kazaddress Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Hello very very long time no see I need some help. It has been 4 years since mr fox took my lovely hens away, but I still cant convince Mr kazaddress to let me get some more he is the one that had to "clear up" the mess, and it was horrific for him, and he doesnt want to go through that again. he also has had 4 years to get used to having a lawn, and says he doesnt want it wrecked again. I have tried talking him into getting a cube, as the hens will then have more space, but nothings is working. I thought the money side of it might help (were buying a dozen organic eggs a week at the moment). but thats not worked either. I have 2 lovely little boys, who I would love to grow up with hens in the garden.. (the hens were taken a few weeks before DS1 was born). any ideas welcome xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Well, my advice in't cheap, but works very well here.... 1 omlet chicken eglu or cube 1 run, ours has slabs in it and covered by railway sleepers and concreted in to stop Mr Fox or forget this option as more £s and go for a fenced off area around your eglu/cube for supervised free ranging sessions. This will save your plants and grass, if space allows. We have super cheap fencing in the shape of builders fencing for the time being. We have all 3 options and it works very well. How did Mr Fox get in last time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazaddress Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 Hi Thankyou for your reply we had our eglu in a fenced in area last time. It was in the bottom corner of our garden so 2 sides were wooden fencing with chicken wire stapled to it. The back edge has a 6 foot drop behind the wooden fence. Then the other 2 sides and roof were chicken wire with reinforced steel fencing under ground. (2 foot). it even had a solid oak door on. with the eglu inside it. Mr fox scratched through the wooden fence, taking the chicken wire with it... then caused carnage (ducks went too). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Hmm, I read somewhere on here recently that chicken wire is to keep chickens in and not to keep foxes out. Perhaps someone else knows. We bought our WIR from avaries 4 u as after OH had costed out the wire to purchase for the run, there was little difference in price, plus Lewis from Avaries 4 u knows exactly how to make runs, so no OH scratching his head for ages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs_B Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 So sorry to hear about what happened to your chickens and ducks I would advise to use weld mesh instead of chicken wire, as foxes can eat through chicken wire but not through weld mesh. If you have a run with the weld mesh, the chooks will be safe in their run and also will be confined to an area of your choice so your garden and lawn would remain nice! I hope you can convince your OH to get some more hens, it must have been terrible to have to sort out the area after the fox attack x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Have you tried suggesting a walk in run? There are some lovely ideas in the Eglus, Cubes & Runs section, under Chicken Run & WIR Inspiration - and some of them would be a wonderful feature to enhance your lovely lawn etc! Your new hens would also be safer from predators in a securely built run. Good luck - I hope you can persuade him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmashazzie Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Agree with others WIR is the way to go, if properly made should keep Mr Fox out.I got mine from Flytes so Fancy,was easy to assemble and they also sell skirt to around ground to prevent digging under.I only let chickens out in afternoon and stay in garden when they are out.Hope you can convince OH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Its never nice to clear up after a fox attack, but if you were happy just keeping 2 or 3 birds you could do it safely in an eglu classic and extended run. Only FR if you are around, I know thats not ideal, but it is better than nothing. Assuming you don't move it around (ie only a small part of the garden needs to be sacrificed) the site of the eglu/run will need care and attention to keep the ground sweet. For added protection you can site it on slabs. If you end up with something more ambitious like a WIR, I would strongly advise weldmesh. However, the joy of keeping chickens, not to mention the link between food and plate for the children, and between nature and our busy lives, is immeasurable. Try that one on your OH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Hi Kaz! Welcome back - as you say, long time no see! (((hugs))) And you have been busy - two little ones now, congratulations! I agree about the walk in run idea - keep them confined to one area, weldmesh or an Omlet walk in run both much better as fox deterrants. Your littlies would love chickens as pets - remind him that it won't be long before they are demanding pets, and what would he prefer, useful productive pets? Or guinea pigs and rabbits? Or a puppy? (you can always get the guineas and rabbits once he has got used to the idea of having chickens again) xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I'd recommend a PM to mollyripkim - A visit to her worked wonders on my anti chook OH She lives right near you and has the best WIR imaginable all set up by her DH. Lawn can stay looking like an entry for Chelsea, and Mr Fox will have to get his take-away elsewhere. Plus your little children will just adore her silkies and wee call ducks, not to mention her kitty cat and dear little licky daxy and their delight is sure to make your OH smile. The only thing - she is a busy lass. Then when you are ready to get your chickens, pop by Hamble Valley and say hello to Rachel. She has a lovely selection of chooks for sale that would suit children. They are all in the pink of health. However the financial argument about eggs might not hold out here as pretty ickle chooks don't lay all that well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Yep, I would definitely agree on the pet front. The chickens have meant I can get away with no cat which my youngest has been desperate for and or more guinea pigs. Putting him in charge of "his" chickens has made the world of difference. Plus not to mention, going on holiday you get loads of people asking to look after your chickens.....for all of those lovely eggs!!! Of course, thinking about it, I reckon other pets could well be more expensive....vets fees, injections, more expensive animal feed, animal boarding when you go on hol. I would sell it to my OH as a way to save money as more cooking from scratch, saves you £s. Good luck, we have got so much out of owning chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Hiya! I remember you I agree with the ideas of a permenant run on slabs or concrete. All mine stay in and most have no free ranging at all. The key is appropriate space so maybe an Eglu with run and two or three Pekins (or similar) or a larger run (extended Eglu run/Walk in run) with a couple of larger birds You dont have to have too many chooks, just two or three with reasonable space is fine You see it a lot on forums, the problems tend to start when people start accumulating chooks leading to more poo, more mess, higher chances of something going wrong etc etc... so if you dont 'over chook' yourself and you should be fine (....she says.....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Just wanted to say hi from Fleet. I have a cube with 3 metre run with and wooden run. My girls never get to go in the garden. My old girls used to but I like my grass and plants, and since being visited quite a few times by Mr Fox recently I am glad they are shut in. I hope you manage to persuade your hubby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazaddress Posted February 6, 2013 Author Share Posted February 6, 2013 Just wanted to say hi from Fleet. I have a cube with 3 metre run with and wooden run. My girls never get to go in the garden. My old girls used to but I like my grass and plants, and since being visited quite a few times by Mr Fox recently I am glad they are shut in. I hope you manage to persuade your hubby. Ah hello I would really like to get a walk in run, and cube. but its just not viable we have a lovely eglu classic, maybe i could convince him to save up for the walk in run to attach to it... I wonder if there is a way to raise the eglu upon the outside and still attach it to the run (I say raise it up, because I had issues getting the tray out of the eglu when it was on the ground) kaz xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Kaz, I think quite a few people put it up on a table. See signature of Ain't "Ooops, word censored!"ody Here and also, I think, Cinnamon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Kaz, I think quite a few people put it up on a table. See signature of Ain't "Ooops, word censored!"ody Here and also, I think, Cinnamon I have seen quite a few on tables too. How big is your garden ? Mine is only 30ft long by 40ft wide and my run fits in fine. I hope you manage to save enough to get what you would like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazaddress Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 Kaz, I think quite a few people put it up on a table. See signature of Ain't "Ooops, word censored!"ody Here and also, I think, Cinnamon I have seen quite a few on tables too. How big is your garden ? Mine is only 30ft long by 40ft wide and my run fits in fine. I hope you manage to save enough to get what you would like Thanks all. mine is 7metres wide and 40foot deep Its going to be tough working out where the best place is, as my veggies are in the sunniest spot. (im getting a head of myself here, although I have been leaving enough hints around) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 It's fine for your veggies to be in the sunniest spot as your chicken accomodation should not be in full sun or it will get too hot for your chooks come summertime Ideally they need part sun / part shade. East facing might be nice to get the morning sun (providing you don't have a cockerel ) but try not to have it south facing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
