[F1schuey]

I am now worried about something I hadn't thought of.  Our yearly holidays.  I guess it's really the fox situation that worries me.  I have a coop and run and when I am home the girlies will be allowed to roam the garden, but when on holiday I would not expect a friend to be able to get them in.  Luckily I only go away for long weekends as I have a caravan.
At night I would be closing the coop down and then letting the girls out in the morning, when on holiday I would get my friend to do this, but not allow them on the garden as no one would be around to check on them...

I am now thinking of building a huge run to add onto the coop run. Would this be secure enough in the day time with foxes, I have heard they strike at anytime of the day.  What thickness of mesh would you suggest, or would you keep them in their smaller run for these days?? and build a double layer of mesh to secure the coop and run.

What does everyone else do

[joyfull]

make your run like a cube with mesh on the floor and the roof this will make it difficult for anything to gnaw its way in (don't forget to put in a door though  ).
Hills of devon sell welded wire mesh by the roll at good prices and next day delivery - lots on here use them - easy to find on google 

[Beakybird]

Thanks for the info regarding the weld mesh supplier, Joyfull We're in the process of building a new enclosure, so will be needing some soon. I've checked out the site - good prices and a great selection of sizes. Cheers!

[ManicMum]

Another option to help with the fox/dog issue, is electric fencing around their whole area - our dogs took about a day to learn the fence hurt & start ignoring the chickens: they did not consider jumping it.  Foxes also approach nose first.

There's a post somewhere on here citing a beach with tern nests on which were protected by electric fence - I'll try to find it later (when I'm not walking dogs or cooking supper or hellping with homework....) - where the foxes didn't venture within ?10feet? or so of the fence & didn't return to the area for some time after the fence was removed.

[GrannieAnnie]

MMmmmmm Brian put a mesh floor into the run of that little ark Joy, but it got 'pooped up' very quickly and when you moved the ark, the poo went with it.  Because of the mesh being so small.

[hillfooter]

Note use weld mesh of at least 19swg not chicken wire which is just parallel strands twisted at intervals to form a hexagonal net patern.  Foxes can untwist it by chewing it so it's not absolutely fox proof.

HF