Chicken boarders

[williamspencer98]

Hi,

 

I haven't got any chickens just yet, but we live in the town centre, but with a very large garden, it isn't completely secure so I'm either going to buy a large run if we buy lots of chickens or just keep a few, in the coop we already have (which we previously kept 7 bantams in).

 

But in the past I've been in my garden, and I've seen foxes, and there's been evidence of foxes in my garden, and I'm really worried about the foxes killing them, because I'd get so close to all of my birds, like my bantams, until we rehomed them because we had rats at our old house.

 

I'd love some advice, or someone with the same experiences as me!

 

WILL

[AndreaT]

Hi Will,

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

If you know there are foxes the best way of keeping your chickens safe is to keep them in a secure run. I have two walk in runs, a wooden one and the Omlet one, and they are both as secure as I can possibly make them. My girls live in them quite happily and I let them out to free range only when I am at home and can keep an eye on them.

 

Some forum members only let theirs out when they can be in the garden with them, but there have been occasions of attacks even then!

 

If your garden is large enough you could look at getting some electric fencing. I don't have any myself but I'm sure someone will be along who can give you more info on it.

 

Looking forward to seeing pics of your set up and girls when you get them. (It's the law! )

[LottyJ1]

My friend has a fox that visit her garden every day - her ex batts have been very safe behind a large enclosure of electric fencing. They have lots of room and the fox can't get at them. She has now had them for about 2 years and only lost some through the normal problems ex batts have.

[Wiggle39]

I totally understand your concerns, I lost my favourite hen 2 months ago when she took her usual route of leaping the electric fenced enclosure to peck at the kitchen door for her afternoon corn, sadly our resident fox seemed to have been monitoring her movements and she didn't make it to the door

 

However I have kept my hens in a 25m electric fenced enclosure for 3 years now and not had any losses from within the fence. I have seen the fox try to get in twice but he learnt very quickly that it hurt.. A lot!

 

After using the fence on it's own for a year we have now attached it to the inside of a trellis fence (using insulators) that is 5 ft so adds a bit of extra height. (to try and stop my lovely hen on her afternoon wanderings) I was concerned at first about the fox scaling the trellis but the nature of foxes seems to be that they sniff the fence before jumping, therefore getting a huge shock on the nose and retreating. ( I almost feel sorry for them as it bloody hurts if you touch it by accident)

 

I recommend the electric fencing route and have found that if you don't have a mains supply energiser a solar charger saves you the effort of lugging a heavy battery to a charging point.