Sara@Brentford Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Hi, We are soon to move to a new house with a much bigger garden and are keen to give the girls their own space (keep off ours!), upgrade to a cube and get a couple of ex-batts. However, yesterday, my neighbour-to-be advised me of the fox nest with cubs behind the garden fence (apparently, they come and sit on her lawn). I'm getting worried and see that I have the following options: 1) Hope that the cube & extension will be enough for them (I doubt it after free-range?) 2) Build a sturdy enclosure (I can't see how this will blend into a beautifully landscaped garden?) 3) Try and create some retractable fencing that can pull across a corner of the garden whilst they are out and rolls back when they are in the run.... Any advice out there? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 If you have a fox living behind the fence, you need to be extra vigilant about security, especially if it has cubs. You will be handing them a meal on a plate if you let the chickens roam. You could always take the appropriate measures to move the fox on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 You CAN make it blend in - I don't have personal experience of this, I hasten to add, but there are plenty of ways! Every garden, even a beautifully landscaped one, has 'utility' areas. Screen with bushes or willow fencing, or just think 'pergola' and build a run to fit in with the landscaping -you won't see the weldmesh from a distance, and if you use really nice timbers it will look as if it's meant to be part of the garden. Plant things around it, grow a grape-vine or a clematis over it - it can be done. I don't know if Dilly has any pics of her run on here, but the first time I saw hers I thought it was a pergola. Don't take any chances with the fox. If there's a nest with cubs, she will be extra hungry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I have foxes breeding in our wood (not intentionally I might add) and I had to go down the electric fence enclosure route. However, *this* might give you some inspiration about how to blend an enclosure into a landscaped garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen&Lee Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Yes, you can make a run blend into the garden, when I get home tonight I will take a picture of mine. My run is set behind a large bed of perennials (quite tall ones) and I now have a grape vine growing along the mesh panel too. Helen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I agree, a bigger run is the way to go. Mine doesn't blend in yet - I'll post some more pics when the plants have all grown back Cinnamon's run is a great example of a garden feature run though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I agreen Cinnamon's is beautifull and more of a feature. Mine hasn't got any plants growing up yet as I cant decide what to put near it without the girls muching them... but it doesn't look an eyesore by any means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 Sheila's run blends in beautifully! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...