[nerdle]

After a week of furious advice seeking, talking the pet controllers, breeders and a beginners course I conclude that I have to go to great lengths to fox proof my garden and shut hens in at night if I want free range and a coop.

I don't want to look at a concentration camp when I look out of the window and I want totally free and happy hens roosting when they like.  I don't get up before 9am and I don't want to make them wait for me that long to be let out. Then I'll have to work out what to do if I go away.  Eglus are ugly and expensive.

I have to accept the reality of foxes and rats....   there seems to be no way forward.

Despondent of Romsey

[Aunt Sally]

Oh dear, there is no such thing as an ideal world 

... but I'm sure some of our members will have some ideas for you.

[bygrace]

Hi - I'm new to chickens but have wanted to keep them for close to 20 years. I've been through similar concerns over the years and finally came to the conclusion it's all about compromise. I now have mine in a run as fox proof as I can reasonably make it, without the colditz look - and an extension run that I use when I'm pottering in the garden - fortunately I don't work so have plenty of time for pottering! I bought a chicken house, but have put on a Bob-the-Builder hat to make the runs.

I do shut them up at night, but sometimes it's late..... I rarley let them out before 7.30/8, and then it's plodding down the garden in my dressing gown. I know in the summer with early sunrise I'll need to make that earlier, but figure that's the price for keeping the girls I've wanted for so long. I can always go back to bed again after 

I have 3 or 4 friendly neighbours that I'm already bribinig with eggs for when the time comes that I'm away. One has kept chooks in the past but can't now - the others love the thought of eggs. And I do a bit of dog walking for them so can call in favours!

To my mind, nothing in this world is free - the price I pay is getting up a bit earlier and maybe not going away quite as much; the price my girls pay is a little less freedom for a bit more safety!

Hang on in there and I'm sure you'll find that happy compromise. Don't give up too easily, otherwise you'll end up waiting 20 years as I did - think of all that wasted time without the pleasure. I love 'em to bits!

BG

[JaK]

The only thing I can think of to help you is an automatic pop hole on a timer, this could be set to open at say 7am each day, you could then check on the hens when you get up later on. They are a little pricey but may be the answer you are looking for?

[joyfull]

fit your coop with an auto pop hole opener - this way you can stay in bed.
mine completely free range, most sleep in their coops which get shut at night but a few sleep in the trees. I am lucky as the said trees are very large and high (they roost over 25 feet up and on thin branches) so out of harms way but most people are not as lucky as me. I did forget to close a coop and had an horrendous mink attack (years ago I also had a fox attack on my ducks).
You could also install electric fencing.

[nerdle]

Thank you!
Bygrace - your response made me shed a tear and you've all been so helpful.
I'll investigate the pop hole thing - perhaps that's the key to it all.

Kate

[kegs]

Go for it Nerdle.  You won't regret it. 

[kensington chicks]

Kate,

Aso with the summer thing of getting up early.  If your coop opens onto a small secure run there is no need to close the coop door in summer.  The girls will have to wait to be let out to free range but they will be OK for a couple of hours until you get up.

Like Nerdle said don't put it off, we wish we had done it sooner.

KC x

[nerdle]

Thank you - I feel encouraged!  I've waited a long time for this too - however it seems to be the wrong time of year to buy a very young hen - I've got until spring to think about it.
I love those Sussex bantams - so beautiful!

Kate x

[JaK]

Oooh now, if I had room here I'd have some sussex bantams too. I like the look of the light and buff ones, very pretty.

[asd1]

We have one buff Sussex bantam in our lot she's not started to lay yet but she's like a lil sunshine chicken against all my other blues,blacks Greys and lavenders

[ManicMum]

Chickens are not hard task masters and will accept their routine if it suits you to let them out around 9 in the morning - mine are usually let out around 8.10 as we've fed boys & got them on the skool bus, then eaten our adult brekkie.  I then shoot down the garden in my dressing gown to let the girls out & put out the food & water (taken in each night to discourage vermin) and run back to fling on clothes & dash to work.

At weekends, it's later.... they're still speaking to me!

We have fenced off an area of the garden around the coop with electric fencing (run on mains, but battery versions also work well) which keeps away dogs & foxes who approach nose first, not realising that a good leap would solve the problem!

The girls are sometimes allowed out to wander the garden when we're about & the dogs are shut indoors.

This seems to please most of the people most of the time.

Plan for spring! Go for it! People have kept chickens in all sorts of ways for centuries - you just need to arrive at a routine that suits you.  We have neighbours who compete to look after the girls when we're away so that's never a problem!

 

[diamond_lil]

Keep up the good work! It is all a learning curve for everyone and though we all get things wrong sometimes, it is worth it. Chickens are very resilient. We had one Light Sussex who decided to moult in December and when I say moult I mean moult - a walking oven ready chicken with the temperature below zero! We brought her indoors till she got her feathers back. If you only have a few chickens and they have space to move about in the coop, they will be fine until you can nip down the garden to let them out. By the way, Light Sussex make super mums and go broody very easily, so maybe next year you could raise some chicks. (You can buy fertilised eggs so you don't need a cockerel.)

[joyfull]

you may not need a cockerel but you will certainly end up with a few if you hatch eggs.

[nerdle]

I've started new topics but I'll say here too - as with most things in life - events overtook me and I adopted one and brought her home.  She 'turned up' in another flock and was never welcome with the others. The owner knew nothing about her except that she is very affectionate and tame.

So now I'm a retirement home and totally loving it.  My garden is a smorgasbord for her and she sleeps in my very secure lean to.  I have work to do but thanks to all who helped me along - I'm thrilled and you made a hen happy too I hope!

Kate