Murdo Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 There's a post about Eglu netting on the Eglu board, but I thought this question might belong with the foxes. A couple of posters have made reference to soft barriers being more effective than a rigid one such as a fence which is easier to climb. We've got some of the Omlet netting. Apart from the fact that it can be electrified, is it going to provide any sort of defence against a fox ? We're using it to confine the chickens away from the vegetable patch rather than as protection, but I'm always willing to ask a stupid question. By the way, I'm not going to keep posting at this rate forever. I just wanted to stop being described as 'freshly laid.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Yes, Murdo, I've heard that foxes have no trouble getting over garden fences, especially if people have benches etc on the other side. We've got 6 foot fences all round the garden and at first I thought we were pretty secure but I'm not at all sure now! The only protection the girls have around their run at the moment are 2 fences, the wall of a summer house and the fruit cage netting that separates them from the rest of the garden. As I'm around all the time and we have a very big labrador living in the garden next door, I think they're pretty safe during the day but we're going to have to connect up the Omlet run for when we're not around. I always lock them safely in the Eglu the minute it starts to get dusky outside but there will be times, especially in summer when we're out for the day and they'll be left on their own. It's such a worry, isn't it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 By the way, I'm not going to keep posting at this rate forever. I just wanted to stop being described as 'freshly laid.' Is Frequent Layer any better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammi J Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 I could think of worse things to be called!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quentinho Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Unfortunately foxes are the comandos of the predator world. We have 6 ft walls around our Bristol garden plus fence ontop in various places but a pot, compost bin or whatever are all they need. We lost all 5 on monday in the space of a couple of minutes. It was a nice day and I thought I'd give them an extra 20 mins in the sun. 18 mins would have been alright. We were all mortified . So now I'm looking at bigger runs. I would be interested to hear if anyone has actually seen a fox have trouble with the netting . I think it would be too low. What about chicken wire is that fox proof ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Unelectrified netting is absolutely no deterrent to a fox. However, electrified fencing is a different matter altogether. My chickens have been free ranging behind 50m of electrified fencing since June and although I have plenty of foxes in the area the fencing has never been breached. The fencing has to be kept on 24/7 so the fox never has a chance to find out that it is not electrified. The difference is that a fox will always test a fence to make sure it is safe to jump. It tests it with his nose and if it gets a shock it will run off pretty quickly and not try to jump it. This thread explains how electric fencing works and how to erect it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Gamebird is quite right - electric fencing is the only sure fire way to go. Something is nibbling our unelectrified netting (probably fox as one has taken a bird from next door) and a local poultry supplier has said that a lot of people have been in for new birds in this cold snap having lost stock to foxes. My girls are not freeranging at the moment, and electric netting is seriously on our consideration list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Wise Hens Posted February 26, 2009 Share Posted February 26, 2009 I lost 2 of my 3 hens to a fox at the end of January - the third was badly mauled but has made a stunning recovery, thank goodness. After introducing two new hens, I let them free-range in a small area in the middle of the lawn fenced off by the Omlet netting for an hour or so one day, supervised. They were locked into the run in the afternoon, and I took down some of the netting, leaving only a couple of poles standing. During the night a fox chewed through several sections of the netting, including the wires, so I now have to fix the holes... This was just a freestanding bit of netting that wasn't even near the eglu, but must have smelled of chicken! The only safe enclosure is inside the eglu run, or building a heavy duty metal mesh run with a roof and sides sunk into the ground. Sadly, once the fox has struck once, he is persistent and will not stop visiting to catch you off guard. Three Wise Hens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkymark Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Another vote for electrified netting - I got some chicken-specific stuff online, looks just like the Omlet stuff, does a great job - but don't turn it off! Used to save electricity at night when they were all safe in the Eglu, now have a two-foot hole chewed in it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 I agree...the netting provides no protection against foxes.....unless it is electrified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 ** stupid question alert ** So how come the chickens don't get electrocuted too Or do they, and learn to keep away from the nasty fence?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 They do get a little zapp and then learn to avoid it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barkisland Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 Aah, thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 27, 2009 Share Posted February 27, 2009 not a stupid question at all - but the answer is most definitely no, Omlet netting will not protect against a fox. I use mine, as you do, to keep them off the veg patch etc. I've seen foxes scale a 6' fence without the benefit of a compost bin or anything else - they are very agile and can jump nearly as well as a cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolmS Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Is it safe to leave chickens in the confines of the eglu/cube during the day whilst away at work. I keep coming back to this site when the urge to keep chickens gets the beter of me. I would love to keep a few but as I live in a rural place where they are loads of foxes I keep thinking the foxes will get to them.....2 neighbours in the past have kept ducks and hens but all have been taken by foxes when free ranging. In brief, my question is- will chickens be safe within a cube run 3m's.(they say these are fox proof!) cheers Malcolm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I am always perfectly happy to leave my girls in their Eglu run + extension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolmS Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Daphne Thanks for your re assurances. Malcolm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I've been happy to leave mine in the run, and 2 years on haven't lost one to a fox yet - the run is not advertised as 'fox proof' because there have been a couple of cases where a fox either tunnelled under (I believe on very soft ground) or managed to grab part of a chicken through the bars. These are sad, but rare, cases. You have to make up your own mind, in my view that risk is very slight. You can get a Foxwatch (sonic repeller) to deter the fox from hanging around the Eglu/Cube run. Go on, you know you want to get chickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolmS Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Olly I would love to get some but I am only too aware of neighbours problems with foxes. Granted they did noty have an eglu etc so watch this space! Malcolm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
