[Evansent]

Hello All,

I am going to be a "Mum" to 6 chickens, as from Saturday, they are a mixture of hybrids.

We have built a 4x6ft shed for them with a good sized run (Approx 8x20ft) , with 5ft high wire around it.

  I am very concerned about foxes though, as I know they do come in the garden, as I have seen the holes they make in the lawn and lots of pigeon feathers sometimes. I haven't actually seen them in the day and the hens will of course be locked up at night.   Am I running too great a risk?

I wondered if a scarecrow (or should that be scarefox) might work, or am I now just being bonkers?!

Any advice much appreciated
Thanks
C.

[Vember]

Hi Evansent

Welcome to the HenHouse
Bet you can't wait till saturday  

Would it be possible for you to make the the fence any taller? Or maybe put netting on the top to stop the fox jumping in??
If you have foxes about it is best to do this, it's amazing what they can jump.
Also you might want to look at putting an skirt around the bottom of the run to deterr it & rat's from digging their way in.
I have a Galvanised netting skirt which sticks out approx 10 inches :? then cover it with either soil or turf, then if any thing does start to dig it will come up against that

Hope this helps a little :?

We are very nosey round here and would love to see photo's of your new girls when you get them

Sarah

[compostqueen]

feathers on the lawn could be hawks. We get them all the time but I doubt they bother your hens

I have never seen foxes anywhere near me but to be on the safe side I bought a Foxwatch device. Cost about £34.  Tt says on the box though " does not work on deaf foxes"    

Good luck with your girls  

[mickwood]

Your gonna love the whole chicken game!!  

I saw somewhere that someone placed concrete/stone slabs around the edge of their run. This meant that any foxes wanting to dig into the run would have a much harder job! (they would have to dig down, under the slabs and then into the run!)

may be a good idea if you have the space and can get some cheap slabs?

Have fun with ya chucks

XXX

[poultrygeist]

Hi Evansent and welcome. Like the name  

What sort of wire have you used ?

If the standard hex chicken wire, a fox can chew through unless it's at least 19g/1mm thick. We normally recommend using welded mesh as this usually meets the standard.

As said, you could do with somethign around the bottom (of the run :shock: ) such as a mesh skirt or slabs and as vember says, a covering is good for keeping the foxes out and to keep the rain off.
Once they've been in for a while, the run will smell when it gets wet and turns 'sour'. A clear plastic roof will stop this.
Some people put softwood chippings down to stop the hens churning up the ground. It also means they can scratch for beetles and bugs.

It's a lot to think of so don't worry too much but the fox protection is important and the rest can follow as and when.

We're only just getting round to the solid roof after 10 months.  :roll:

Try and post some photos if you can.

Rob

[Evansent]

Thank you for your tips. Much appreciated. I will of course put some pics on when we get them home.

Thanks
Colette

[ceri green]

hi evansent

welcome to chicken keeping, i'm sure you won't regret it and will become well and truly hooked!

re the foxes.........all the chickens that we have ever lost to a fox have been in broad daylight and very close to the house (that was when they were just allowed complete free range during the day)
now they have a very large run which i have tried to plant up with bushes etc as their favourite place used to be in the little woods at the top of the field


also if they are feeding cubs i think they are a lot bolder about how close they come!