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I'm basically parroting The Dogmother:

In my experience, it has all depended on the hen. Technically they can all jump over it; I have one hen who takes a running jump and flaps around until she lands on the top wire, wobbles around for a minute, and then lands on the other side. The other hens don't seem remotely interested in doing that, though. I've not seen a singe one of them get under the netting. Make sure their wings are clipped and this will be less of an issue, and if you use guide ropes to pull the netting taut, that will help too.

The problem with the Omlet netting is that it isn't fox proof, and they can chew through the wire quite easily. I used to spend ages repairing my Omlet netting (I found it was being chewed through in different places at least once a week) and switched it out for an electric one in the end. If the fox has been back and bitten the new netting, he's obviously gotten the message that it's not a smart thing to do. If you can afford to upgrade at some point, I would - but that is obviously just my own personal opinion. :)

Edited by AndyRoo
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Thanks for your replies. 

We have had a change of plan and Will be moving the area to the end of the garden, where there are a few trees and its kind of rough land with leaves and no grass. we will fence it in with a picket fence and attach the netting inside the fence. 

I'm all new to this! Will the chickens be safe in this area roaming as I'm assuming it's at night if a fox comes?  And they will be in their eglu by then? 

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19 minutes ago, lousara76 said:

Will the chickens be safe in this area roaming as I'm assuming it's at night if a fox comes?  And they will be in their eglu by then? 

Provided the door to their inner run is closed after them and not left open for the fox to get in, you should be fine.

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Ok, I'll make sure they are safely locked in at night. What is the normal time for them to be put in there? 

Also we are going away in holiday for a week in July, I will be getting someone in to open the eglu door and put them back in at night. Would it be ok to keep them in the eglu run which is 3 meters and not let them into the free range area?  Or would they be too squashed in that area all week? 

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How many are you getting?

Quote

we will fence it in with a picket fence and attach the netting inside the fence. 

I'm all new to this! Will the chickens be safe in this area roaming as I'm assuming it's at night if a fox comes?

No - don’t assume they’ll be safe from a fox inside the picket fence / Omlet mesh even during the day. If you’re not outside with them / nearby a fox could easily come during the day and get them in that situation. They would need to be inside their Eglu run to be safe if I’ve understood your set up correctly.

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59 minutes ago, lousara76 said:

Ok, I'll make sure they are safely locked in at night. What is the normal time for them to be put in there? 

Also we are going away in holiday for a week in July, I will be getting someone in to open the eglu door and put them back in at night. Would it be ok to keep them in the eglu run which is 3 meters and not let them into the free range area?  Or would they be too squashed in that area all week? 

If they're in the outside/open pen in the day, a fox can get to them, so an electric fence would be better although is not necessarily a magical cure either. They'll be safer in the enclosed fencing attached to the Eglu. If you have 3 hens in a 3m run that is enough, although the more space you can give them the better. A typical guide is 1sqm per hen, but everything more than that is a bonus.

You'll probably find that they put themselves to bed at night, although you may have to do that for them the first few nights just so they get used to where they have to sleep.

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OK, so I think that we will have to start at the beginning here:

  • Under the trees is good - they need partial shade
  • Put the eglu and run inside the netted enclosure
  • Do NOT assume that the netted enclosure is safe from predators, nor that the chickens can't escape
  • The eglu run will be fox proof PROVIDED it is not on uneven or soft ground, you should peg down the skirt.
  • The eglu run will need to have  a clear, waterproof covering, their food and water should be inside this run and protected from the elements
  • Put the birds in the eglu run BEFORE it starts to get dark, they will go into the housing as darkness falls, then you need to close the door and lock it
  • Don't let them out into the netted area until it is properly daylight. If it is dark in the winter and you are out all day, then they will need to stay in the safe run
  • If you want a larger and safe roaming area, then think about a walk in run - there is a section on this forum with photos and ideas for one.
  • Have  good read of the forum, there is a lot of good solid advice on here fro a beginner, particularly in the FAQ section - it pays to read up 

Enjoy your chicken keeping, but above all, research and be prepared

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You won’t regret that lousara - I know they’re expensive but peace of mind and the safety of your hens is worth it. I have my Cube attached to a walk in run for when there’s no one home, and that’s within a netted area that they free range in when we’re home.

Edited by mullethunter
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