[dawnsmith]

My chicken Run is against a fence that backs onto a grass verge. The fence is made with vertical overlapped wood (I'm sure it has a name, but I don't know it  :oops: ) Last night my daughter came home late and saw a fox run down the outside of our garden, along the fence.
Is it possible for a fox pull the wood away from the support?
We've secured all of the run except this fence (I think!)  My husband says it's secure.
What do you think?

[treacleminer]

Have no idea - sorry! but my son filmed a vixen plus cubs in the field just 10 yards away from mine last year & they completely ignored my chickens so you may be lucky :?

[yorkshirerose]

A fox will get over a fence - and they dont just kill for food - they kill just for the fun of it.
You need to take action now - if you can get an electric fence round the outside of your chicken run and shed - do it.
As nice as foxes look, they can be a real menace to poultry and I have seen the devastation they leave behind.
Im sure someone can give you more advice on this but if not I shall get back to you with ideas from a man who does know.

[dawnsmith]

I'm not too concerned about the height of the fence, because we've covered the run with plastic corrugated sheets. I just have a niggly feeling that they could get their feet behind the slats of wood and lift them away.
The floor's secure, the roof's secure, and I'm pretty sure the other three sides are fine.
Aren't they a worry  

[Foxy]

Hi dawn,how tall is your fence? vertical close board would be harder to climb up than horizontal however would have to be very high!  You could add some additional wire fencing -with an external overhang- so the wire leans outwards - Make sure the fox cant dig underneath as well. Perhaps place a sonic fox detterent there as well, a combination of deterents may help. Eltectrified fencing is one of the best methods though. I had a hell of a shock from mine today!!  

PS. foxes do not kill just for fun.....

[dawnsmith]

Vertical Close Board - I imagine that's the stuff!!
There's a kick board on the ground, then 6ft boards, then a 1 ft trellis, so I imagine the total height is 7 1/2ft (ish)
We have almost 1ft just inside the fence that has mesh over it, then the rest of the run is slabs. Plastic corrugate over the top to keep it dry (ish!)
Weld Mesh over the other three sides. It looks a bit like Colditz, i just feel the pannel fence is the only real weak spot.
We live in a town, so there's plenty of easy food for the foxes. I think I'm just a bit nervous now that I know for sure they know the Chooks are there  :roll:

[peggyprice]

Vertical Close Board - I imagine that's the stuff!!
There's a kick board on the ground, then 6ft boards, then a 1 ft trellis, so I imagine the total height is 7 1/2ft (ish)

Sounds similar to my fencing, and I was feeling quite confident until this evening when I read the other thread about fox deterrents; I hadn't thought about what was on the other side of the fence - my neighbour's handy bench and table set, perfectly placed to provide a step up on to a piece of trellising and then on to the fence, should any fox feel the urge ... :shock:  :shock:

Have got to do some serious thinking ... would go for electric fencing as preferred option but not sure what the cat would make of it when trying to come home at night  :?   Maybe one of the sonic deterrents would be better ...

[Belinda]

This looks quite good as you can change the frequency and it can be used outside. I can't use the fox detterent sound as I have dogs. They have other products as well which look quite good.



http://www.taylorsgardenbuildings.co.uk/store/customer/product.php?productid=19190

[Foxy]

Dont worry about cats and electric fencing I have 3 cats and all know about the electric fence. They only make the mistake once!!

Actually it was quite funny when one of my cats first touched the fence - he hissed, glared at me (he was sat beside me) then shot off with one HUGE toilet brush tail!!!  

[dawnsmith]

Are electric fences ok if there are children around?

[woodburner]

If a cat can learn and come away unscathed I'm sure kids can too

There used to be loads of foxes around here. Used to hear them barking, and even saw the occasional one too, but since moving back here, last August, I haven't heard a single bark.
Talking to a chap who has connections with local farmers, he said that since the hunting ban the farmers shoot all foxes on sight, whereas before, they used to leave them for the hunt. Next village towards town though has loads. I've even seen some, when visiting or passing through. I get the distinct impression their survival rate is much higher in town. . .

[peggyprice]

Dont worry about cats and electric fencing I have 3 cats and all know about the electric fence. They only make the mistake once!!

Actually it was quite funny when one of my cats first touched the fence - he hissed, glared at me (he was sat beside me) then shot off with one HUGE toilet brush tail!!!  

How is your electric fencing set up, Foxy?  Does it go round the perimeter, or have you created a 'fox free zone' inside your garden?  And does the transformer ( :?: whatever it is that powers the fence - physics was my worst subject at school   ) make a lot of noise?

I have memories of electric fences from the farms near where I grew up giving off irritating buzzing noises all the time ... :roll:

[Foxy]

Dont worry about cats and electric fencing I have 3 cats and all know about the electric fence. They only make the mistake once!!

Actually it was quite funny when one of my cats first touched the fence - he hissed, glared at me (he was sat beside me) then shot off with one HUGE toilet brush tail!!!  

How is your electric fencing set up, Foxy?  Does it go round the perimeter, or have you created a 'fox free zone' inside your garden?  And does the transformer ( :?: whatever it is that powers the fence - physics was my worst subject at school   ) make a lot of noise?

I have memories of electric fences from the farms near where I grew up giving off irritating buzzing noises all the time ... :roll:

Currently have a large fox free zone, with 2 50m sections and a smaller area set aside for the ducklings.
Basically an "energiser" powered by a leisure gives the voltage needed to the poultry netting. The energiser doesn't make any noise at all but I know some units do buzz a bit.
We also have a mains unit which will be the main power when the perimeter fence is set up around the chicken area.

[pushrod]

Another vote for electric fencing - had major probs with foxes before i got it and it has trained them to keep out of the garden   . Cost about £100 pound for everything IIRC, but has been well worth it. The only problem is grass/nettles  growing up the outside and hedgehogs getting themselves stuck in it. Both probs were easily solved though.

Remember that foxes will become more determined as the winter comes on.

[poultrygeist]

Cheery thought  :roll:

Always something out there trying to spoil your fun  :?

No chance of leccy fencing for us in the near future. Have to be vigilant and hope there's easier pickings nearby.
Interesting and useful thread. Thanks all.

Rob