Fox-proof fencing (Is there such a thing?)

[kzemansk]

Last night, I'm guessing a fox, but it could be any other animal, got into my duck yard. My ducks were in their night pen, but the animal dug their nest out through the night pen fence, and ate their eggs. Is there any way I can make my duck yard fox-proof, will 6 ft chicken wire work, or should I just add netting above what I already have (4-ft fence)? Does electric fencing work?

 

[tdd2]

Chicken wire fencing is for keeping chickens 'in', not for keeping anything 'out'.

You need 1/2" welded, galvanized (and preferably coated) hardware cloth.

It should be securely attached on all sides with heavy staples, screws with washers, or sandwiched between boards.

Ultimately, you want no gaps in your predator proof system any larger than 1/2".

To prevent digging predators, hardware cloth around the base should be burried no less than 4-6" down, and brought out from the run 8-10". OR you can make the bottom of the run / pen with a solid floor.

It can be a bit if work but it's worth the effort to your Littles'.

Good luck!!

 

[Orca5094]

Electric fencing does seem to work, for me at least. I've never had anything break into my pens yet. Mine are made from chicken wire as well. They are about 6 feet high with extra wire around the bottom that is folded so part of it goes out from the pen across the ground a couple feet. I also have chicken wire across the top of the pen, then five rows of electric fence wire around the outside of the pen going about halfway up the sides. I hope that all made sense, I'm not the best at explaining things.

Oh wait, I found a pic! Here you go:



The black pool liner I used to block the grass from growing up into the lowest electric wire.

 

[Amiga]

For the bottom of the day pen, I have coated chain link attached firmly at the edges - nothing larger than 3 inches in diameter can come up into the pen.

I agree that half inch metal hardware cloth for night shelter is important.

I have also had some good success with electric fence (raccoons have gotten zapped).

We have foxes around and one neighbor lost a duck during the afternoon. So I fenced across the top of the Day Pen with coated 2"x3" woven wire fence.

 

[kzemansk]

I know this may sound weird, but as I was looking around I found that some people buy wolf urine and spread it around their fence. I also saw water systems that spray bursts of water when motion is detected. Does anyone have any experience with either of these two?

 

[localife]

If you are trying to discourage digging predators, one of the most effective, relatively easy and inexpensive options is to run an apron of chicken wire all the way around the pen. You simply roll the wire out on the ground and stake it down in place using landscape staples (heavy wire "U" shaped pegs).

I live in an area with pretty much every known predator except bears. Since I began using electric fencing (I use poultry net moveable fencing) I haven't had a single loss, nor any sign of effort to get in. I spent what felt like a lot of money on the electric fencing, but I love it -- as it has not only been effective, it allows me to easily move my animals to different grazing areas.

So here's what I do for all of my animals: A night pen that is made from 6' fencing (I actually use dog kennels, with hardware cloth attached to the sides), covered with roofing or wire fencing, and an apron of chicken wire around the base. I use this approach so that I don't have to close them inside a house at night. All of this is surrounded by 48" electric poultry net (to create the daytime 'barnyard'). I also encourage my dog to wander the outside of the space, marking her territory. No losses in the past 5 years since using this approach.