Secure Bedroom!!!

[hedgie]

Hi everyone - After your words of wisdom again!
I had a scare recently - I went away for one night and a fox came very close to digging into my 'fox proof run'
I swear that fox watched me and the dog leave for the night and took his chance
Anyway luckily the girls are fine - the fox hit tree roots and wasn't able to dig deep enough to get in. I have dug the wire in deeper and filled the hole in with bricks etc.
I am still concerned that it isn't enough. The girls have a large nest box without a drop down flap - so a fox could reach in and grab them.
I am thinking of buying a small tool store type shed and fitting a closing flap.
I cant afford an automatic closing flap - so if I fit one I have to close and open, do I then have to get up at 4am in the summer to let the girls out?!

[Paul Wagland]

Jeannine and I were given a henhouse, which was great, but the door slides sideways rather than vertically, so an auto-opener isn't an option. I'm seriously thinking about running a string from the hen house door, across the run and up next to our bedroom window so I can let them out without getting out of bed!

Can you describe your run and the surroundings? Is it possible to lay paving slabs around the outside? Or chicken wire, pegged down flat like a path, so the grass can grow through it?

[hedgie]

String pully sounds like a good idea!!!
The run is 6ft high L shaped 10 x 3 ft, with a 6ft square extension attached - due to the original bullying problems!
It is securely wired on all sides and the top, 2 sides of it face a graveled area and I have wire dug into the ground under the gravel. I think that is quite secure, the problem is the whole length of the back is adjoined to my boundary fence to neighbours.
Obviously I cant lay slabs in next doors garden! But I have stapeled wire to the bottom of the fence and dug it in on my side and topped it with bricks.
The fox had pulled the wire up and dislodged several bricks - I think if it had another night at it it would've broken thro.
How much do auto flaps cost? It maybe cheaper in the long run than all this wire, bricks, back ache and stress!!!
Is there a risk of any of the girls getting locked out by staying out on the tiles and missing closing time?! And what time do you guys get up to let yours out? What is a reasonable time that isnt cruel to the birds or us?!

[Paul Wagland]

Aha, I can see how a boundary would pose a problem. I would re-build and reinforce what you've already done... And how about buying a few steel re-bars (for reinforcing concrete) from a builders' merchant and banging them vertically into the soil just outside the run, so they go a good 50cm into the soil? You could go through the holes in the wire. If you could think of a way to bend the tops over you could even use them like giant tent pegs to pin the wire down.

I reckon it's about £100 for an auto door... probably seems like good value when you're lying in bed on a Sunday morning! They work by sensing the change in light levels, as do chickens! So I guess all the chooks will be roosting when it shuts them in.

[hedgie]

Thanx Paul. Steel bars sound a good idea. I hadn't thought of tent pegs either they would probably be quite strong if I used enough of them.

[roitelet]

Hi Hedgie,

Don't want to be a wet blanket but I have seen foxes tear ordinary chicken netting apart to get at the chooks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Paul Wagland]

Yes, the fine gauge stuff is better, so they can't get their teeth into the holes.

[hedgie]

I know they can be very determined I have doubled all the chicken wire so they have to get thro 2 layers - I have also used lengths of wire to plait the layers together! I am hoping the fact that it dug suggests it couldnt chew thro.
I looked on ebay last night and found auto closing doors for £80 problem is if they are complicated to fit - my carpentary skills are not great!
I made the run and nest box but have to admit most of it isn't straight I found that out when trying to fit the door which had gaps one side and fitted perfectly the other!!
I'd rather you were a wet blanket and gave me warning then me be blissfully ignorant and my girls get eaten.
Thanx for your advice I will continue trying to find a combination of solutions at the moment I am making the dog earn her keep by sending her out late at night to check all ok!!

[TPeers]

There is always the old trick of 'marking territory' which basically involves sending the man of the house out to ....... at strategic intervals along the fence lines.

Seems to work around here - even with next door empty I haven't seen a fox for ages. Still only let the girls out if I can be in the garden though!

[hedgie]

There is always the old trick of 'marking territory' which basically involves sending the man of the house out to ....... at strategic intervals along the fence lines.

Seems to work around here - even with next door empty I haven't seen a fox for ages. Still only let the girls out if I can be in the garden though!

LOL!!!!!!! I love it - has your husband been arrested yet tho??!!
I dont have a 'man of the house' so I guess the dog will have to do it instead! Cos I'm not even going there
Seriously tho I heard that 'this idea' is also a humane mole deterrent altho my suggestion wasnt met with much enthusiasm by the people I was trying to stop using those viscious mole traps - I think they thought I was totally bonkers!!
So I carried on un-setting all the traps after dark until they gave in

[Akela Ben]

I wouldn't have an automatic opener as I like to check the orchard first before letting the girls out. Also if they operate by the light, what happens if you have a dark cloudy day, or in the summer the late light nights may make the doors shut after a fox has been around.

[hedgie]

I must admit I wondered about dark cloudy days - there nest box is in a shaded area under a tree too.
Summer eves wouldnt be a problem as I'm usually home and have the back door open and dog is around to keep watch.
But early mornings could still be a bit risky if the fox was still around.
The best answer is to make the run totally fox proof - I guess I'll just keep reinforcing everything. Thanx for your advice everyone.