[lovechickens]

hiya
im new to this site and new to keeping chickens i bought 3 hens and 4 chicks last week and they are the best so friendly and they love a stroke, one of them(lucy) has layed her first egg we are so pleased.
but tonight about 7.45 the 3 hens was in the garden, i heard alot of noise ,i heard my children shout out theres a fox so i ran outside there was 2 foxes i scared them away if i came out 10 seconds later they would of been dead but lucky they are all fine and now inside fast asleep
does anyone know how to fox prof your garden? or how to get rid of foxes
i thought foxes come out when its dark
please help
thanks xxxx

[Vember]

Hi LC

Welcome to the forums

Wow talk about just in the nick of time

I shall pop this over to the Hen House where folks will give you suggestions on fox proofing

There is also this info which will help
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=25998.0


Sarah

[lovechickens]

aww thanks that would be great thank you x

[joyfull]

No, they will strike at any time and now that they are aware of your hens they will be back.    You will need to completely enclose their area either with electric fencing or weldmesh or similar, not chicken wire as foxes can chew through this. Dig it into the ground by about a foot to prevent tunnelling, completely cover the top so that if they climb up they still cant get in. Be very vigillant. Don't know what else to tell you but perhaps someone else may be able to help with more advice.

[drumcrow]

You could put up good strong fencing that a fox cant squeeze through or pull a part you also need to bury the end of the fencing. NOW for the old wifes tails get human hair stuff it in to ladys tights and hang it around were the chickens are kept another one is spray the fence line with male human pee. i do two of the above. i also have 3 dogs keeping guard so far no fox has got in. fingers crossed.

[GrannieAnnie]

Foxes are so urbanised now LC that they come out at any time.  I had a couple come last week for another 12 chickens and they said where they live,  they were sitting on the patio which over looks the stableyard and a fox just strode straight in front of them and went after the chickens. Luckily they let the dogs out which chased it off, but they have lost most of their birds to foxes and are now beginning to re-stock.  I hope they are fencing them off now!!!!

[joyfull]

Forgot to mention the old wives tales but as mine are free ranging I do not have any fencing but have go other half to pee into a watering can and gone all the way around our 1/2 acre plot, took an awfull lot of pee but kept him topped up with cuppas to speed the process up  .
Like drumcrow I too have 2 dogs to help with deterring unwanted visitors.

[lovechickens]

ok thanks
do you think its cruel to keep chickens indoors im so worried about them
what sort of chicken hut do u reconmend?

xx

[lovechickens]

my chickens are free range what do i do xx

[joyfull]

Short of sitting out there with them all day (ideally with a shot gun or similar) and you still want to keep them free range then not a lot. The problem is that when they have been free ranging a lot of birds don't like to be enclosed in a run. But if you want to keep them safe then you will have to build a run for them aound or attached to their current house. Make it as large as you possibly can (I think the minimum is 1 sq meter per bird but again I stress this is the bare minimum) and use this for times when you are not around.

[lovechickens]

ok your right thanks for that wouldnt i get in trouble by shooting foxes?
even if you did wouldnt more come back?

xx

[joyfull]

Don't know but you would need to get a licence and a lockable safe cupboard first. I think where I live (surrounded by farmland) I would probably be ok as it would be killing my livestock but not sure about your situation.

[lovechickens]

ok well i live in london
do i needed a licence to have a heavy duty air riffle?
im not going to get one just want to know x

[joyfull]

sorry don't know that, I'm just thinking about getting a shot gun as I fancy a go at shooting - clay or pheasants etc.

[Yorkie]

http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/operational-policing/AirWeaponsLeafletAW.pdf?view=Binary

Is a useful summary of the law relating to air weapons - some years old but I don't think the law has essentially changed.  The requirement for a licence depends mainly on the power of the weapon - but irrespective of whether it needs a licence, you must still comply with the firearms laws.

Joyfull - shotguns are a different category of weapon and you really need to do your homework first, I'm not sure but I think they do need licensing and locked storage etc.