Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[SixChickens2Dogs]

We took delivery of our Eglu Cube and 6 chickens just over 2 months ago. We didn't want them cooped up in the 3m run so we bought 42m of chicken netting. They've got a really lovely area at the bottom of the garden and seemed/seem really, really happy!!

 

Up until 3 weeks ago everything was fine, we then woke up one morning to find one of our girls (Roxy) dead in the nest box. A total horrible surprise, there was absolutely no sign that there was anything wrong with her. A few days later another one of the hens (Lois) flew over the netting and our cocker spaniels decided to terrorize her, by the time I found her she was absolutely petrified. They had licked her but that was all, I put her back in the Eglu and actually she was ok and recovered

 

We've now spotted foxes around our garden so don't let the hens out while we're not here and if we are here and have let them out we make sure they're back in the run by 8.30pm just in case our cunning friends come ahunting.

 

Anyway.........tonight, I realised that one of our cocker spaniels was missing so called her for several minutes, she eventually came out from under a hedge at the bottom of the garden, just as I realised that one of the hens (Lois again) was also missing. I called the dogs both in and went to investigate. To cut a very horrible story short, Lois again had been licked but this time she died in my arms from fright?? I think.

 

We feel awful as we haven't clipped any of their wings, somebody told us that it wouldn't make a difference as they'd still be able to fly over the 4ft chicken netting. Is that right, could they?

 

My husband and I are now wondering whether we've made the right decisions to keep chickens, we absolutely love having them and we're getting so much enjoyment out of them but as the same time are dreading the next thing to happen.

 

Have any of you chicken veterans got any really good advice for us please, we're desperate!!! Up until yesterday we were thinking of getting another 3 (to make , how can we make them totally safe from dogs, foxes etc.???

 

Sorry to ramble but I know that somebody on this forum will understand how awful we feel and may be have some good advice.

 

Jen x

Edited May 31, 2011 by Guest

[SixChickens2Dogs]

Actually.....I've just read the fox attack thread and am now wondering if, as there were feathers everywhere at the bottom of the garden, could the dog have interrupted a fox attack?!?!?!

 

I don't know (

[beach chick]

oh poor you, what a horrible start.

generally, I think dogs are a good fox deterrent.

in terms of wing clipping - you just clip one wing and it unbalances the chook so she cant fly so well. it's kind of 6 of one and half a dozen of the other in my view, and I only clip really determined escapees.

it sounds as if you are doing everything as best you can; maybe clip the remaining girls so they cant escape; perhaps consider electrifying your fencing to deter foxes even more (and will also give the dog a reminder that chickens are best left alone).

[Plum]

Maybe How about electrifying the fence to keep chickens in and dogs and foxes out

[Green Tea]

How sad

 

I have a pen for my chickens and the wire can't be much higher than 4'. I did have to clip one of my hen's wings because she kept getting over it - clipped one wing and she could still make it so had to do both of them. I think her wings have grown back in now but she hasn't bothered trying anymore.

 

However, if you have foxes in the area that's not really going to help.

 

I think if you really enjoy keeping the hens and want to get more than you should think seriously about building a sturdy fox-proof (as much as possible) walk-in run.

[fluffy chick]

Wing clipping will make it much less likely they will fly over your netting. Not impossible but unlikely (depends on breeds). I wonder why someone would say it makes no difference

 

I rescued some rirs this week and one of them got over my netting but the other 2 couldn't and she was pretty lucky and standing on the eglu run....... I've never lost my banties or blue belles (when I had them).

 

It sounds like you've had a run of bad luck to me and I would try not to let you put you off keeping chickens. I agree with previous posts can you electrify the fencing?

[sparkysmum]

Jen,

 

Hello & welcome to the forum. I am so sorry that your introduction to chicken keeping has been so traumatic. I have no experience of foxes but I have had to train both my dogs to ignore the hens. It won't happen overnight but with patience and daily training dogs can learn not to terrorise/ eat/chase hens.

 

I trained mine by reward but also water treatment Sparky's instinct was to hunt anything that flapped/squawked /wasn't a dog He injured one of my original hens quite badly although she made a full recovery)To cut a long story short if he showed any interest in the hens other than a polite sniff around their run I would squirt him with water. From a bottle not a hose. He really hates water so this was effective fairly quickly. However he would continue to annoy them if I wasn't looking & therefore spent ages doing "leave it" training & rewarding him when he came away from their run.

 

This all took ages months in fact & for a long time I quite regretted the fact that Sparky could not be in the garden when the hens were F?ranging ie almost all the time.

 

I then became quite hard hearted about keeping the hens in a fenced off bit of the garden. This meant that Sparky could be in the garden & the hens in the "hen garden" without me having to constantly be on guard. However I had to keep up the training as his instinct was so strong. We are now 3 years on & I can happily leave both dogs in the garden & the hens can peck around their feet However I know that even now I cannot trust the dogs 100% as I think instinct would take over if they all started flapping/ squawking at once. It was a long road & a hard lesson but it was worth it.

 

Sorry if the post has been a bit long. If I can help further in any way sed me a pm. Good luck Alli

[Donna C]

Got to say I agree, with training I now have dog,chickens,g-pigs and children playing in harmony in the garden

[SixChickens2Dogs]

Thanks guys

 

We can't electrify the fence we've got but we're more than happy to buy an electric fence. Will it really make a difference, how likely is it that a fox will still get in when they're having supervised/unsupervised free ranging during the day? I know it'll definitely deter the dogs from trying to get in!!!

 

We were also thinking of getting another 2 metres of run with the eglu cube (making 5 metres altogether) for when we're away on holiday . Although, it just seems so cruel keeping them cooped up when we've got such a big garden. How much space does each chicken need to free range? (I think that makes sense)!!

 

We're going to clip the chicken's wings tomorrow when my husband gets home from work.

 

Now we've only got 4 girls left we'd like to get some more (maybe 4) will it be ok to introduce them straight in with the remaining ones as there'll be equal numbers of oldies and newbies?!

 

Sorry for all the questions!

 

Jen x

[dottychicken]

If you live in an area with foxes and don't want them taking your chickens you shouldn't really leave them free ranging unsupervised. A fox will easily get over a 4" fence, and electricity will probably make little difference.

 

Chickens don't "need" any specific amount of space, but if you want to give them plenty to roam in all day definitely consider building a large walk-in run.

 

As far as introducing new hens goes, as you've not had them long introducing a few more shouldn't be too difficult, probably best giving this a read all the same... http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=25886

 

Best

[Minnie&Moose]

Re electric fencing - our chickens range behind electrified poultry netting and have done so for about 2.5 years. We know we have regular fox visitors in the garden - we see them on a regular basis. So far, the hens have been fine, but we check the fencing very regularly and keep it on over night as well. We've also been careful to make sure that there's never any garden furniture close to the fencing that might provide a launch pad for a fox or anything else to get into the run. We do, however, lock the birds in the cube run at night, just to make doubly sure they're OK. And we've had problems with the fencing shorting out in deep snow so we don't rely on it then.

 

Good luck with whatever route you decide to take, and I hope you're not too discouraged by recent events.

[cheekymonkey200]

I'm sorry that it's not going so well for you. When I first got my chooks I was terrified about letting them out- we have foxes around, a puppy next door who frequently breaks through and our own dog. I made the decision early on that they couldnt free range when I wasnt with them. I know people say that the risk of letting them out is balanced by the quality of life but I couldnt stand it if anything happened to them. I make sure that mine have lots of enrichment in their run during the day, toys, treats, dust bath etc so they're happy and then they come out for a couple of hours in the evening when I can keep an eye on them.

 

With regards to the dog, he wasa nightmare at first but every time we get them out we hold them first so he can have a good sniff and a lick and then he looses interest. I think the water technique is a good idea but distraction is best for our dog- let him sniff the chickens (he even tries to climb into the run!) and then throw a ball for him- he soon forgets the girls!

 

I hope you find a compromise that works for you and your girls, I'd love mine to be out all day but they're my responsibility and I would be devestated if anything happened to them. they compromise on free ranging all day and I make up for it with lots of cuddles, snacks and games in the evening.

[Duncan08]

I am with Cheeky Monkey, I do wish we could let them out more often, but I see foxes often when walking the dog and am not prepared to take the risk.

Nor do I trust our dog. He is not nasty, but is very jealous and does not appreciate it when you talk to them and not him. He is a lovely clumsy heavy boxer, and is far too rough to be allowed to play out with the chickens.

 

They have a 4m run, and I love the idea of them being "free" free ranging, but would be devastated if anything happened.

The girls have lots of logs and they get different things each day to break it up, they have room to flap their wings and have a stretch and Bluebell likes a little run every now and again.

We also have some Omlet netting now and our girls are busy pooing and digging in a new raised bed to get it ready for planting - but only when we are in and able to spend time in the garden with them.

 

It is a compromise, they are pets rather than livestock and we do tend to treat them differently. I do agree with the argument to let them out and be free, but just can't bring myself to take the risk. They are very spoilt chucks, but I am afraid they are spoilt in a confined space.

 

Long term we may set up a larger WIR, I am going to stop coming on here as everytime I come on I get another bout of morehens disease and start looking a cubes!!!! But need to watch the finances at the mo.

[migsy]

I've got an electric fence but 2 of my 7 chickens get out every day by standing on the coop and flying over. They all have clipped wings. I have just had a WIR delivered so that I can put the coop inside it so that they cannot launch themselves over the netting. Also, I will keep them in the WIR if I go away overnight.

 

One of my chickens got over the netting and was killed by a fox so I do not think electric netting alone is sufficient unless you have a big enough area to keep other structures such as a coop far enough away from it.

 

Flipping chickens!

[fluffy chick]

Mine are out all day in the electric fencing, even when we are at work. I'm pretty confident they cannot get over it and they keep their distance from it to be honest. I agree with previous poster that we made sure it wasn't near the shed or wall etc for a fox to climb up and jump from. Electric fencing works with fox behaviour in mind, in that foxes tend to test stuff out with their nose. You do have to keep the floor clear of weeds and leaves but it gives a big area for the chickens for not a huge amount of money. I would recommend it, but I would clip their wings first to be sure they can't still fly over your netting before investing anymore money.