What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[Al]

I've put all the the details in the fox attack facts thread but I'm posting here to see if anyone has any advice for me. My remaining hens are currently housed in a borrowed dog cage in my living room at night while they recover but at some point they will have to go back outdoors into their Eglu Classic and extended run to live. I really don't want them to be hurt again or, worse, lose another one.

 

The attack happened when the Eglu door was open (but the run closed) between 3.30 and 10.30am on Sunday. I was thinking it might be safer if I could keep the hens asleep in the locked Eglu until there are people and cars about which the foxes around here seem to avoid. Has anyone had any luck keeping their chickens asleep in the Eglu after sunrise? If so, what did you use? Or, failing that, does anyone have any ideas to make the run itself unattractive to foxes? Thanks.

[Egluntyne]

What a shame. This is why the Eglu is described as 'fox resistant' rather than fox proof.

 

I would keep them locked in the Eglu over night for a while, as unfortunately, the fox will be back .... Fasten the sections together thoroughly. I prefer cable ties - lots of them - to the run clips.

 

I'd also make sure that the Eglu is on slabs rather than bare earth, and even consider surrounding it with electrified fencing.

[Tweety]

I'm so sorry to hear about your fox attack and am really shocked that a fox managed to cause so much damage through the eglu run. I hope that your other hens recover soon.

I don't let my chicks out until 7am, even in the summer, and they are absolutely fine. I've no idea what they get up to between sunrise and 7, but I feel that they are safer in there until I am up and about.

 

Could you perhaps put an extra layer or two of small strong weld mesh over the eglu run, attaching it with cable ties, so that a fox cannot get it's teeth through the run? Sadly, the fox will be back now that he knows your hens are there, so you are wise to think of extra precautions.

[Redwing]

I'm so sorry to hear this Al

 

I have corrugated plastic sheets over one of my Eglus which means that a fox cant get a paw through but the wire mesh idea sounds like an option too

[Al]

Thanks for the advice Egluntyne, Tweety and Redwing. I have used lots and lots of thick cable ties to fasten the sections together more securely and we have also bought some small gap weld mesh to fasten over the run as well. Until I get some help to do that the chickens are spending their nights in my living room, in a dog cage with an old duvet cover over it to provide darkness. They have bars to perch on, a nestbox, food and water in the dog cage because they wake up before we do. They really love their indoor bedroom! I hope they don't think it's a permanent arrangement...

 

A neighbour has just told us he's seen the fox 3 mornings in a row. Apparently it jumps over the fence into our garden at 5am. So it must come to check every morning even though the chickens have been sleeping indoors since the incident. No one has seen a fox during the day and it gets very busy with people and cars here so we're happy enough to let them free range supervised in the day.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Very sorry to hear that, Al . Would it be worth getting mains power for your Foxwatch so you don't have to worry about the batteries? That plus the mesh should keep your poor girls safe .

[LolaLayla]

My girls put themselves to bed at night and I take away the food and shut the eglu and run doors. I let them out again when I get up, which can be as late as 8am. They are then allowed to free range in a fenced off area of garden. They seem happy and are not creating a noise when I open my back door first thing in the morning. They do start when they hear the food bin being opened though. My reason for not leaving the eglu door open was to stop them making a noise early in the morning to get out the run, which may annoy the neighbours.....I did forget to shut the eglu door one evening and woke up to hear them shouting to get out the run.

[jennym]

So sorry for your lost hen. Mine are locked in the eglu at night and get let out at about 7:30-7:45 each morning. I haven't heard them complaining, just a bit of clucking and shuffling around as I approach in the mornings.

[ThinkingChickens]

I'm in CA, and we don't have many foxes if any, but I can say that my girls aren't let out until 7-7:30am. They don't seem to mind and it keeps them in until it's fully light outside. We have raccoons to contend with.

[scarlettohara]

I have a cockerel with 2 girls who don't get let out until 8 am to keep the neighbours happy My silkies stay in their until 7 am as one can be a bit noisy when laying and they are all fine with this I think the weldmesh is a great idea and sure it will work

[Al]

Thanks all for suggestions and sympathy. I will let you know how I get on once the chickens are back outside in their reinforced run.

[Al]

Thought I'd link to a photo of the chickens' bedroom: http://www.utilitygirl.co.uk/gallery/v/Chicken+bedroom/IMG_0474edit.JPG.html

 

I was very worried about my ferret hurting them but apart from drinking their water she doesn't seem interested in them at all. Even so, I have to closely supervise ferret free ranging now! The things we do for our pets....