[natshens]

I'm really worried about my hens set up at the allotment. I have a small chicken coop which houses 3 hens which stands on paving slabs. It is surrounded by a very good electric poultry fence and the hens have free range within the perimeters of the electric fence during the day. The fence works well to keep the foxes out, but its the human invaders I'm worried about!!!
I think I was a bit naive in thinking that nobody would come and steal my fence energiser and maybe even the fencing, but have since found out that there are recent thefts on the site. Now I'm worried that if the fence energiser gets taken, then my chicken coop isn't foxproof.
 I have a small chicken run which can adjoin the coop if there was an emergency, but that is wired only with thin aviary wire as the coop is as well.
I've been researching prices all day for thick wire weld and really I just can't afford it. Much as I can't afford to put up a high fence with dug in wire etc!
The only plan I can think of is......to board up the coop with thick ply which I can get for cheap so at least when they are locked up at night the fox cant chew through the weak wire.
After locking them in at night to take the energiser home with me and reconnect it in the morning when I let the hens out. Assuming that most thefts occur at night.
My question is.......if I board up the coop with ply, will foxes chew through the ply?

[grinling]

Does a fox visit the allotment often? You could use pallet wood instead. Foxes and rats can chew through wood, humans break it. Are your allotments broken into often and what is the site doing for protection. The one I used to be on has had several attacks on someone's chooks, some dead some taken.

[natshens]

Thanks for the reply Grinling. Yes a fox does visit regularly. Hes been spotted quite a few times and I've seen him once a couple of weeks ago.
Good idea about the pallet wood. I reckon I can get some from work:)
The allotment tends to have quite a few chancers wandering through and breaking into the odd shed or 2, but once or twice a year there will be an organised break in where all the sheds are done and apparently last year somebodys whole chicken stock was taken!
The gates on the allotment have secure locks and the perimeter is very hard to get into being surrounded by bramble and ditches, but there is a bit of fence where someone could climb over and they could also climb the gate.
I am probably the best security they have at the moment I'm there so frequently and late at night that they actually thought I was living there!
Since I posted the thread there is a chance I could get the adjoining allotment which has a large secure shed. I have also found heaps of regular hexagon chicken wire as well so If I get that allotment then the coop can go in the shed with a pop hole at the shed bottom and I can use the hex wire to make a small 3 sided aviary joining the shed. Then electric around the lot.
Hopefully that will make it just a bit harder for fox and human to get their hands on the chickens! But in the mean time I will pallet wood the coop:)