What do you think...

[dabsisme]

I was thinking about how I can get round letting my chickens out in the mornings, so if I dont shut them in at night do you think they will be ok?

There run is made from security mesh this is also sunk in the ground so that Mr Fox can not dig his way in, they are in a shed that I have made good for chickens.

I was going to leave there pop hole open so they can come out frist thing and go to bed when they wanted...

What do you lot think Do I / Don't I ?????

What do you lot do?

Ps) I will only do this from March to October.

Thanks..

[Two_Sheds]

How high is your fence?

How deep have you sunk your fence?

[MaureenHall]

If the run is 100% fox-proof with a roof (mesh perhaps) then I can't see a problem. I'd also get some males (human ones) to wee all around the perimeter too, that's said to deter foxes

[bendm]

I have the pop-hole of the house open all the time in a fox proof enclosure and they are always happy,even in the cold weather.

[-pat m]

I have the pop-hole of the house open all the time in a fox proof enclosure and they are always happy,even in the cold weather.

It is almost worth its own thread but I am sure it has been done before but, after a fox attack last summer I went into every preventative measure I could including encouraging (not that it took a lot encouragement) my 7yr old son to wee around the edge of our paddock My nice Estonian hairdresser gives me two carrier bags full of hair every visit, and I have Radio 4 on all day every day, I may be lucky, the fox may be dead but I haven�t had any troubles since!
Pat

[bargainhunter]

[QUOTE=-pat m;366870]It is almost worth its own thread but I am sure it has been done before but, after a fox attack last summer I went into every preventative measure I could including encouraging (not that it took a lot encouragement) my 7yr old son to wee around the edge of our paddock My nice Estonian hairdresser gives me two carrier bags full of hair every visit, and I have Radio 4 on all day every day, I may be lucky, the fox may be dead but I haven�t had any troubles since!
Pat[/QUOTE

why the hair (is that a silly question)

[Hilary B]

It is almost worth its own thread but I am sure it has been done before but, after a fox attack last summer I went into every preventative measure I could including encouraging (not that it took a lot encouragement) my 7yr old son to wee around the edge of our paddock My nice Estonian hairdresser gives me two carrier bags full of hair every visit, and I have Radio 4 on all day every day, I may be lucky, the fox may be dead but I haven�t had any troubles since!
Pat

Not sure a 7yo would be the ideal answer. Surely it is the trace of male hormones that is the deterrent and a child may not produce enough hormones to be effective (but might well be better than not bothering).

[Flummery]

The hair is meant to act as a deterrant because the oils in it smell - the smell of humans is not nice if you're a fox. Allegedly!

[-pat m]

The hair is meant to act as a deterrant because the oils in it smell - the smell of humans is not nice if you're a fox. Allegedly!

Hi Flummery

Yep I saw it on Hugh Fernley Whittingstall's show. He had houses on stilts (my long term aim!!! when time and money allows!) I don�t know if it works or not but I won�t stop now. My son weeing is a bit of a red herring as his dribble doesn�t really add to my torrent (sorry)
I really don�t know if any of this works but last summer I was greeted by 11 dead and dying chickens and I never want to see that again so I will continue - old wives tales or not.

Regards
Pat

[frias]

My brother-in-law is a pest controller and insists the only thing to stop a fox is a gun. But as I can't shoot and my close neighbours would not be impressed if I did ,I will continue to use any old wives tales like wee and hair in the hope it does help.
My run is fox proof (touch wood) but I would still worry if the pop hole was open. OH told me he had shut it last Wed night but when I went to open Thurs morning I found it open and the girls were happily pecking about in the run. They obviously like to be up a bit earlier than me.

[dabsisme]

Ok.....

I left the pop hole open on Sunday night.......But just before I went to bed I had to go and close it......I keep saying to Beki (wife) "do you think they will be ok?" so in the end she said if your going to be like this all night your not going to sleep much so just go and shut them in.

Thanks to you all anyways but I think I will just keep shuting them in at night.

Thanks again!

[CoraxAurata]

Ok.....

I left the pop hole open on Sunday night.......But just before I went to bed I had to go and close it......I keep saying to Beki (wife) "do you think they will be ok?" so in the end she said if your going to be like this all night your not going to sleep much so just go and shut them in.

Thanks to you all anyways but I think I will just keep shuting them in at night.

Thanks again!

ROFTL! That sound very like us <g> ours have to be shut up 'cos they're free range in the day time - but if the weathers a bit dodgy, or a duck is behaving oddly (my ducks just do that naturally I think its from growing up with me....)
one of us(or both) will fret continuously until its resolved...