mad.hen1 Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Hello, i have been reading the 'eglu door open or closed at night' posts with interest. I am at the moment leaving the eglu door open at night, with the run door closed. This is largely because it gets light so early and the hens areup with the lark! My question is: Ae there any recorded instances of a fox getting onto a closed run? Mine is currently held down with 10 tent pegs. Advice please... if I am putting the hens at signic=ficant risk I need to know... Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Just one I think. The owner was called Andrew and the fox tunnelled in at the corner between the eglu and the run, in spite of him weighting down the skirt. (some time in spring 2006 I think) I'd say it is not a significant risk, but it is a risk to leave the door open. It depends on your soil and how many determined foxes you have around. I love the security of knowing my hens are totally safe when the door is closed, but like you, I leave the door open in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 I would be inclined to weigh the "skirt" down with heavy boulders or similar. The earth in my garden can be rock hard one minute and very soft the next and I realised that a determined fox could easily push the pegs upwards if he had a mind to if the earth was in its soft phase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Hi. This is a very personal (what works best for you) kind of decision. I started with eglu door shut each night. After a holiday, when I needed to leave eglu door open (as I could not guarantee arrival time of chicken sitter), I now leave eglu door open all day/night. I have become used to it and feel happy with this. My garden is clay and I can't even dig it up (let along Mr Fox). Do what you feel best for your circumstances and your soil type, or as others suggest on this forum, weigh the eglu skirt down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 ditto - I know there is a fox around, and I've caught him stalking my hens, which is why their free-ranging days are no more - but I leave the Eglu door open at night. It would take a fox equipped with wellington boots and a spade to dig into my heavy soil - the run is pegged down with tent-pegs and I've never seen any sign of tunnelling or digging. Since my girls are in the run all day on most days, I'd rather let them get up at first light (which is much earlier than I want to be up!) and not restrict them to the Eglu for a long time as well. It is very much a matter of personal choice, as Hen Watch says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 I have light sandy soil, and the hens managed to tunnel under the skirt from the inside of the Eglu run (but didn't have the sense to tunnel upwards again to get out). So I have to be very careful about foxes, as it would take only minutes for them to tunnel in if they got the hang of the skirt. So I put heavy plant pots all the way round, and it seems to have done the trick. I tried tent pegs, but they could be pulled straight out. My soil is so light that even my washing line soil-spike sinks without trace so that my washing starts to trail near the ground. There is a weak spot where the Eglu joins the run, but Omlet have rectified this for all new Eglu purchasers, and people with Mark 1 and older Mark 2 Eglus can purchase the necessary extra square piece of skirt. Paving slabs under the skirt are probably an even better solution, but unless your hens get out a lot I don't think the whole run should be paved, as hens adore scratching about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 The incidence (Andrew?) where the fox tunnelled in was when it was on very light soil on a vegetable patch temporarily. I've had a fox bite and maim a chicken through the bars, but fail to get in. I've fixed the area of chicken wire that was easy to push through and have fox watch, and we're more careful about freeranging. The only other thing was a defect in a poop tray where the fox managed to pull out the tray and snap at the chickens inside (bantams I think). Not sure if it got in or just scared the chickens. Some people put bricks/something heavy behind the tray just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 There is a weak spot where the Eglu joins the run, but Omlet have rectified this for all new Eglu purchasers, and people with Mark 1 and older Mark 2 Eglus can purchase the necessary extra square piece of skirt. I can't find it in the shop. How much is it, and is it only the very recent eglus with the extra bit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 You have to negotiate with Omlet, I am afraid: it's yet another thing they have not got around to listing in the shop. I can't think that the two squares would cost very much: they aren't all that big. I would chat them up when you are making another purchase from them: I got mine delivered with my Cube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
