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"Fantastic" Mr Fox

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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby woodstalker » 21 Sep 2020, 08:23

Andyp wrote:Going back to your OP. Are they helping with the slug problem. Unless they are free ranging in the garden I can’t see how they can help control your slug problem.
Our hens free range during the day when we are home durIng autumn and winter once the veg and soft fruit have been harvested.


Yes, when we are out in the garden they are loose with us, even without the fox they wouldn’t have free reign; you need to keep an eye on them with the younger plants because they will nibble most leaves. So in the cabbages and sprouts a little nibble doesn’t make a difference as the get the caterpillars and slugs but new young plants can take a bit of a beating.

But as for slugs, they have absolutely smashed them. They get really excited when you go to the pen gate and race out to get to the usual slug hides; taller grass on edge of compost heap and under the shade of the bigger plants.

They are very relaxing just to sit and watch them too.
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby TrimTheKing » 21 Sep 2020, 09:05

Brilliant. I love animals. Do you have to clip their wings to stop them buggering off then, and is that a permanent solution or do you have something temporary so you can reverse it if your circumstances ever change?

Genuine questions, I don’t know a lot about bird keeping but am interested.
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Re:

Postby woodstalker » 21 Sep 2020, 11:03

TrimTheKing wrote:Brilliant. I love animals. Do you have to clip their wings to stop them buggering off then, and is that a permanent solution or do you have something temporary so you can reverse it if your circumstances ever change?

Genuine questions, I don’t know a lot about bird keeping but am interested.


Indian Runners are not great fliers or swimmers oddly, not to say they don’t do it but they prefer two legs for most things. This lot are still fairly young, but do have a good run and flap or a standing flapping jump which is quite low. If they do get a bit high to escape the pen then I’ll just clip their wings which is not harmful and easy enough to do.

As I said I’m installing an electric gate and raising the height of the fence by 50% to cover something jumping off the terrace behind the enclosed run inside the pen.

This solution will have to last 6 months, I’m on crutches currently. Plan is to build a new shed to replace the old summer house that burned down a few years back and include a duck house, a permanent enclosure with weld mesh and electric fence around it.
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby Andyp » 21 Sep 2020, 11:09

In my little experience with bantam hens if their flight feathers are cut once as soon as they mature then they forget how to fly (or loose the will to) and even when the feathers have grown back they don't bother.
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby TrimTheKing » 21 Sep 2020, 11:10

Thanks for that. What's the poop situation like? I've often touted the idea of chickens to the wife but she's not having it because of the poop. I imagine it's the same with ducks though...
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby woodstalker » 21 Sep 2020, 11:14

TrimTheKing wrote:Thanks for that. What's the poop situation like? I've often touted the idea of chickens to the wife but she's not having it because of the poop. I imagine it's the same with ducks though...


They poop wherever they are, it’s good for the grass and garden and if on a path I just hose it off. Having kept both I think duck is better than chicken if you tread in it :D

Ducks also don’t scratch your garden up in the same way as chickens but do make a mess with water. They are obsessed with making muddy puddles in their run to sift through with their bill.

Another plus is the do ‘herd’ so are easier to move around as a group in my experience.
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby MY63 » 21 Sep 2020, 11:31

I was considering adopting a hedgehog from a local rescue to help with our slug issue, ever since I built the raised planter, buying in top soil I have dispatched over 100 slugs some huge and some tiny.
As we still have 2 rescue spaniels one a former gundog so chickens may not be an option. I would appreciate any other solutions to slug issues.
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby woodstalker » 21 Sep 2020, 11:50

MY63 wrote:I was considering adopting a hedgehog from a local rescue to help with our slug issue, ever since I built the raised planter, buying in top soil I have dispatched over 100 slugs some huge and some tiny.
As we still have 2 rescue spaniels one a former gundog so chickens may not be an option. I would appreciate any other solutions to slug issues.


We also have a lot of toads since we are close to the river, whenever I find one I pop him in the veg patch.

Nemaslug is quite dear but very effective if you keep up with it; that’s what we used before the ducks. Ducks are more fun though.
Last edited by woodstalker on 21 Sep 2020, 12:42, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby Andyp » 21 Sep 2020, 12:21

Whats the problem with poop? We compost the contents of the coop. With have 4 hens at the moment. We have had 6. Yes they poop on the grass etc but so what. We take our shoes off be for we come indoors :) .

From what I have seen you post here you have a massive garden. 6 bantams hens are not going to create a lot of mess. I’ve never had a problem getting them into the secure run when we want to go out. Easy to train them to recognise the noise of a shaking box full of premium bird food.
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby woodstalker » 21 Sep 2020, 12:43

Yeah we are doing “no dig” veg gardening so have some big compost heaps and the contents of the duck house adds to it quite nicely with their straw.
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby TrimTheKing » 21 Sep 2020, 12:52

Andyp wrote:Whats the problem with poop? We compost the contents of the coop. With have 4 hens at the moment. We have had 6. Yes they poop on the grass etc but so what. We take our shoes off be for we come indoors :) .

From what I have seen you post here you have a massive garden. 6 bantams hens are not going to create a lot of mess. I’ve never had a problem getting them into the secure run when we want to go out. Easy to train them to recognise the noise of a shaking box full of premium bird food.


Two dogs who have free run of the garden. She doesn't want them walking/rolling in chicken/duck poop and bringing it into the house.

Don't try and talk to me about it mate, I'm the choir you're preaching too here, it's the boss you need to be talking to...
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby woodstalker » 21 Sep 2020, 13:09

TrimTheKing wrote:
Andyp wrote:Whats the problem with poop? We compost the contents of the coop. With have 4 hens at the moment. We have had 6. Yes they poop on the grass etc but so what. We take our shoes off be for we come indoors :) .

From what I have seen you post here you have a massive garden. 6 bantams hens are not going to create a lot of mess. I’ve never had a problem getting them into the secure run when we want to go out. Easy to train them to recognise the noise of a shaking box full of premium bird food.


Two dogs who have free run of the garden. She doesn't want them walking/rolling in chicken/duck poop and bringing it into the house.

Don't try and talk to me about it mate, I'm the choir you're preaching too here, it's the boss you need to be talking to...


In my experience the don’t roll so much as “clean it up”... :D
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby 9fingers » 21 Sep 2020, 13:13

woodstalker wrote:
In my experience the don’t roll so much as “clean it up”... :D


I did not need to read that as I was eating my lunch! :lol:

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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby woodstalker » 21 Sep 2020, 13:19

9fingers wrote:
woodstalker wrote:
In my experience the don’t roll so much as “clean it up”... :D


I did not need to read that as I was eating my lunch! :lol:

Bob


Sorry Bob! To be fair we have not had many issues less the obvious fox problem. We are going to have to rehome four of the drakes sadly.
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby Andyp » 22 Sep 2020, 17:39

How big are the dogs Mark? How high can the jump? Fence off an area for the chooks. I am sure you have space.
Just imagine the delight on the kids faces when they collect the first egg. Oh, and the colour of home grown eggs will make your omelettes, quiches etc look amazing.
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby woodstalker » 22 Sep 2020, 17:42

My electric fencing is a good option because you can move it around the garden as required keeping dogs and chickens/ducks separate but also keeping Mr Fox away too...
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Re: "Fantastic" Mr Fox

Postby woodstalker » 26 Sep 2020, 18:14

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So after a day of battling with the wind and being on crutches we managed to increase the height of the electric fence and install a gate. It’s very Heath Robinson and doesn’t look the tidiest but should hopefully be effective.

I’m now resting on the sofa with my legs up and Mrs Woodstalker is making some dinner. She has worked very hard too!
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