Poorly chicken

[mad.hen1]

HI,

 

I would be interested to know from other hen lovers whether any one has actually had a fox bite through chicken wire.

 

A friend is constructing a chicken enclosure in my back garden (in which the eglu sits.) It is 6.5 feet high, wire dug down 9 inches, covered over. The wire is... chicken wire. It doesn't look that fox proof to me however he assures me no fox will hbite through it.

 

This will be the most elaborate hen run I have had. Previously they free-ranged behind netting which was totally not fox proof and were put away late afternoon / early evening depending on time of year. This worked fine until I left a neighbour in charge and she didn't get to them early enough..... fox had a lovely tea.

 

So this construction is a big improvement on that and I still intend to go on with my previous in / out routine.

 

main question is about the biting through.

 

What do folks think?

 

Thanks!

[Cooks]

Yes foxes can bite through chicken wire. best to use weldmesh 19g or better still 16g as there is obviously known foxes in the area.

[Redwing]

I havent had a fox bite through but have had some sort of small animal bite through chicken wire on a run so if they can then a fox must be able to

[Egluntyne]

There are plenty of tales around about people losing their chickens because the fox bit through the chicken wire.

 

Chicken wire is better suited to keeping chickens in an enclosure than for keeping a fox out.

 

Best to use a decent gauge weldmesh.

[Cinnamon]

I had a rat chew through it,so it would be no problem for a fox.

Weldmesh,small guage, is the way to go.

[The Dogmother]

I agree, a friend has seem a fox chew through her chciken wire. Best leave it for keeping chooks off the borders.

[LJ's Chooks]

DH's strimmer seems to make light work of it so I would think a hungry fox would not have too much trouble!!!