Penelope Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 The birds arrived on Sunday and were safely ensconced to the two pens. All were wing clipped, so not quite able to fly out yet. When would you open the pop holes up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malantone Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 if you have fox stop grills on the pop holes open them any time, lets the occasional escape artist back in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 Never close mine, just reduce the funnel tip a bit and put a small ball of loose grass in there to stop them walking out, if birds get out they can still push back in and the grass will wilt in a day or two anyway leaving a clear path in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brixsmaid Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 Never shut mine either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 I open mine when I start to get any escapees. If your going twice a day you soon see when you need to open them, and I don't necessarily open them all at the same time either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 Any tips on making a fox grill ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 (edited) Last year for a new pen I used oven shelves from the property dept scrap heap! Worked well and they were free! Edited August 1, 2016 by kennett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 They're £7 each Think I'd rather buy them and spend the time with my wife! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 Fox grid, use weldmesh with gaps about 3 inches wide, AND a good electric fence. Inside on most of my pens I have a ring of rabbit wire about 150mm high, so incomers go through the fox grid in the main fence then have to hop over the rabbit wire. The rabbit wire stops birds walking out of the pens. I have one pen with tunnels, these I close down to about 50mm of the ground for a week or so. It is important to keep your birds at home until the crops come off but with clipped birds that should not be a problem. I have looked to see if I can find some of the mesh I used without success, maybe it was concrete enforcing mesh. I acquired mine from a building site maybe 20 years ago and could now do with some more. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Academic now, as it appears we may have been robbed, best part of 250 poults have vanished between 1pm on Sunday and 6pm last night when one of the guns did his rota to check, feed and water. Pen is all intact, pop holes closed, wings clipped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Sorry to hear that, is the pen near any roads or foot paths? Happened on our shoot several years ago, but the rumours said it was revenge against the farmer at the time after an argument in the local pub. Haven't had any trouble before or since then. We keep our pens locked now, won't stop anyone, but makes it a little bit more difficult Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Academic now, as it appears we may have been robbed, best part of 250 poults have vanished between 1pm on Sunday and 6pm last night when one of the guns did his rota to check, feed and water. Pen is all intact, pop holes closed, wings clipped. Have you been far and wide with a dog? Problem with pop holes closed is if any predator strikes inside the pen and the birds fly over the wire your stuffed! Wing clipped or not poults will still make it over the wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 (edited) As a working man's DIY syndicate it's difficult to get the time off at such short notice. No one lives on the doorstep. One member was hopefully going up this morning with his spaniel, if he was rained off that is. In truth, it's unlikely we'll find out what has gone on. Have you been far and wide with a dog?Problem with pop holes closed is if any predator strikes inside the pen and the birds fly over the wire your stuffed!Wing clipped or not poults will still make it over the wire. Yes to both. Both our pens are padlocked. Personally, I think Charlie has scared them witless and they have gone over the wire, with the pop holes closed any wanting to get back in couldn't. Consensus from the majority was to keep the pop holes closed for a few days. Sorry to hear that, is the pen near any roads or foot paths? Happened on our shoot several years ago, but the rumours said it was revenge against the farmer at the time after an argument in the local pub. Haven't had any trouble before or since then. We keep our pens locked now, won't stop anyone, but makes it a little bit more difficult Edited August 2, 2016 by Penelope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 As a working man's DIY syndicate it's difficult to get the time off at such short notice. No one lives on the doorstep. One member was hopefully going up this morning with his spaniel, if he was rained off that is. In truth, it's unlikely we'll find out what has gone on. Yes to both. Both our pens are padlocked. Personally, I think Charlie has scared them witless and they have gone over the wire, with the pop holes closed any wanting to get back in couldn't. Consensus from the majority was to keep the pop holes closed for a few days. You're probably right, especially if the pen is intact and the pad locks are still on. 250 poults would take a fair bit of catching and moving, if someone had taken them you would be able to see the evidence inside and outside the pen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Sorry to hear that! hope they find their way back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyboy Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 They're £7 each Think I'd rather buy them and spend the time with my wife! Where can I purchase some at £7 please ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Plus having no time to heft to the pen, having only been there for less than 24 hours. You're probably right, especially if the pen is intact and the pad locks are still on. 250 poults would take a fair bit of catching and moving, if someone had taken them you would be able to see the evidence inside and outside the pen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Where can I purchase some at £7 please ? http://collinsnets.co.uk/product/fox-grid-pop-hole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Neal Posted August 21, 2016 Report Share Posted August 21, 2016 They're £7 each Think I'd rather buy them and spend the time with my wife! I'd rather make my own and...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadkill Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Mine are closed at the minute but thinking I may need to open them very soon even though the birds have only been in since Thursday! Walking about 30 in on two pens twice a day. Third pen only ever has 2 or 3 out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 Same here, mine have been out a fortnight and had to open some pop holes after only a few days. One pen has 30 odd every morning, the other hasn't had one at all yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tollerman Posted August 22, 2016 Report Share Posted August 22, 2016 One way pop holes work well. The birds glide out of the from the trees where they roost but find their way back or are walked back by whoever is carrying out the daily check.Works well on our shoot.Sorry to hear you lost your birds .We lost a complete pen full a couple of years ago as did our neighbour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2016 Whilst on my feeding rota last week I saw a good number of poults about in a couple of areas where the birds in the pens would not be, so it looks as though some of the escapees are still about. We have put a few feeders out in these areas and now that the straw went down in the rides in the pen woods on Saturday, scattering some feed on there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospero Posted August 25, 2016 Report Share Posted August 25, 2016 Any update on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2016 See the post above yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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