deejmum Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Hi, we are currently preparing an open air area for our chicks to run free in by fencing it in (its an old vegetable patch) our fences are 6 ft tall and I was wondering if we would need additional fox defences on top. We are getting the a run with our cube which is coming in two weeks, but would like them to free range as much as poss. Any advice would be useful. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 The height shouldnt be a problem,but be aware that foxes will also go under fences.Im not talking about digging a complex tunnel into your garden,but they will scrabble their way underneath so best to give the bottom some consideration too if its loose soil there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2hec Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Hi, foxes are very clever things - especially urban ones. About 6 years ago we had a rabbit in a run in our garden. The garden was surrounded by 6ft high fencing and the run had a lid. During the day while we were all out, a fox climbed over the 6 ft fence, got into the run and took the rabbit out of the run and removed it's head. It was a large rabbit and the fox just left it behind! Very upsetting. The next day it scaled the 6ft fence into our neighbours garden and dragged their guinea pig cage across the garden!! This was a very built up area - not in the countryside. We are building a run for our chickens at the moment (we're living about 1 mile away from our old house) and it will be like Fort Knox!! Foxes are often seen wandering the streets round here during the day. It would be a good idea to protect your chickens as much as you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hilda-and-evadne Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Hi, we are currently preparing an open air area for our chicks to run free in by fencing it in (its an old vegetable patch) our fences are 6 ft tall and I was wondering if we would need additional fox defences on top. We are getting the a run with our cube which is coming in two weeks, but would like them to free range as much as poss. Any advice would be useful. Thanks They are quite powerful animals. As already mentioned on another thread, I have seen a full-grown fox sail over an 8-foot wall. Yes, he had a good run at it - across a quiet sidestreet - and a good jumping-off point - the pavement - but he made it look easy. ':shock:' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejmum Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 Thanks everyone. I think extra defences are definitely in order! Perhaps something at a right angle to the top of the fence. The fencing is surrounded by concrete path so I hope digging wont be an option. We are out in the country so foxes could easily sneak up on us through adjoining fields. Scary stuff. Sorry about your rabbit Lizzie, must have been awful for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twix Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 yeah think up every imaginable and unimaginable way he could get to them and make it impossible. I have lost birds to the urban fox-without him even getting in on several occasions despite trying to make sure it wouldn't happen. a couple of examples.. just taking the head off having somhow convinced the daft thing to stick it out of the mesh.. digging a small hole under a run with mesh on the bottom and convincing my 2 pekins pullets and 1 cockerel to walk up to that end so he could pull them out through the mesh (leaving me only 2 cockerels!-gorgeous boys but not much consolation at the time) I hadn't even left them overnight.. It was their first night out and I went to check them before bed and it had already happened. do your best.. it's not easy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I've heard anything up to 11 feet is fair game. I always thought foxes were a bit like dogs - until I saw one. They are actually more like a cat in terms of agility. If you have immediate neighbours it only takes them to leave a bin against their side of the fence and your chooks have had it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Our back wall is eight feet and foxes have no trouble at all getting over it by jumping on the roof of the building on the other side of the wall (which is over eight feet tall). I don't know how they get up on to the roof, but don't underestimate them. Here is a fox on the roof watching my hens free-ranging and hoping that I will leave them for just half a minute: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twix Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 come to think of it though i think it was pheasants who stuck their heads out for the fox to bite off..many years ago. dont think we've ever had that problem with chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejmum Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 Wow this is all very scary Maybe barbed wire is the only answer!!! We also have a very cunning siamese cat, but I hope the chickens will see her off if she goes near them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Chooks can manage the hardest of cats - if there's enough of them. I've seen them encircle a cat and have a real good go before now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejmum Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 Thanks Superjules I hape my cat will learn her lesson very quickly, now its just the dogs to worry about (and foxes) aaaargh what have I done! No I am sure it will all be fine . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanut12 Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 Although we have never seen a fox here (touching as much wood as possible) we do live in the country and there is so much very free ranging partridge and pheasant - the foxes don't need to go scaling fences - but my friend lives in a town and is on his 3rd pair of chooks due to Mr Fox. He has 6 foot fences and it's no problem for the beast. Sadly, his neighbours refuse to move their compost bin which is the main springboard the fox uses From what you've said it sounds like you're already thinking of an overhang tilting outwards, but i would not go for a 90 degree angle, perhaps slightly more upright to make it less stable for anything attempting to climb in. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 I'm coverng my 9ft x 14ft walk-in in run roof with weld mesh. It has a six foot fence on two sided with concrete paths on the other side of the fences, but I will make it extra secure - maybe even a double layer of weld mesh around the bottom half. I have also had guiea pigs that have been half eaten through the mesh of my previous run. You can never be too careful. Can foxes chew through fences or shed walls? I've clad the inside of the shed for extra protection just in case. The 8X6 shed joins straight on the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chanters Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 In our area we see foxes, badgers, birds of prey and pine martens so we've had to create a safe environment for our girls to help protect them against such predators. We have an electric wire going around on 2 levels, one close to the ground to deter the predators from trying to dig under and one higher up to prevent them trying to climb up. It's run off a battery designed for electric fencing but you could also use an old car battery. It needs recharging once every 6 months and it has a pulser which indicates when the battery is low. We also have a foxwatch ultrasonic deterrent to deter the foxes. It appears to be working well but it doesn't affect dogs etc: You can buy them online at Crocus: Foxwatch Barbed wire would also be effective along the top of the fence. When errecting the fence try to bury it around a foot deep in the ground or you could go the extra mile and have a concrete trench? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejmum Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 Thanks peanut thats a good point, we also have many pheasants and partridges around. Maybe a fox would go for them first, they are so lovely though I am tempted to start rescuing them to hide them away from the dreaded people with guns, never mind the foxes! I do think I might look into a foxwatch type thing. Thanks everyone that has certainly given me plenty to think about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twix Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 hope my tales aren't terrifying people too much. I should point out these are events from kfc fueled peckham, london foxes.. who rear cubs in our garden and scavenge day and night. but yes i have had a fox chew through the wood of a bought ark.. on cats.. my rabbit charged my cat and give her a swift head butt clean in the side! she shot up the mesh of the aviary and wouldn't let go! but i did have a gosling taken by a neighbours cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 We are out in the country so foxes could easily sneak up on us through adjoining fields.. To be honest you are less likely to have problems with foxes than if you were in an urban environment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 They will use all sorts of things as steps up ....shed roofs, garden tables etc. Where there's a will there's a way with the fox....never underestimate him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 I think extra defences are definitely in order! Perhaps something at a right angle to the top of the fence. I've got visions of you turning your garden into something resembling the tiger enclosure at Whipsnade zoo! I bet foxes don't get in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 I've got visions of you turning your garden into something resembling the tiger enclosure at Whipsnade zoo! I bet foxes don't get in there! I'm not sure they'd want to! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 That would definitely be a one way trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejmum Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 You know what maybe I will go to whipsnade this weekend for some inspiration! Maybe they will lend me a lion!!! Yes maybe I am being overprotective because they are my first baby chickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 You know what maybe I will go to whipsnade this weekend for some inspiration! Maybe they will lend me a lion!!! I can see a small flaw in that plan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejmum Posted April 11, 2008 Author Share Posted April 11, 2008 Hmmm back to the drawing board. (deejmum bangs head against new spikey and electric 30 ft iron fence!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...