[hoptonboy]

HI there,

New to this forum, new to poultry keeping, new to building poultry run.

I have moved house to a more rural area, have a bigger garden and really keen on getting into poultry. Just building the run and I know I have to dig the chicken wire fencing down into the ground to stop the fox clawing his way underneath, however I go down about 4 inches and hit thick solid clay. I have perserved down about 1 foot (bl**dy hard work) but wonderd how much risk there is of foxes digging through the thick clay?

Does anyone have any experience of this - live in a clayey (is that a word?) area and had any problems with fox entry under their fence?

Cheers

[joyfull]

It is always better to be safe rather than taking the risk. We have just put up our run today and my husband has had to use a pick axe to get through some of our compacted ground,

[grinling]

Stick with 1foot down big come out 3 foot, so the wire is L shaped when layed. Think about solid roofing one section to keep coop/food dry. Came from London clay and Mr fox would dig under as well as climb Allen's run. Mine was fine.

[hoptonboy]

Hi Joyfull - yeah I've been using the pick axe too!! I've a trench about 1 foot deep all way round, fence posts going in tomorrow.
Grinling - I will be unable to come out 3 foot, due to older wooden fence down one side and privet down the back. I plan to go out maybe 6", cover with planks down back of old wooden fence, which has a small bed that is lined with bricks on other side, bed has plenty of shrubbery in it. On non-fence or privetted side, I plan to have a paved path between run and veg plot - if paving up to edge of run then I assume Mr fox can't get through?

I am going to use an old garden shed for a house, do you think that will be OK?

[crowndale]

i'm going on the same basis, that foxes can't dig through concrete and my big pen (in septemebr/october time) will be placed against a wall one side, a concretre path another, and pavers along the other two, plus wire down in teh ground, just in case!