hackney and never lost a single one, even when we forgot to shut them in until well after dark. We generally didn't let them out unless we were in the house, but had no problems at all. Since we moved slightly out into Woodford we've had to build a WIR and have lost too many chooks to think about in the last few months. WIR seems to have stopped the carnage and we still let them out at the weekend and when we're going to be in all day. It really depends on where you are, and the most important thing is that you should absolutely definitely know you'll be there at dusk/sunset, as that's when they'll get eaten in my (sadly extensive) experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennydavies Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Whereabouts did you live in Hackney Aunty e ? I was born in Hackney Wick and lived there until about 16 years ago. I then bought a house in Romford so that my Dad could come and live with me after he suffered a stroke, then two years ago myself and my husband, Charlie, moved over here to very rural SW France. My family lived in Hackney for around four hundred years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megalin Posted November 16, 2010 Author Share Posted November 16, 2010 HHmmmm thanks everyone for your opinions... It's tricky as like Kate I do feel they are so much happier with any added space and I have been letting them out a little bit (Not into the whole garden just a cordoned off bit) With radio 4 on loud and checking them very regularly.... It's a catch 22, between bored and safe chickens and free and unsafe chickens at the moment. We have foxes here but they're not as bold as where I last lived in Crouch end, there I saw them outside the shops at 5 in the afternoon in summer! They are much more wary here. I think I'll make the temporary exposed run permanent and fox proof starting tomorrow so at least they can enjoy that without risk and I wont be worrying about them all day! Then in the summer they can roam the garden with me as I'm out there most of the summer! Cranfield Kate I would love to come and check out your setup.... I don't know many chicken people in the city so I would be curious to see! I miles away in North London but have friends that are well overdue a visit in Lewisham so would appreciate that Megalin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 I think that putting a radio on loud on a talking channel (I'm a radio 4 fan too ) is an excellent idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megalin Posted November 16, 2010 Author Share Posted November 16, 2010 Well I hope so cheaky chook! when i put it on they all stand cocking their heads and clucking at it for a good few minutes! I hope they like it, i've always found it comforting but I doubt fox would! Chicken keeping would just be sooooo much nicer if we didn't have to worry about mr fox..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I've had another idea Apparently tying human hair to the odd bush will put off deer, so perhaps making something akin to a lavender smelly but with dog hair in place of the lavender and tying the odd one to a bush or two might help. Or if you have, or know of someone who has, a long haired dog you could just tie the hair itself to the odd bush. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Kate Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 you can buy lion pee from zoos to keep cats out of your garden - maybe that would work with foxes too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 you can buy lion pee from zoos to keep cats out of your garden - maybe that would work with foxes too. Just got a vision of a zoo keeper following a lion around with a bucket Sage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megalin Posted November 18, 2010 Author Share Posted November 18, 2010 Yes I've heard the hair one but not tried it yet, I've been trying to grow mine for years! and lion poo I've heard of but we have a shared garden with our neighbours who have a cat so don't want to scare her off too! She already gets charged by Matron who crashes into the wire mesh at her, nutter. I may try the foxwatch when we start letting them out more, that's meant to be good and not disturb the cat (90 day guarantee too). Although I e-mailed them and they said It's very effective but stopping a very hungry fox from eating walking food is next to impossible..... Megalin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 TBH all these things are merely deterrents, they will never guarantee the hen's safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
