Single hen

[xChicken04x]

hiya, iam new to this website so iam sorry if i have just posted all over someone elses forum,

as i have recently been unwell my dad promiced me some chickens to cheer me up...(iam only 14 thats why my dad is buying them for me)

my mum isnt to chuffed with the idea as she is worried that a fox will get them i will do everything in my power to make sure nothing gets my chickens so has anyone got any tips?

help would come in handy xx

[susanbb]

Congratulations on your chickens. I'm sure your mum will come round. The girls are very appealing. As for foxes I suppose it depends on the area you live in. Other Omleteers will be more than helpful and be able to inform you on that one.

 

Susan

[xChicken04x]

thankyou for the reply, i live in a small town but i have a big back garden if this helps.

[Sheilaz]

Hi xChicken04x, welcome to the forum, we're always pleased to hear from new members. Sorry to hear that you have been ill & I think that chickens will be just the tonic to cheer you up.

 

Your Mum is quite right to be cautious about foxes, they should never be underestimated, but if you take care to keep hens in a safe house (such as the Eglu) at night, and always in a fox resistant run, there should be little to worry about. Some people who know foxes are nearby use extra products such as electric fencing or "Foxwatch."

 

Chickens are lovely, rewarding creatures, so I hope it works out for you to get some if your parents think it's OK.

Do keep asking questions if you aren't sure, most of us were beginners not so long ago.

 

Best wishes

[Popcorn]

Hello Chicken04,

 

Is your Dad going to buy you an Eglu for the chickens?

 

If he is, then the Eglu run is fox resistant if it is used as Omlet recommend. The skirt around the edge of the run prevants the fox from digging underneath. We keep ours on soil and many keep their on grass with woodchips spread around into the run to give the hens something to scratch at.

 

I can't speak for a wooden ark. I've not had any experience of them. Hopefully, someone will be able to tell you a bit more about how to keep your hens safe from foxes in a wooden house.

 

If you let them free-range and you know there are foxes in your area, then I would only let them out when you are around and can supervise them. The fox is a very cunning animal, and can be very unfazed by us humans where chickens are involved.

 

It's always better to be sure about how you can protect your hens if you have fox issues in your area. Your Mum is right to be concerned if the hens are at risk.

 

Good luck

Edited May 27, 2007 by Guest

[Olly]

If you live in a town, then I think you are absolutely right to be wary of foxes - the ones that live in towns are more used to people, and so they are much less scared, and they don't just come round at night!

 

Even if you haven't seen a fox, there may be one around. However the good news is that as long as your chickens are in their run - provided it's a proper one - they will be safe. If your dad is buying you an Eglu (lucky you!) they will be ok in the run, because as Popcorn says, it's foxresistant. If it's not an Eglu, then do make sure the run is secure and can't be jumped into, tunnelled under or broken into any other way (foxes are determined and cunning).

If you are in the garden with them, say after school or at weekends, then the fox isn't likely to come near and you can let them free-range. Welcome to the forum, there's lots of useful advice on here - I'm sure you are going to love having chickens - what a great present!

[Gallina]

The Eglu itself is 100% safe, provided you lock it. So you will not have to worry at night.

 

As for the run, foxes are (er) foxed by the skirt, as they start digging very close to anywhere they want to get in.

 

You don't say whether you are already suffering from foxes. If you have urban foxes who visit your garden, you will have to do a little more than trust in them being too thick to work out how to get in, because they will operate during the day when the hens are out in the run and will have a huge extra incentive to try everything. The best thing to do is to make a permanent position for the run, and weigh the skirt down with paving slabs all round. Or you can stand the run on paving slabs, but these should only go under the skirt, as the hens love to dig. This will be enough to keep foxes out.

 

Even if you aren't too troubled by foxes at the moment, it is also a good idea to weigh the skirt down and not move the Eglu about if you have light sandy soil that is very easy to tunnel through. Ditto if your ground is uneven: if part of the skirt is waving about in the air, you are showing the fox the way in.

 

If you have very generous parents and they will let you have the Cube rather than the smaller Eglu, it is much easier to arrange the slabs because of the rectangular shape: and of course you will be rewarding them with far more eggs. (The Cube also gives the hens much more room to move around and climb, and you won't feel guilty if they have to be shut in most of the time because of the fox danger.)

 

The Eglu/Cube are much safer than any other arrangement you are likely to purchase: just take extra care if you know foxes visit your garden, and of course don't let the hens out of the run unless you are in the garden.

 

You will love keeping hens: just take a few precautions and the fox won't get them.

[Looney]

Hello Chicken04!

 

I can only echo what the others have said Perhaps you and your Mum can visit someone that already owns chickens? There is a thread on this forum somewhere with a list of people that would be happy to have visitors! They might even give you some "home-laid" eggs as well to try

 

Great to have you on the forum

[xChicken04x]

Thankyou all for your kind messages!!!

they where greatly appreciated its put my mums mind at rest now, we will probably be getting a eglu house as the wooden ones attract lice (i've been doing my homework) but my dad is insisting on showing off his gardening skills by building his own walk-in enclosure. my mum has insisted on useing two layers of chicken wire and for my dad to cement the eclosure into the ground to prevent any digging foxes getting in!

Thanks again for your help i will be makeing a new forum with more questions as this one has been answerd so nicely!

xx

[Sheilaz]

........ building his own walk-in enclosure. ....useing two layers of chicken wire ...[/b]

 

What kind parents! There is a topic somewhere with pics of pens that people have built.

I just want to mention that foxes can bite through chicken wire, I wouldn't even like to test with a double layer (too late if they can!)

But, the good news, there are stronger wires available, so do encourage Dad to use one of those.

 

Your family will be great chickenkeepers by the sound of it, and you will have a lovely time with the hens.

I know I'm biased, but the Eglus are great henhouses and so easy to look after & keep mites away.

I'm glad you've been researching all this. I look forward to hearing more. xx

[xChicken04x]

thanks again, i will take your advice and be off to B&Q first thing tomorrow in search of a better wire

thanks very much iam glad i have taken that advice before getting the chickens!

xx