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[Anna Ranieri]

Out here in the sticks, I do get a bit panicky in the winter; everyone in by dusk, no exceptions; I walk around with a piece of cut off pipe shooing everyone in.

The benefit of being so far out is that most everyone has chickens (though maybe not quite so many), and few are quite so anal about ensuring security; I'm always seeing chickens out on the road, sometimes quite late in the evening. Although I hate to take satisfaction in someone else's loss, if there is a lack of wise husbandry there, then it is going to keep my flock safer. We also have a lot of rabbits and pheasants at the moment, so fingers crossed that will last any predators for a while.

I try to be realistic about it; predation is always a risk, but if I can secure them at night, that is most important. They need their freedom in the day, I think.

In your experience how high a fence do you think a fox could climb or jump? I got 5ft fencing all around my garden, do you think they'd clear that?

 

[CCUK]

Oh wow a kestrel, would have loved to have seen that, - just not in my garden though I have to admit I think most birds of prey are beautiful and kestrels are one of my favourites. We have loads of wild pigeons here, before we got our birds, they'd come in our garden for dust baths and used my grandson's climbing frame and his trampoline to perch on, sometimes we'd get up to about 10/15 in our garden and more if you count the ones on the fence but now our girls won't let them in. Pedro our first ever chick we got, started chasing them off when she was about 8 weeks old, she's ok with them sitting on the fence but if they dare to even try to land she'll have em! How do your flock get on with you having pigeons?

They're getting used to it. They used to run and hide when they all flew over! I like birds of prey too. They are such graceful birds. Its a shame they like chickens and pigeons too!

 

[Sneebsey]

In your experience how high a fence do you think a fox could climb or jump? I got 5ft fencing all around my garden, do you think they'd clear that?

I've heard of them clearing a good 6 ft fence. It would depend on the mesh type; either needs to be loose enough (like horse fencing) for them to not be able to progress upwards or small enough for them to be unable to get their feet in (like welded mesh). I know they can jump, just not sure how high.

I saw a kite here the other day. Beautiful but not on my doorstep please.

 

[Sneebsey]

I have pure white araucana hen. I don't think that they have leghorn in them as the lady I got the eggs from only has araucanas. But I'm not 100% sure. But I have a couple if leghorns that I want some eggs from next year and a couple of Brahmas! This should be fun next year!

I'd be interested to see what he produces, particularly with the white hen; white araucana ought to be recessive white, but the gold leakage says he's dom white.

As you know, I do love my Araucanas. Next big job is to take a polytunnel I was given by a new neighbour (it was there before they moved in and they didn't want it) and turn it into a run for Reggie (black) and his girls (4 black and a blue).

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

In your experience how high a fence do you think a fox could climb or jump? I got 5ft fencing all around my garden, do you think they'd clear that?

In my experience if they want in they will get in. One got over my 6ft boundary fence, 5ft run fence and killed all my birds. Yes my own stupid fault for not locking the pop doors but as is often the case I never thought one would get in. After that I went for fully enclosed runs with coops locked each night.

We have quite a few round us but we try to take them out. Night before last Charlie got one in the field just to the other side of us.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

They're getting used to it. They used to run and hide when they all flew over! I like birds of prey too. They are such graceful birds. Its a shame they like chickens and pigeons too!

Ohh my, they are so beautiful! A lot of difference between your pigeons and the wild ones we have around our garden, markings are different plus the ones here are fat lol, where as yours are slim and sleek.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I've heard of them clearing a good 6 ft fence. It would depend on the mesh type; either needs to be loose enough (like horse fencing) for them to not be able to progress upwards or small enough for them to be unable to get their feet in (like welded mesh). I know they can jump, just not sure how high.

I saw a kite here the other day. Beautiful but not on my doorstep please.

Its a wooden fence surrounding my garden, I just got to hope they don't redirect over to here.
I've never seen a kite in real life, only pictures and tv, I imagine would be lovely experience to see them in real life, but like you, not in my garden or anywhere near my flocks!

 

[Anna Ranieri]

In my experience if they want in they will get in. One got over my 6ft boundary fence, 5ft run fence and killed all my birds. Yes my own stupid fault for not locking the pop doors but as is often the case I never thought one would get in. After that I went for fully enclosed runs with coops locked each night.

We have quite a few round us but we try to take them out. Night before last Charlie got one in the field just to the other side of us.

I have heard they can be determined, I've also heard they prefer easy prey and would rather not have to work too hard for it, but if they are starving, or when the cubs first leave mum, they can spend hours digging, chewing and biting to get to something tasty. A resident near by has chickens, he had a fox walk across his garden, his chickens were locked in their run but are in plain sight, but the fox didn't take any notice of them, didn't even look in their direction. The guy stood there watching it, as he could see it wasn't a threat, it walk right past him too - I often wonder if it would have done differently had they of been out of their run, but the fact that it just walked across his garden as though out for a Sunday afternoon stroll, makes me think perhaps it still wouldn't have done anything, clearly it wasn't hungry at the time. Trouble is, foxes just aren't scared of humans anymore. I'd of freaked if it were me, I've never killed an animal (nor a person for that matter) but if it meant saving the life of one of mine, I would.
My run is enclosed, I used pheasant wire which was recommended to me by a farmer, he said they have to be able to get their nose in to be able to chew it and can't with this one but can with chicken wire, I still wasn't sure so he said to double it up, up to 3ft because that's as high as they stand on hind legs, I lock their houses which are in the run, and I lock the run door too, I have padlocks on the run door because I met someone who told me foxes got into the run by repeatedly shaking the door until it came open.

 

[Anna Ranieri]

I'd be interested to see what he produces, particularly with the white hen; white araucana ought to be recessive white, but the gold leakage says he's dom white.

As you know, I do love my Araucanas. Next big job is to take a polytunnel I was given by a new neighbour (it was there before they moved in and they didn't want it) and turn it into a run for Reggie (black) and his girls (4 black and a blue).

Would love to see pictures if you wouldn't mind posting some.

 

[CCUK]

Ohh my, they are so beautiful! A lot of difference between your pigeons and the wild ones we have around our garden, markings are different plus the ones here are fat lol, where as yours are slim and sleek.

They're a little on the chubby side at the moment! Now it's dark when I get home I can't fly them until the weekend .