I've read with interest several fox related threads and am keen (obviously) to protect my new arrivals to the hilt, as still feel guilty about the last fox visit, where I let them out too early into our garden, right into the jaws of a neighbourhood fox, which had come calling at about 6am.
Anyhow, alarmed and sickened, I've since put up a 6ft weld mesh (1.6g) fence and have sunk it, lined edge inside with concrete slabs and am doing the same outside edge too. I'm putting concrete along gate area to keep bottom nice and flush. I'm satisfied that he won't be getting in from ground level. So far so good.
They also have a secure coup and small run attached to the coup inside this fenced area.
Now I'm concerned about jumping and climbing foxes though. The fenced area does not have a roof and I won't be putting one on.
Has anyone seen foxes jump a fence like this discribed? Was thinking of using pigeon spikes along it, at an angle. Jagged strips of chicken wire along top has been suggested too, but as one of the fence's is really a neighbours, I'm trying to be considerate to their (very neat and tidy) garden. They have given me permission to fox proof the top of this fence though, which was nice of them
Needless to say, I'll never be letting chickens out that early again, but couldn't possibly confine them to their coup and little run, especially as the bottom of garden has no other use, as so shaded by trees.
Any suggestions? Have found all the members coup pics very useful but wondered if anyone has actually seen a fox "in action" climbing etc. Have half a mind to install an infra red camera to see what he does at night so I can get an idea of it's behavior!
Many many thanks for reading this, you wonderful people.
Ive not seen a fox jumping or climbing, but have heard talk of it happening. One thing I do know is my do Misty. And she occasionally jumps the six foot fence in our garden. Whats more is, she makes it look easy. But she does have to get her paws over and push off the fence with her back legs. I imagine an overhanging barrier would stop her though. But you obviously couldnt have anything hanging over your neighbours fence. Perhaps an electric fence, with the wire set a couple of inches above the fence line would be aesthetically ok with your neighbours. Preferably a strong one to give foxy a proper deterring.
If you try to fail and succeed. What have you done?
Yeah, I'm leaning more and more towards electric fencing, I have to say. Would also spell goodbye to cat which keeps coming over to do business in veg patch
Carly, I can recommend the electric poultry netting. A fox will come right up to a barrier it wants to get under and gets zapped. You just have to make sure it is positioned so that the is nothing nearby the fox can use to get up on so he can just jump over it. It is too high for the average fox to hurdle. It deters our very intense Jack Russell, she won't even get any closer than a foot to it after a couple of zaps. It's a bit pricey but worth the peace of mind. Cheapest place I found was Mole Valley Farmers on the interweb. Dom
Our run is surrounded by 6ft walls and fencing. I came home a few weeks ago to find my lovely Marans, Cocoa, dead in the run with her head gone. Something must have got over the 6ft fencing as there was no other way in. I THINK (although I can't prove) that it was a nasty group of kids that had been hanging around drinking on the grassland behind our house but it could have been a fox. I hope it was a fox as I can't bear the thought of any human doing that for fun. We are now in the process of putting a roof on the run for added protection.
Lucy x
Lucy x
Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut - Ernest Hemingway
It sounds like a fox attack and he was probably scared off by someone. If a fox can get a grip he will be over anything 6ft high and wall and panel type fencing will give him that grip.
I saw the fox that killed my chickens jump a 4ft fence with no effort at all when he ran off, any height can be obtained by a fox who will climb fence and jump in, I have also seen my local fox on tree branches trying to get into my friends duck compound down the road at 5am. The only way is to have a weld mesh fence and slabs or dig mesh down and out. The fox will go to the fence and dig but wont dig back on himself to find the end of the mesh. My fox has been visiting in the day with dogs in the kennels and has tried digging. He is a very wild fox as my nearest neighbour is about a mile away so dont be surprised at what a shy fox will do. I now have peice of mind as my chickens are enclosed in a run with weld mesh everywhere and the doors and flaps are double bolted with nails to stop the locks being opened. The lady I got my last lot of chickens from said the fox had opened the bolt on the door which was low down and got in. Will post a pick of my run if I can later!
Our pheasant pens are simply 6-7ft wire and plastic netting with a double run of electric fencing wire about 6 inches and 12 inches off the ground running round the outside, carried on insulated rods. In the past two seasons we have had no fox climb in though one or two have tried to dig under the wire netting. Foxes come up to the netting and get a shock off the wires and they learn a lesson and keep away. Just remember to strim or weedkill under the electric wires as growing vegitation will earth the current.
Thanks for all these messages. And Lucy, this is a good warning to me as well. 6ft is obviously not enough to deter a fox (it sounds like that's what it was, as biting off the head seems to be a bit of a trademark) and I think I'll be lining the top now with an electric wire or two. I'd consider a roof, if it wasn't such a large and awkward area.....
In case anyone's interested, I saw the big bad fox scramble over the 6ft fence no sweat in the end. It was about 6am again. Of course my chickens are never let out to roam this early (anymore that is, since The Day) so all ok, as safe and sound in their enclosed coup and run. But he was a real big un! Apparently one of our neighbours used to actually feed a couple of fox families....
carlyvita wrote:In case anyone's interested, I saw the big bad fox scramble over the 6ft fence no sweat in the end. It was about 6am again. Of course my chickens are never let out to roam this early (anymore that is, since The Day) so all ok, as safe and sound in their enclosed coup and run. But he was a real big un! Apparently one of our neighbours used to actually feed a couple of fox families....
Crumbs thats not good , Im guessing electric fencing is the way to go for you then , I m really glad I insisted my chick run had a roof on it now, the oh was adamant Mr fox would nt jump the 6 ft sides so in the end we put some of that heras fencing on for the roof, now Im really glad
My neighbour has just put up a new 6 foot fence. It was the one the fox easily went over yesterday. Either electric fencing or a sturdy roof is a must. Sorry. lorna
I`m not a teacher for nothing, you know!! If I was clever, I`d be dangerous.
, Im guessing electric fencing is the way to go for you then , I m really glad I insisted my chick run had a roof on it now, the oh was adamant Mr fox would nt jump the 6 ft sides 
so in the end we put some of that heras fencing on for the roof, now Im really glad
