Melbourne Australia, flock of 5

[TinkerChooks]

Hi everyone,

I've had chickens on and off over the years, but never been particularly knowledgeable on their medical front. But they're lovely to have around, and the eggs are fabulous. Have lost quite a few to foxes though. Once an entire flock of eight cleaned out . Turns out foxes can climb a geodesic dome to the open pentagon top, push under a tarp, and jump back out again carrying a chicken!

We currently have 5 girls, having lost the last of our original six here about two months ago. The pen I've built here is guaranteed completely fox proof (when the door is shut!), after many years of experience with their strength and cunning. That didn't stop our favourite of the first six from sticking her head throught the cyclone mesh to peck a digging fox, though. Her bravery did not end well

I've used this site as a resource previously, but signed up tonight because of a rapid onset of bad looking symptoms in one of our 6 month old Australorps. I've posted that in the proper help section.

Plans for the henhouse include a solar powered motorised door activated by leg RFID tags and some smarts.

 

[N F C]

Hi, thanks for joining us and good luck with your ill bird (someone should be along in the ER forum to help shortly).

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC. I hope all works out well for your hen.

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to the BYC community.

 

[BoundlessLove]

Welcome to BYC! Sorry about your hen and hope you can get some help for her.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
Good luck with your many issues.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi, and welcome to BYC!

I'm so sorry to hear about your troubles there. You sure have some cunning foxes. Our kind around here are sneaky but skiddish. We had issues with one using our property as her path to another farm. A boom box playing loudly for a couple of days caused her to change her route.

You may be able to find some help, post for some ideas, or even to give some advice in our Predator forum.

We're glad you're here!

 

[N3mesis_IceWing_NightWing]

WELCOME, Tinker

 

[TinkerChooks]

Thanks for the welcome, everyone. I'm not concerned about foxes any more. The girls are safe as long as they're in their house and the door is shut. They can't stick their heads out any more, thanks to sparrow mesh on the inside of the cyclone fencing. I have other.. measures.. in place if a foxes comes visiting.