[staffschicks]

It is really difficult to know what to do.  Mine get shut in the secure run before dusk but i let them free range in the garden during the day.  They love being out but I am not sure if it is worth the risk.  I don't think an electric fence would work as it would have to be too close to the boundary and i expect a fox would be straight over the top if it wanted to.
I intend to make the boundary around the fenced off part of the garden a little more difficult to enter as presumably a fox will be less likely to spend hours digging in in daylight.
What does every one else think.

PS when I had a cat, she was allowed to come and go and she pleased.  Eventually she was it by a car but I certainly don't regret the decision.

[poultrygeist]

Assuming you have a standard 6' wooden fence, you could try loosely fixing some chicken wire to the top as an overhang. So that, if a fox climbed to the top it would need to step across this flimsy bit of fence which, in theory, would be too unsafe for it.

You have to try and think like a fox and guess what would make it feel unsafe. Easier said than done 

If you don't mind postng up photos of your garden, we could get really creative 

Rob

[staffschicks]

Thanks for the offer will try and find my camera latter. 

I'm afraid it's semi rural so hedges lined by dog proofing mesh.  I don't think that a fox would dig under the hedge too many roots then a wire fence but could get over the top, again not easy but possible.  I think the only answer is electric fence for when I am out.  Do you know how far I would need to have it from the hedge.  Their run is sited in a fenced off area of garden about 20 X50 ft surrounded by hedges and mesh on 3 sides and a post and rail fence separating it from the resto f the garden on the other.  I have six hens and there is an integral run 15X3 ft which I shut them in before bedtime. I could extend the integral run which is secure) to 21x3 ft which they could stay in while I am at work -this may have to be the interim measure.

[poultrygeist]

I don't know much about leccy fencing personally (only that they seem to be effective).

I would guess, as long as it can't leap over, about 3ft from the hedge would suffice. We've got an old hawthorn/elder/ weedy hedge that wouldn't keep out a thing.

We'll have to save up for some lec fencing. Ours are stuck in a run which is a shame.

Rob

[staffschicks]

Curious how things happen.  Bathed the dog this morning and this afternoon she returned from the garden covered in fox poo.  Normally i wouldn't have been very Impressed but it is a timely reminder that I need to get my act together.  I am under the impression that sonic fox deterents aren't much use, do you know if this is the case?

PS the dog isn't too impressed with 2 baths in 1 day

[poultrygeist]

I think it's the time of the dispersal of the young looking for territory and 'other things'  :blink:

Aunt Sally (admin) uses a foxwatch sonic deterrant and is pleased with it so far.

if you do a search on the forums for it, there'll be a few threads as well as the info sticky by foxy I mentioned earlier.

Rob