jellyb100 Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 I feel like I am asking a never ending list of questions! We have had our three girls since saturday and they are settling in nicely. After the first night, we awoke to find muddy footprints on the eglu. On closer inspection this evening I have noticed a hole being dug around the back of the eglu (behind it near poo tray), scratches on the eglu itself and a hole under the hedge into next doors garden. I am very concerned that after only a ocuple of days it had created a lot of attention. Obvioulsy they are safe in the eglu with the door shut but it can't be very nice for them to be in their with all this scratching going on. I'm also thinking about when we go away - we were intending on leaving the door open incase our friedn doesn't get round early enough to let them out. What if they come along in the day and dig under? Is there anything I can do to stop it happening? We have already tent pegged the run down as it is on quite uneven ground. Help, i'm really worried! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindy Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 Hi Jellyb, If you can mange it the best solution would be to site the eglu and run on paving or concrete - something the foxy blighters can't tunnel through - and weigh the run skirt down with bricks or something similarly heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 Good advice from Lindy. I'd use something heavier than a brick though, several large boulders or very big planters full of earth. I'd definitely consider putting the Eglu on paving slabs.....Nothing can burrow in and cleaning is a doddle with a powerful hose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jellyb100 Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 Thanks for your replies. I just hate the feeling that theres some horrible fox prowling around and scratching at my babies! I've filled in the hole with some rocks and soil. We will have a go at the weekend. Luckily we are replacing the patio so have lots of old slabs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Putting them on the concreted area is a great idea!!! I might do that myself when we go on holiday... I'm not so worried while we are home, as the moment Mr Fox appears the chooks make such a racket it has me flying out of bed and out shooing the fox away in no time, but I have been worrying about the fox being left undisturbed by the chickens if we are not home. I'm sure the chooks will prefer to be on their usual bark surface, but just for a holiday it'd be worth moving them,for their safety. What we have done on our raised bark area, is cover the whole area around the run with thick chicken wire, all the way to the hedges, so foxes can't dig and tunnel under. To be honest we hadn't seen any evidence of the fox trying to dig, but the chooks themselves seem to think they are living through world war two battles, and digging trenches all over the place, mostly scaringly close to the corners and edges of the run, and I was worried that, as it created slight gaps under the run edges, it would entice a fox to dig... those chooks could just as well have put a sign on saying 'To all foxes, look down, this is the way in'!! Now with the wire down, and covered in a thick layer of bark, we don't seem to have that issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 On Saturday I noticed that the poo tray has been chewed!! I presume that it was chewed at by a fox. Both corners of the tray have teeth marks in it so I have put citricidal (neat) on the tray now hoping that the taste will deter the pesky fox. Very annoying!! I just know that I could never leave my Eglu door open as foxes are everywhere round here-day and night and I have read a couple of things about the hens being got at through the run bars so I couldn't take the risk. What are the chances of a fox chewing all the way through the poo tray do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Very slim I would think Jay. Even if they could, they would still have to chew through the 'gap' inorder to get at the chickens. Very unlikely I think. How about trying the 'man wee' approach, spronkled around the eglu? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 I've noticed that a product called ...Growing Success Wild Animal Repellent... is available. It is supposed to work against foxes deer and rabbits. Sprinkle something like that around the garden (check first that it is safe around poultry if you are going to put it near the Eglu) to repel the fox. Maybe a ...Foxwatch... might be worth trying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 I think I will pass on the man wee-he has enough of a job aiming it down the loo, if I let him pee near the Eglu he might end up peeing on the poo tray bit and I'd rather he didn't as I have to touch it!! I might have to put something behind it though to stop the foxes being able to get to it. I'm very angry that the fox has damaged my otherwise perfect Eglu though!! They are getting so bold around here-my Mum had a cub come right up to her the other day while she was in her garden and they run through her garden all day! If only people would stop encouraging them by putting food out and hand feeding them, maybe they would stay afraid of us humans and then the risk to our hens would be mainly dusk and dawn. Very frightening stuff!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Why not call Omlet and see if they can send you a new tray? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 GREAT!!!!!!!!!! I have just noticed now that the fox has scratched the actual Eglu!!!! So, if it's not chewing the poo tray it is clawing all of the Eglu!!! I cannot see much point in getting a new poo tray at the mo as it looks as though it would just chew that one too! My beautiful brand new Eglu is no longer immaculate and I'm not a happy bunny. That and the fact that the poor hens are trying to sleep at night with a fox chewing and scratching trying to get to them! Oh well, at least the Eglu is fox proof-I just hope that this fox doesn't find a way in at some point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Sorry to hear about the eglu! Mr Fox! As the fox now knows that you have hens, I would recommend getting a fox watch. Several people on here have one and swear by them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Jay, try putting a big log or planter behind the poo tray; that will stop the fox getting into the back of the eglu. My eglu has paving slabs under it and all the way round the outside of the run. The ground is very compacted there, so anything would have a job to tunnel underneath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 My Eglu is on slabs too so I'm not concerned about the fox getting into the run but I'm not too impressed with it ruining my Eglu or upsetting the hens. I have just been out and stuck a rectangle plant pot behind it and am just hoping that it will stop it causing anymore damage. My neighbours bedroom is at the back of the house and she saw Mr Fox sniffing around the Eglu the other night and she was surprised that the girls didn't make a sound-so hopefully they are fast asleep and do not notice when the fox is trying to break in. Poor girls! Can only see what happens tonight now-I might wait up late and spy to see what's going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jellyb100 Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 My eglu has scratches on it too - it's very annoying. AND we've only had it for a few days! I have slabs all around the run now. It is horrible to think of them scratching away when the girls are inside. I am definitely tryin gthe wee technique! Soneone at work recommended lion poo. I've heard of that being used for cats but never for chickens! Might ring my local zoo. I know youcan get a lion poo based product in some garden centres. I'm interested in the fox watch, but would it affect cats? I don't want to stop my cat going out the back as we have a busy road out the front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Soneone at work recommended lion poo. I've heard of that being used for cats but never for chickens! Might ring my local zoo. I know youcan get a lion poo based product in some garden centres. I'm interested in the fox watch, but would it affect cats? I don't want to stop my cat going out the back as we have a busy road out the front. You want ...Silent Roar... which is essentially granulated lion poo. A Foxwatch shouldn't affect your cat.....Their hearing is on different "frequencies" apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 My sister bought me 2 little plants she saw in a garden centre last week. No idea if they work, probably not but the label says: "Coleus Canina - This plant has it's best efficience if their leaves are dry. Dogs, cats, foxes and martens run away by smelling this plant. Not hardy." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 That is the Scaredy Cat Plant. Interesting to read that it works against foxes. Worth buying a couple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 Yes Egluntine, it does say "Scardy Cat" trade mark on the label. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P&P Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 What's a fox watch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P&P Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 It's okay, I've just found the link! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
