[Clarey]

We got our two chickens a couple of weeks ago - so far so good, one started laying immediately and the other one after a week. As they are now well settled in I have started letting them roam free in our enclosed garden. Seeing them happily scratching around in the garden from my kitchen window I suddenly wondered whether a hungry fox would take their chances in daylight ? Our garden is quite well fenced mainly to keep out rabbits but we know for a fact that badgers visit our garden. Which then led me on to wonder whether badgers pose any danger to the chooks (I thouhgt I read somewhere that they could be but I might be wrong)

Thanks in advance

[muntjac]

foxes willcome anytime they want ,. but daytime visits are usuallly a vixen on the hunt for meals for cubs ,. badgers will kil and take chickens . secure all entrances they come in with heavy guage wire  buried unde rthe ground a foot or so and run a lenght barbed wire along its edge they find it with thier paws n leave .. if you havent got heavy gauge wire around the bottom of the chook house id do so . to deter badgers use diesel or old engine oil dripped around ur perimeter fencing

[Clarey]

Thanks Muntjac, I'll be keeping close eye on the girls. Will scout the perimiters of the garden at the weekend to see if we can find where the badgers are coming in and then fix as appropriate. Thankfully the chicken wire that we have already is well buried into the ground (thanks to the previous owners) Will also have a think about putting wire around the house - Fort Knox here we come !

C

[Aunt Sally]

Do check your perimiter wire that is burried in the ground if you don't know how long it's been there - it may have rusted.  A good temparary measure is to lift a strip of turf 10" wide around the pen and lay weldmesh down and turf over.  Foxy is not bright enough not to dig nearest to the fence and dosen't start a foot away.  (this is the principal that fox proofs the eglu run)

[LILACSPLASH]

while we're on the subject of Mr. Foxy, he doesn't like flashy lights at night, so if they're in a field or a big garden, aquire one of those lights that they put around the skips, you know, the ones you used to take home after one too many and they think someones around with the flashlight and go home

[muntjac]

doesnt seem to worry em at sizewell or lakenheath lilac lol  

[LILACSPLASH]

doesnt seem to worry em at sizewell or lakenheath lilac lol  

Hummm, perhaps at sizewell they have x-ray eyes

[muntjac]

i lamp them and shoot the troublesome ones and i have no worries about them dislikin flashing light lol i flash a light thee stop i shoot em .they do ge lamp shy which is when you continually flash a lighgt and harrass them .but normal flashing lights i see them wander around dont worry them here lolo

[LILACSPLASH]

We swear by them round here, but are small enough to be rural and large enough to know who nicked what from where :roll:

[Aunt Sally]

What are you doing here Worzel, get back in the field before the crow man catches you  :shock:  

[LILACSPLASH]

not if the woodworm gets you first  :twisted:

[Aunt Sally]

That's not funny you bad scarecrow :!: I suppose you think you've go your funny head on today

[LILACSPLASH]

no, my thinking head... anyway do you fancy a slice of cake???

[Aunt Sally]

Oh yes please ! and a cup of tea would be nice  

[LILACSPLASH]

TBO I'd rather a glass of wine, anyone else want some?