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Sally Thompson · Guest

My hen house stands in a secure fox-proof covered run. At present, the birds
go into the run before bed-time and I shut the gate and maybe give them a
little scattered wheat. After they>ve taken themselves to bed I go over and
shut the pop-hole (and re-shut the gate!). At this time of year, do I really
need to shut the pop-hole as well? I can see it would be necessary when it
is bitter cold, but I assume that if it is very hot (fat chance!) I would
leave it open, so I>m just wondering whether to leave it open normally. That
way, if it is bright in the mornings they might have a little extra light and
time outside.

I have a secondary question related to this. At present, when I shut the
pop-hole, I remove their feeder and replace it and top it up in the morning
when I let them out. If I leave it in their covered run, would the feed get
unacceptably damp, and would it matter? There isn>t usually a lot left in
it, but it isn>t empty. My thinking of course is that if I left the pop-hole
open, they would have a little bit of food to be going on with (although I do
go over reasonably early).

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK

Jill · Guest

"Sally Thompson" <spt@hush.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C50ED0C200E2F0FBF0182648@news.individual.net...
[quote]My hen house stands in a secure fox-proof covered run.
[/quote]
There is no such thing -- eventually the wire rots but you will not see it,
and you will get caught out.
If I had a tenner for each time someone has lost birds because they did not
shut them in even with a wire proof run, I would be able to afford a decent
kitchen !!
We shut all popholes, every day, all through the year, come what may.

We have tried out the automatic door keepers - and they do work, which is
why we now sell them, but have not got them up on the site yet.
The house is well enough ventilated for the birds in the summer and the
light that comes in naturally if quite sufficient.
Activity in birds is triggered by very low levels of light and they do not
need more.
[quote]
I have a secondary question related to this. At present, when I shut the
pop-hole, I remove their feeder and replace it and top it up in the
morning
when I let them out.
[/quote]
If you can leave it in the house then they get to have breakfast before you
let them out.
Its not essential but its an extra amount of good food before they range for
the day.

If I leave it in their covered run, would the feed get
[quote]unacceptably damp, and would it matter?
[/quote]
You do not want damp food at all

--
--
regards
Jill Bowis

Domestic Poultry and Waterfowl Solutions
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine Nursery
Seasonal Farm Food
http://www.kintaline.co.uk

Sally Thompson · Guest

On Sun, 5 Oct 2008 20:48:17 +0100, Jill wrote
(in article <6ksjvgF9e75iU1@mid.individual.net>):

[quote]"Sally Thompson" <spt@hush.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C50ED0C200E2F0FBF0182648@news.individual.net...
My hen house stands in a secure fox-proof covered run.

There is no such thing -- eventually the wire rots but you will not see it,
and you will get caught out.
If I had a tenner for each time someone has lost birds because they did not
shut them in even with a wire proof run, I would be able to afford a decent
kitchen !!
We shut all popholes, every day, all through the year, come what may.

We have tried out the automatic door keepers - and they do work, which is
why we now sell them, but have not got them up on the site yet.
The house is well enough ventilated for the birds in the summer and the
light that comes in naturally if quite sufficient.
Activity in birds is triggered by very low levels of light and they do not
need more.

I have a secondary question related to this. At present, when I shut the
pop-hole, I remove their feeder and replace it and top it up in the
morning
when I let them out.

If you can leave it in the house then they get to have breakfast before you
let them out.
Its not essential but its an extra amount of good food before they range for
the day.

If I leave it in their covered run, would the feed get
unacceptably damp, and would it matter?

You do not want damp food at all

[/quote]
Thanks, as always, for good advice Jill.

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK

A _L_ P · Guest

Jill wrote:
[quote]"Sally Thompson" <spt@hush.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C50ED0C200E2F0FBF0182648@news.individual.net...

need more.
I have a secondary question related to this. At present, when I shut the
pop-hole, I remove their feeder and replace it and top it up in the
morning
when I let them out.

If you can leave it in the house then they get to have breakfast before you
let them out.
Its not essential but its an extra amount of good food before they range for
the day.

If I leave it in their covered run, would the feed get
unacceptably damp, and would it matter?

You do not want damp food at all

Besides mice and rats can get through VERY small holes. And they do![/quote]

A L P

Christina Websell · Guest

"Sally Thompson" <spt@hush.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C50ED0C200E2F0FBF0182648@news.individual.net...
[quote]My hen house stands in a secure fox-proof covered run. At present, the
birds
go into the run before bed-time and I shut the gate and maybe give them a
little scattered wheat. After they>ve taken themselves to bed I go over
and
shut the pop-hole (and re-shut the gate!). At this time of year, do I
really
need to shut the pop-hole as well? I can see it would be necessary when
it
is bitter cold, but I assume that if it is very hot (fat chance!) I would
leave it open, so I>m just wondering whether to leave it open normally.
That
way, if it is bright in the mornings they might have a little extra light
and
time outside.
[/quote]

If you describe what your fox-proof run is like, I could tell you if I think
it *is* fox-proof - and therefore whether it might be safe to leave the
pophole open or not.
I have a very bad fox problem here and have learnt the hard way.
I will describe my fox-proof runs. The floors are slabbed with 3 x 2 paving
slabs, on top of that is 3" x 3" wood framing 6 foot high (like a
rectangular box) the sides are 2" x 2" weldmesh with 1" chicken wire stapled
to the frame on top of that - I added the chicken wire as a friend of mine
still lost all his hens because, even though the fox couldn>t actually get
in, it frightened them so much early in the morning that they panicked and
put their heads through the mesh trying to escape..
All the runs are roofed with corrugated plastic sheets.
Anything less than this is not fox proof, believe me.

Tina

A _L_ P · Guest

Christina Websell wrote:
[quote]"Sally Thompson" <spt@hush.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C50ED0C200E2F0FBF0182648@news.individual.net...
My hen house stands in a secure fox-proof covered run. At present, the
birds
go into the run before bed-time and I shut the gate and maybe give them a
little scattered wheat. After they>ve taken themselves to bed I go over
and
shut the pop-hole (and re-shut the gate!). At this time of year, do I
really
need to shut the pop-hole as well? I can see it would be necessary when
it
is bitter cold, but I assume that if it is very hot (fat chance!) I would
leave it open, so I>m just wondering whether to leave it open normally.
That
way, if it is bright in the mornings they might have a little extra light
and
time outside.

If you describe what your fox-proof run is like, I could tell you if I think
it *is* fox-proof - and therefore whether it might be safe to leave the
pophole open or not.
I have a very bad fox problem here and have learnt the hard way.
I will describe my fox-proof runs. The floors are slabbed with 3 x 2 paving
slabs, on top of that is 3" x 3" wood framing 6 foot high (like a
rectangular box) the sides are 2" x 2" weldmesh with 1" chicken wire stapled
to the frame on top of that - I added the chicken wire as a friend of mine
still lost all his hens because, even though the fox couldn>t actually get
in, it frightened them so much early in the morning that they panicked and
put their heads through the mesh trying to escape..
All the runs are roofed with corrugated plastic sheets.
Anything less than this is not fox proof, believe me.

Sheesh! That could be commandeered by the prison service if there>s a[/quote]
greater than expected rise in crime!

Here it>s mice, now I find rats have been coming up from the creek a
paddock away and making use of the earth under the anti-dig netting
layers in the rabbit>s house, home also to 3 permanent chooks and the
occasional broody being discombobulated out of wanting to sit on eggs.
As has been mentioned, netting rots out. Have read that rats hate
tunnelling through gravel so it looks like there will be a layer of that
to bring floor level up to where I want to concrete it. Still trying to
nut out the repairs necessary for where untreated timber rotted at
ground level...... Lost my first half-grown hand-rearer duckling when
she was old enough to move outside, because that first pen was dog- and
cat-proof. Not ferret/stoat proof though.

A L P

Sally Thompson · Guest

On Sun, 5 Oct 2008 23:21:09 +0100, Christina Websell wrote
(in article <6kssuqF9gb42U1@mid.individual.net>):

[quote]
"Sally Thompson" <spt@hush.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C50ED0C200E2F0FBF0182648@news.individual.net...
My hen house stands in a secure fox-proof covered run.
[/quote]
<snip>
[quote]

If you describe what your fox-proof run is like, I could tell you if I think
it *is* fox-proof - and therefore whether it might be safe to leave the
pophole open or not.
[/quote]
<snip>

OK, well it is like a square cube with 1" x 1Ž2" 19g galvanised weld mesh on
all four sides stapled to a wooden frame. The roof is the same material,
with an added waterproof cover (and guttering and water butts!). The whole
frame sits on a heavier wooden frame to which is stapled a very heavy-duty
weld mesh "skirt" which is covered in about 4 inches of gravel. The mesh is
far too small for the chickens to get more than the tip of a beak out.

I take the point about mice and rats, but personally I don>t think either can
get in that size weld mesh, and if they had the intelligence to dig from
outside the skirt and up, we would very quickly see evidence in the run. The
run is not floored with slabs like yours, but has a ground cover membrane and
deep bark chippings (though I>ve read somewhere else that I shouldn>t use
bark, just the wood chippings. Sigh.)

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK

Christina Websell · Guest

"Sally Thompson" <spt@hush.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C50F851200E9B709F0182648@news.individual.net...
[quote]On Sun, 5 Oct 2008 23:21:09 +0100, Christina Websell wrote
(in article <6kssuqF9gb42U1@mid.individual.net>):

"Sally Thompson" <spt@hush.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C50ED0C200E2F0FBF0182648@news.individual.net...
My hen house stands in a secure fox-proof covered run.

snip

If you describe what your fox-proof run is like, I could tell you if I
think
it *is* fox-proof - and therefore whether it might be safe to leave the
pophole open or not.

snip

OK, well it is like a square cube with 1" x 1Ž2" 19g galvanised weld mesh
on
all four sides stapled to a wooden frame. The roof is the same material,
with an added waterproof cover (and guttering and water butts!). The whole
frame sits on a heavier wooden frame to which is stapled a very heavy-duty
weld mesh "skirt" which is covered in about 4 inches of gravel. The mesh
is
far too small for the chickens to get more than the tip of a beak out.
[/quote]

As long as the weldmesh skirt extends well outwards underground it sounds
pretty foxproof and I would probably leave the pophole open overnight. I>d
review it if the hens seemed spooked when I fed them in the a.m. in case you
have a fox that will circle around the run at dawn looking for a way in,
that will terrify them as they don>t realise they are safe. In that case I
would shut the pophole in the evenings again.
I slabbed my runs to prevent foxes digging in, weldmesh skirts were not
feasible as I have so many trees and therefore roots ;-)
To think once upon a time my poultry was free range in the daytime <sigh>
those days are long gone.
<rant mode on> You know why? Because of the stupid people who actually
feed foxes in their gardens. This gets them habituated that humans are not
dangerous so they come out in the daytime and stroll around then bang go
your free range safely shut up at dusk chickens.
I blame the telly for this as well! All this "foxes are so nice" stuff.
Well, Mr Fox better believe that I am very dangerous indeed after a
devastating loss of 8 years work on breeding stock. 30+ have received a
piece of lead in their ear when actually in my (not safe then) hen run
skulking around overnight to try the pophole. And it>s not like the fields
behind my house are not heaving with rabbits either..
<rant mode off>

Guest · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 1:35 pm Post subject: Re: Leaving open the pop hole

Christina Websell <spamfree@tinawebsell.wanadoo.co.uk> wrote:
[quote]
"Sally Thompson" <spt@hush.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C50F851200E9B709F0182648@news.individual.net...
On Sun, 5 Oct 2008 23:21:09 +0100, Christina Websell wrote
(in article <6kssuqF9gb42U1@mid.individual.net>):

"Sally Thompson" <spt@hush.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C50ED0C200E2F0FBF0182648@news.individual.net...
My hen house stands in a secure fox-proof covered run.

snip

If you describe what your fox-proof run is like, I could tell you if I
think
it *is* fox-proof - and therefore whether it might be safe to leave the
pophole open or not.

snip

OK, well it is like a square cube with 1" x 1?2" 19g galvanised weld mesh
on
all four sides stapled to a wooden frame. The roof is the same material,
with an added waterproof cover (and guttering and water butts!). The whole
frame sits on a heavier wooden frame to which is stapled a very heavy-duty
weld mesh "skirt" which is covered in about 4 inches of gravel. The mesh
is
far too small for the chickens to get more than the tip of a beak out.

As long as the weldmesh skirt extends well outwards underground it sounds
pretty foxproof and I would probably leave the pophole open overnight. I>d
review it if the hens seemed spooked when I fed them in the a.m. in case you
have a fox that will circle around the run at dawn looking for a way in,
that will terrify them as they don>t realise they are safe. In that case I
would shut the pophole in the evenings again.
I slabbed my runs to prevent foxes digging in, weldmesh skirts were not
feasible as I have so many trees and therefore roots ;-)
To think once upon a time my poultry was free range in the daytime <sigh
those days are long gone.
rant mode on> You know why? Because of the stupid people who actually
feed foxes in their gardens. This gets them habituated that humans are not
dangerous so they come out in the daytime and stroll around then bang go
your free range safely shut up at dusk chickens.
I blame the telly for this as well! All this "foxes are so nice" stuff.
Well, Mr Fox better believe that I am very dangerous indeed after a
devastating loss of 8 years work on breeding stock. 30+ have received a
piece of lead in their ear when actually in my (not safe then) hen run
skulking around overnight to try the pophole. And it>s not like the fields
behind my house are not heaving with rabbits either..
rant mode off

Our way of being able to have our chickens free range all the time[/quote]
around the house, even when we>re not at home, was (see below) to have
a large, male dog who was safe with the chickens (well he never chased
or hurt one throughout his life) who ranged around outside the house
with them. I think it was probably as much down to his marking of his
territory as to his actual presence.

Sadly he died suddenly of a heart attack just ten days or so ago, he
was only about nine years old. We>ll definitely think of getting a
replacement in due course. He was a collie/german shepherd cross by
the way.

--
Chris Green

Christina Websell · Guest

<tinnews@isbd.co.uk> wrote in message
news:48eb1f39$0$520$bed64819@news.gradwell.net...
[quote]Sadly he died suddenly of a heart attack just ten days or so ago, he
was only about nine years old. We>ll definitely think of getting a
replacement in due course. He was a collie/german shepherd cross by
the way.
[/quote]
My condolences on his loss. I am a mega dog lover, had 11 once..

A _L_ P · Guest

Christina Websell wrote:
[quote]tinnews@isbd.co.uk> wrote in message
news:48eb1f39$0$520$bed64819@news.gradwell.net...
Sadly he died suddenly of a heart attack just ten days or so ago, he
was only about nine years old. We>ll definitely think of getting a
replacement in due course. He was a collie/german shepherd cross by
the way.

My condolences on his loss. I am a mega dog lover, had 11 once..

Condolences from me too. You>ve lost a great friend and your chickens[/quote]
have lost a staunch protector. There>s a vacancy for another dog,
that>s the only consolation eh. I hope you and the right one find each
other a.s.a.p.

As for dog lovers, I>m not... but as time goes on I meet more and more
dogs that I like and a few that I love. And my respect for the
abilities of smart dogs (guide dogs, sheep-dogs for instance) is huge.
Also for the owners who put the time and effort into looking after dogs
well and training them to be the best they can be. As for the others -
if only the bad *owners* could be impounded, sterilized, muzzled or shot!

A L P


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