so are the bling of chicken homes ... Omlet Cubes ... really safe?

[LongStory]

I've had chickens before and am sad every time I look out of the kitchen window to a hen-free garden. Problem is that we have soooo many foxes here. They sleep in the sun in my back garden, and lazily trot away when somebody comes outside.

Now I'm thinking of investing in an Omlet Cube to keep them safe ... plus pinned down by superstrength fence pegs. The kids are all very keen to get chickens but I don't think we could cope with a major fox attack. It's a big investment (£>900 for a house + 3m run eeek) which I'm saving up for in the spring, but I'd be very grateful to know anyone's tested them in a fox heavy area, and how it's worked out.....

I have a cube, pinned down with that wicker type lawn edging that goes about 10cm down. It is very foxy round here and we havent had any problems, had the chooks 5 years now. They dont end up free ranging as much as I would like but we have 6 chooks in a cubt with 3 extensions.

thank you, that's encouraging. I guess that implies that you keep it in one place, rather than wheeling it about from time to time. We have a big garden so that would be a pity, but I was thinking I could open the door an hour or so before dusk when people are around and they could have a bit of free play!

I think they really are, if you are careful to site them on flat ground.

We had to dig a wire mesh under ours as the fox was trying to dig a tunnel, I think omlet now say the run is fox resistant rather than fox proof. I think they are very safe in the cube at night if you close the door.

We have tons of foxes (London but backing onto a wood). Ours have been safe so far in a well pegged down Cube, although the foxes still stand outside (in broad daylight) glaring in at the chickens!

I have a cube. I have paving slabs sunk into the ground around the edge to help to prevent digging,

To tip, use a clear tarp over the top to keep the girls dry.

Also check out eBay for second hand ones,

You can add wire underneath (or better still, paving slabs), an electric fence and an ultrasonic fox-watch.

For the price of a cube you could buy a walk in aviary and place it on slabs. Very fox proof.

If you attach clear tarps to the sides of the aviary you don't really need a proper hen house in the aviary as its already so weather proof. You can use empty wooden or plastic boxes for them to sleep or lay eggs in.

I started off with a cube in a run and have now attached a walk in aviary to one end of the run. Some of the chickens sleep in the cube and others sleep in covered cat litter trays inside the aviary.