Run or run free?

[Rob_h]

In just five days the girls have trampled all of the grass in the run - it is quite big but not really movable around the orchard due to the size. We are thinking about dispensing with the run and letting the girls run free in the orchard - and putting them in the coop at night but we are worried about Mr Fox - he lives in the ditch further up our land and comes and takes wood pigeons and doves most days. We have a five foot hedge all around the orchard with stock fencing on the outside but I'm sure he'll find a way of getting in. Not sure what's for the best. What does everyone else do?

[Mo]

Mine are in a run made of 4' net with flexible posts with a prong that you treadinto the ground like this.
It costs about £70 for a 50metre roll which makes a big run, and I move it every couple of weeks (ish). If you want it electric it comes to over £200. It would be simple to move it around a field, but if there are trees you have to roll it all up (being careful not to tangle the prongs in the netting), then peg it all out again (swearing and untangling the prongs that got tangled anyway).
Because it's flexible anything that wants to get over has to jump over, not on then off, but the hens do, occassionally.

[Mo]

They still dig holes in the grass.

[heebiejeebie]

Mine have a moveable coop and small run. I bought a roll of welded garden mesh and some stakes to make a larger run that I can move every few days. They're in the coop overnight and the extended run during the day. We have foxes in the area now and then but they never visit in the daytime. (so far )

[melons]

Electric fencing is the only way to go, try these guys, really helpful & cheaper than everywhere else, I have read nothing but good reports back from people who use their electric fence.
http://www.solwayfeeders.com/ProductsRe ... asp?cat=66

usually free postage too

foxes will get in otherwise, easy lunch :cry:

[Rob_h]

Thanks - I am seriously considering the electrified fencing. We did want them to have the run of the whole orchard - to be truly free range - but sometimes I won't be home from work until after dark and I'm worried the fox may well have visited by then.

[Rob_h]

We have made a decision to go for the electrifed fencing - I would be interested to know anyone's experiences of using it. Will it affect the ladies if they touch it etc?

[melons]

So I've been told, feathers are very good at insulating against electric shocks, so i really wouldn't worry too much, they'll only ever touch it the once if at all.
Good luck, other advice has been to buy the leisure battery, it has a longer life.

[Rob_h]

We are having a major dilemma at the moment - we have spoken to a couple of people who have said that the hens sometimes flap over the electrified fencing (1.2m) tall. In light of that we are thinking of going back to let the girls run free in the orchard when we are here but keeping them in the run when we aren't - not an easy decision as we want the best for them and really like the idea of them running free - the orchard is about 110 feet x 60 feet with a tall hedge all around and fencing on the outside - it was put there so the last people's dogs couldn't escape but, as you can see in the photos, there is a field gate at each end where Mr Fox can get through - and it is some distance from the house. I was thinking of putting wire over it and a bit higher than the gate but I am sure he can still get through. We are agonising over this because we thought we would be happy leaving them in the run but as we have plenty of space, it seems a shame they can't make use of it.



At the moment we don't seem to be discussing anything else - they really have taken over. We also worry they will be upset if they don't have a routine and stay in the run somedays and only come out on others - we work different shifts on differnt days.[/img]

[melons]

If you clip the primary feathers of one wing, they can't fly then, I've done all but one of mine, they make flappy attempts, but get no where, then just do this after each moult, job done

I do sympathise, I'd love mine out all the time, but getting eaten is not an option for me either, I feel so responsible for their health & well being, I think ex batts have had enough to contend with, & having survived a living hell, it would be such a shame to die like that, i think a few people on here have lost hens to day light raids from foxes, when we were kids & had hens, thats what stopped ours free ranging in the end, it would come in the day time :cry:
Good luck with your thinkings, it's a hard one, some people just accept the risk, others don't.

[Mo]

Wing clipping helps but is not infallible. As I said above, mine sometimes jump over. It didn't seem to make a difference if it was electric or not so I let my daughter use the energiser and battery and just have the netting now.
If the netting wasn't there they'd gett very bold and wander everywhere (I had it down to mend it for a few weeks last year and they went off into the road and next doors garden). If only one gets out she stays near the flock.
If there is a broken strand that turns 2 holes in the mesh into one they find it and remember where they can get out.

[Willow]

Hi Rob... though I can fully understand your fears.. I can also understand how it really is a shame not to let the girls have the full use of that lovely orchard.. If you dont make it as fox proof as you can and let them go they would only be able to have the orchard when you are actually sat in there with them, because as you say its a distance from the house..
I think what I'd do is to get those lovely gates fox proofed.. and I think that would mean raising the height and fixing chicken wire to it... also digging a trench and putting the wire below ground under the gate so the fox cant dig under it.. then there are the sides??
and check all the hedging for poss entry and block.. remember that a fox will get through a far smaller gap than an average dog.. that would be for days when you're around -
For days when you couldnt be around I'd go for the electric fence option.. as big as possible and then clip the chooks wings..

One of ours, the brown leghorn, had her wing clipped before she came to us.. you really can not notice unless she flaps, and she can still flap/jump onto perches same as the others...

It is a pain knowing what to do for the best.. mine used to have the entire garden all day.. but after one drowning (poss because she got frightened into the pond by one of our dogs bombing around) and one fox / pole cat? attack in the evening - we enlarged the run and now let them have the run of the garden half days and keep the dogs away from them unless we're around.. We also get them back into the run by about 4pm unless we're in the garden... you learn by your mistakes.... You'll be fine.. just do your best, its all you can do