Cube mk2 and WIR

[Leicester_H]

Last night I was woken by husband at about 4am (so still almost dark) saying theres a fox ON THE RUN !!

Looked out, fox running around the run - by the time I was downstairs, he'd run off.

Went out and chatted to girls - they seemed OK.

Back in doors they were making a lot of noise (which is unusual for them) - but I couldn't see any signs of a fox.

 

We live in Oadby, a subburb of Leicester. All the gardens around here have 5'/6' high fences which must make it difficult for foxes ??

Before we had the girls, we saw foxes maybe once a month.

Hopefully, now they've seen a fox once, they won't be too worried if/when he returns.

This time of year, the eglu door is left open (I'm not getting up at 4am to let them out!!) - might put a few more clips on the run, where sections join just to be doubly sure - but it does seem pretty secure to me.

 

Anyone got any tips ?

 

H

[Egluntyne]

A fox strolls across my lawn most mornings!

 

You could get a Foxwatch .....click here.....

 

or try some Get off my Garden .....click here..... Makes no claims about deterring foxes but anecdotally it is supposed to be helpful.

 

You could also scatter human hair or ....brace youself...get the males in your life to wee around the Eglu. Male urine contains a magic ingredient that puts foxes off. Funny that because it puts me off too.

 

Good luck.

[Tom and Barbara]

tis true, I heard that if you have the man of the house wee around the boundary it deters the fox! ....though perhaps best wait until dark to do that if your neighbours overlook you

[Gallina]

Now that the fox knows you have chickens, he/she will visit a lot, I am afraid, and may start lying on top of the run in wait.

 

You must make sure that the Eglu run is impregnable. Lots of extra clips, and weigh down the skirt with slabs. If you have an older Mark 2, get the two extra squares of mesh that now come as standard with the newer Mark 2s and protect the most vulnerable spot where the Eglu meets the run. Or use your own mesh.

 

Although the run doesn't look all that strong, I can vouch for the fact that it can support the weight of a fox for long periods without any damage.

 

And of course never never let the chickens out of the run for a moment unless you are in the garden.

 

I would also say always lock the Eglu door at night, but others will disagree.

[Sheilaz]

...and a 6' fence is nothing to a fox, they are so agile. Good luck with Fort Knox, I'm glad the hens were safe, but Gallina's right, it will be back.

[Olly]

agree - if a cat can jump it, then so can a fox. In my last house (before I had chickens), a fox used to sleep in the garden regularly, and it was surrounded by 6' fences.

 

Inspector Fox comes round here most nights, last week he helpfully cleared up three dead mice that the cat had left. I leave the Eglu door open, but never, ever let my girls out of the run unless I am in the garden with them. After a near miss a few weeks ago, I won't even go in to make a cup of tea if they are out.

[Guest]

Gallina is absolutely right. If the eglu door is shut, your chickens are totally safe. Leaving the door open in the summer months is a calculated risk many, or most, of us take.

 

I agree the fox will definitely be back. I hope your chickens don't get inquisitive or try to be friendly.

[Leicester_H]

I hope your chickens don't get inquisitive or try to be friendly.

 

Oh dear - now I am worried.

I've only seen 1 report of a fox injuring/killing (?) a chichen in the run.

Is it more common than that ??

 

H

[Gallina]

I'm afraid my chickens got too friendly with the fox who used to lie sunbathing on top of their run during the day, and he got one of them through the wire.

 

Since I have been on the forum, one other one was killed through the run (a young chick that poked its beak out). There was at least one fox (or maybe two) who dug into the run via the weak spot near the Eglu, but this is now easy to fix.

 

All were killed in daylight. I know of none that were killed at night, because people with foxes around have to keep the Eglu door locked then.

[Jaime]

You have to keep it all in perspective tho'

 

Omlet have sold over 10,500 Eglu's so the odd report just shows how safe the Eglus really are when used properly

[Gallina]

Jaime: Please could you define what "used properly" means.

 

My hens were safely shut in their Eglu run, which was weighed down all round, and I was indoors having breakfast when my nextdoor neighbour rushed round to say he had just seen a fox kill one of my hens through the mesh of the run.

 

I agree it is a rare occurrence (it's only happened twice that I know of) and that Eglus are generally very safe: but I would be interested to know what in your eyes I was doing that was not proper!

 

The people across the road from us bred one family of foxes this spring, and the people three doors along on the same side bred another. I consider that they are the people who acting improperly. We are absolutely overrun with foxes, with two at a time sometimes in the garden.

 

One of the reasons I like the cube is that the hens spend more time in the middle and can see better what is happening outside.

[Leicester_H]

Hi

It appears that you were EXTREMELY unlucky and don't seem to have done anything wrong.

 

I like all (I think) wildlife and wouldn't wish any harm to come to any animal. This leads to a conflict of interest that is hard to resolve.

 

We also have an adopted rescued hedgehog living in our garden. I like badgers but badgers eat hedgehogs so ......(fortunately there are no badgers near here - otherwise we couldn't have adopted the hedgehog)

 

I'm sure the people breeding the foxes think they're helping nature.

 

I do find the 'red in tooth and claw' bits of nature difficult.

 

H

[Jaime]

You have to keep it all in perspective tho'

 

Omlet have sold over 10,500 Eglu's so the odd report just shows how safe the Eglus really are when used properly

 

I mean exactly what I say - when used as described eglu's are safe - when you look at the statistics 10,500 eglu's x 3 years = 11,497,500 eglu nights if they were all used, and only 2 reports. That is 1 in 5.78 million chance of anything happening to your chickens tonight!

[James516]

I don't think Jamie meant that you did anything wrong Gallina - more that there have only been 4 or so deaths from foxes that we know of, when the chickens were in either the eglu or elgu run. This is out of at least 21,000 chickens, so it's a pretty good safety record.

[chelsea]

I shut the actual eglu door every night. Not because of the fox thing, but out of consideration for our neighbours as I have one very loud chicken and having her up crowing/bawk bawk bawking at 4.30 in the morning wouldnt go down well.

 

So you could do the same, you dont have to get up at 4am my chickens will sit quite happily in the eglu and wait for me to let them out.....most of the time they are on the nest box laying an egg for me anyway. Most mornings I open the eglu door between 6.30 and 7am.

[Gallina]

What the new Mark 2 Eglus have that the old ones didn't is two pieces of oblong mesh to cover the weak point in the system. I attached these to my old Mark 2 on Saturday, and thought I would take a photograph to show people what they are like before fixing them.

 

 

The tunnel you can see was done by a rat, not a fox: it tunnelled under the wood surround and then under the mesh. Thank goodness that foxes aren't as smart as rats. This mesh was completely covered by heavy engineering bricks and large pots, so it came in from the side and did a smart left turn.

 

That area is definitely the one to watch for trouble.

[Egluntyne]

I could do with some of those extra bits Gallina.

 

I can't seem to see them in the shop.

 

How much do they cost?

[James516]

When Johannes delivered our Eglu last month, he said they would post out those two pieces. Despite me emailing, they haven't turned up...

[The Dogmother]

I don't think that Johannes is in the office at the moment James. Try Simon or James.

[beach chick]

um, we got those pieces with our mk 2, and I havent worked out what to do with them yet!!!! - how do you fix them on?

[MisHapp]

Hi Beach Chick - when I had my Mk2 Eglus, there was a sheet with instructions about the extra pieces -did you get that info?

 

Basically, you need to slide each piece under the eglu and under the edge of the skirt (right next to the Eglu). It needs to underlap the skirt at least one rung and also be under the eglu and sticking out so you can see it. All attached with clips. It's pretty straight forward. I'll try and take a pic and post it later today.

 

MH x

[Leicester_H]

Most mornings I open the eglu door between 6.30 and 7am.

 

I closed the eglu door last night - will do for a few nights (at least) to break the visiting fox's habit

- might do every night - not sure yet.

 

Let them out at 7.30 am (hit the snooze button on the alarm as couldn't face getting up at 7 !!) Girls shot out of eglu (they used to do this before when I locked them in ) and then seemed a bit subdued - they used to rush to the food and eat like they'd never been fed before.

 

Not sure if they were frightened in the night, sulking to make me feel guilty or just being chickens ??

 

Better safe than sorry though

Thanks for all the advice

 

H

[Sheilaz]

Just being chickens, I'm sure! 7.30 is fine, far better to have a time that suits you, but still gives them a good long day. I think they get used to and expect whatever is usual. So, I wouldn't be tempted to be "kind" & let them out sometimes at 5.30 (!) and then 7.30 other days, far better to stick to the 7/7.30 regularly, or they'll expect the 5.30 daily!

 

Sounds like a good safe option in your circumstances, Hazel.

 

PS...James516, I think 'phoning the office will get a quicker response. Omlet are so snowed under I think emails don't always get quick attention, but they are so friendly & helpful on the 'phone.

[Leicester_H]

Just being chickens, I'm sure! 7.30 is fine, far better to have a time that suits you, but still gives them a good long day.

 

Previously when I was locking them in they were let out between 7.30 and 8.30 (at weekends). Since they stay out until late they often nap in the afternoon and so they do still have a long enough day out of the eglu.

 

So a SAFE regular routine should be good for all concerned.

 

Thanks, H

[beach chick]

v. clear explanation MisHapp, thanks! we've run out of clips, so will have to make do with some wire or something.