beach chick Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 hi all the 4 girls have been in their eglu and run for almost a week now, and I moved it again today for the 2nd time. they clearly love the new grass. my omlet fencing should come tomorrow, so my plan was to keep them in eglu/run overnight, and let them be out in the fenced area all day... but having read the 'supervision' thread I'm getting a bit worried about whether they'll be safe. with the best will in the world, I can only pop out to them for 5-10 minutes at a time, then have to come in (I work from home at the pc) and because of the layout of the house, its a fair old step to get outdoors and then across the garden. will they be ok if I pop out every half an hour or so, or should I try and make some kind of a lid for the fencing (was thinking a light framework of wire and peg it on somehow). it just seems cruel to keep 4 of them in the run all the time, especially as they grow (assuming they will grow much? now 16 wks old). I know its a lot better than being in a battery, but even so... would welcome any advice! thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
braden01 Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 I do think it is a bit risky to leave them outside alone, particularly at this time of year when foxes are extra hungry. Like you, I'm often working when at home but I've been trying to save up all the things that don't require a PC (reading literature, phone calls, planning etc) or just worked offline for a while as it is a laptop and then sitting outside or in our conservatory to do them. Because I'm such a dreadful softie for the chucks, I often have lunch out there with them. Also, times when I'm cleaning out Eglu, hanging out washing etc, I get them out too. And of course at the weekend there is a lot more time for them. At the weekend, we had lots of family over and let the chucks out as we were in the conservatory all afternoon and, despite a long garden, the chucks stay very near the house if we're indoors. Poor things were very bedraggled but it did not stop raining, hence why we stayed indoors! Your other option is to make a fox-proof bigger run for them - there are some great pics of various designs if you hunt around this forum. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 I think 4 in the run isn't very good - the notional guidelines for the amount of space chickens need is at least 8 square feet. The Eglu run is 22 square feet, so nearly enough for 3 chickens full time. With 4, you really need either an extension plus time outside in a fenced area or some more run space. I've converted an old greenhouse into a run, removing the glass and wrapping it in chicken wire. Because I already had the frame, the whole thing only cost me about £50, which is about the same as an extension would be. Building a run is somewhat more expensive, but you can make sure it fits your garden, and it's easier to attach wire to wood than to the aluminium frame of a greenhouse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 I work from home - in a room upstairs at the back of the house. My chooks are let out at 6.30ish and are out all day (in their fenced off areas) when I am at home. I visit them regularly and can hear them if they start shouting (usually about 1.00 when they are ready for treats...). Some people will say I am irresponsible as they would have no chance if a fox decided to pay a visit but so far they have been fine. Our garden is surrounded on two sides only by beech hedge and we have no gates at the front so there is also a risk that a dog may wander in. My feeling is that I prefer to let them roam under trees and shrubs than leave them in the run all day. My thoughts could well change if we do get a fox sniffing around. There are foxes living in woods less than a mile away but no visits so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted May 15, 2007 Author Share Posted May 15, 2007 thanks all. I think I'm with Tina on this one. and I have just realised that I am being a bit paranoid - our rabbit escaped 4 years ago, couldnt be caught and has lived the life of riley, hopping round the garden and field all day, sleeping in the logpile at night ever since. if a fox hasnt got him by now - and he's only little, a dwarf English - I think I can relax a bit. (although he is quite feisty, and chases off our 3 cats and all the others in the area if they get a bit uppity) I do pop out at odd times throughout the day, always have done, and have only seen a fox twice in the 8 years we've lived here. 1 was on the beach in the daytime (!) and 1 was on the patio late at night... OH would prob go mad if I asked him to build a chicken house at this stage, having shelled out for eglu, chickens, food, more fencing, etc etc etc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 I think it all depends whereabouts you live too - obviously if you live somewhere frequented by foxes in the day then supervision or adequate fencing is required. Whilst I have seen foxes up the lanes at night, I have never seen foxes in the day where I live and so my girls have always been allowed to freerange unsupervised. OH works from home but not overlooking the garden and he just leaves them to it. Touch wood, in two years we have never been troubled. We do always shut them in the run away when we go out unless its its a quick trip to the shop or something and we always shut them in the run before it gets dusky. However, I would be very concerned about doing this if I lived in an area frequented by day foxes which, sadly, it seems many urban areas are these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted May 15, 2007 Author Share Posted May 15, 2007 thanks red, I find that reassuring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 we're rural too and touch wood no fox visit yet. We are about 50 yards from woods and fields. Our garden is secure with 6ft fencing all around and no gaps. We also have a large hairy german shepherd which could be to do why we havent had a fox yet. My girls are out all day, they HATE being shut in. We are not watching the girls 24/7, but we are in very close ear shot if anything did happen and can get to our garden quickly and our girls are very vocal - so if something was going on - we would know about it We got the run converter for extra room in the run.....good investment as I dont feel so guilty when we go away for a night! I think its entirely a personal choice......you are aware of the fox risk, but if your girls enjoy free ranging and you are happy to let them out knowing this - then its up to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 we're rural too and touch wood no fox visit yet. We are about 50 yards from woods and fields. Our garden is secure with 6ft fencing all around and no gaps. We also have a large hairy german shepherd which could be to do why we havent had a fox yet. My girls are out all day, they HATE being shut in. We are not watching the girls 24/7, but we are in very close ear shot if anything did happen and can get to our garden quickly and our girls are very vocal - so if something was going on - we would know about it We got the run converter for extra room in the run.....good investment as I dont feel so guilty when we go away for a night! We are like Red....if we need to pop out/go away they are always shut in the run. and the eglu door is closed every night. I think its entirely a personal choice......you are aware of the fox risk, but if your girls enjoy free ranging and you are happy to let them out knowing this - then its up to you, lots of people on here have lost hens to foxes and it can be very upsetting. Have you thought about investing in a fox watch system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 (edited) Hi Beach chick, I posted on the "supervision" topic a few days ago. I can understand that daytime urban foxes are a worry, I've not seen any but don't doubt they are around and it is at the back of my mind. But I do struggle on this one, as my hens look so happy when they are free ranging around the garden. Today they were shut in the run whilst I went to work in the morning but then let out at 2.30pm until 7.30pm. It's a tough one, no right or wrong really. I have 4 hens in an eglu. I then bought a run converter after 1 week to add to the set up. On week 1 I seemed to move the run every 2 days there was soooo much poop. But after that it got better and with free rangeing as well I don't need to move the run around so much now. The grass has gone a lovely dark green after being well manured where the run was (mind you that's the bits they didn't scratch up!!). Have fun when you let them out, whatever you decide. Edited May 15, 2007 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 It really depends on whether there's a fox around - and I believe urban areas are more risky, rural foxes are more scared of people. I don't think popping out every half-hour will deter a determined fox. I left mine for two minutes - literally, the time it took to run upstairs and change my work trousers for jeans so I could do some gardening - and the fox was within eight feet of my girls when I got back down. Another 30 seconds would have been too long. Plenty of people on here let their hens free-range all day, which is lovely - we all have to balance the joy of letting them have freedom to roam, against the risk of a fox appearing. If you don't feel able to take that risk, then get a run converter, it adds a lot more space and your girls will be fine in there all day. Don't be swayed by the 'caged lion' tactic, they all do that when they see us coming! Spy on them when they can't see you, and you'll find them pottering happily around the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Yeah, of course the hens dont mind at all...they just make us guilty dont they?! If you compare omlet hens that are well looked after and confined to the run to the miserable life of most chickens (battery/meat chickens)....the omlet hens live the life of luxury Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 I agree with Olly - whilst ours free range all day I am equally happy to confine them to the run when necessary - indeed when we first got our girls we were both working in town and used to leave them in the run all day without worrying - then we'd let them out to free range in the evenings and at weekends. When I do their flubenvet (worming) treatment I leave them in the run all week. There are plenty of other people whose girls don't come out the run for various reasons - work; foxes; flighty birds etc (I think Louise is one?) and they all seem perfectly happy and contented. If I were you I'd be tempted to keep them confined to the run until you've had a chance to monitor the situation with foxes. It may be that Mr Fox is only tempted into your garden once the girls arrive and so better to discover that when they are safely in the run than vulnerably freeranging. Either way - make sure you enjoy them and don't give yourself unecessary stress and worry that will spoil your enjoyment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JellyB Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 My 5 chooks have a 12ft x 12 ft run, which is 6ft high but no roof on it. I let my girls out of the eglu when I get up in the morning (around 5.15ish) and into the run and they stay there all day til I get home from work. When I get home then I let them out in the garden for an hour or so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
