Help! Fox...staring at my chickens !! Hot wire, hardware cloth apron or ?

[calboy147]

Will try to convince my husband to install hotwire first. He is afraid of shocking human.

Is a welded wire fence like this ok?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/red-brand-welded-wire-72-in-x-100-ft?cm_vc=-10005

and an apron with hardware cloth mesh? is 18" inch above ground, 18" on the ground enough?

Two days ago, in broad day light, I saw a big, fat, red fox staring at our chickens from outside of the extended run fence. I ran out of the house, screaming at the fox, it ran away into the woods.

I've been keeping the chickens in their predator proof small run since. Spent two days reading articles and posts about fox and fence in BYC forum, I am still at a loss on what best to do. Please help! Any advice/suggestions appreciated.

Facts:
- we know the fox is around, but never seen it got so close
- the extended run is flimsily fenced in, with chicken wire (2") over deer net, and covered with birdnet
- chickens are locked in a small run, predator proof, nightly

Question:
- will a fox dig or rip the chicken wire in broad day light? how fast can they dig?
- is there any alarm system that will scare the fox when they touch the fence?
- will hot wire the entire extended yard keep the fox out? Is it safe for human?
if so, what height? how many strands? what to do with the gate?
- or should we make a hardware cloth apron around the base of the entire extended fun?

Hot wire seems easier to do (we are wimpy, not good with construction), but we are worried about safety to humans - we work around the garden all the time, neighbors' kids like to come and watch the chickens. I am also worried about safety of our lawn care crew.

Hardware cloth apron is a lot of work, the yard is about 35x50. I am still not recovered from the tennis elbow caused by pounding ground staples of the apron of the small run 18 months ago! But if that's the only way we can keep the chickens safe, we'll do it.

Thank you all in advance!

Below is a picture of the yard. The cubical structure and coop in the center are predator proof.
The fox was standing by the fence on the right edge of the photo (outside the photo).


View attachment 2969509

What is a "hot wire"? I have not heard the term used since my parents found out how i was able to borrow my moms car about 50 years ago.
If you are talking about a wire electric fence; there is absolutely no harm to humans. I guess if someone was wearing a pace maker you could have some freak problem. Other than that the worst that will happen is you may pee your pants. And yes i know that for a fact. lol
I have had dozens of unexpected run'ins with electric fence wire and other than the aforementioned embarrassment the only thing they caused was me being ticked off with myself.
They are however not remotely predator proof. My next door neighbor has cattle in a five acre pasture and an electric fence charger designed for miles of fencing. My dog got shocked then mad and tore down 50 feet of his four strands. He is a determined dog but i often see "yotes" crossing the pasture as well.
So i recommend a good dog first and foremost. Then a good welded wire fence 6' high with the "hotwire?" about 6 inches above. Animals tend to jump stuff in a "just enough" fashion. So when they attempt to jump i have never seen them allow for the wire above the fence. And the ones that climb find it too late.

 

[calboy147]

Sparrows. They eat the food and poop every where.

Probably a good ideal to keep wild birds away from your flock as much as possible. Just read a news report of several thousand chickens and turkeys being put down and incinerated due to an outbreak of avian flu. Supposedly acquired by contact with wild birds. Probably migratory, but, safe than sorry.

 

[Taryn37]

Two days ago, in broad day light, I saw a big, fat, red fox staring at our chickens from outside of the extended run fence. I ran out of the house, screaming at the fox, it ran away into the woods.

I've been keeping the chickens in their predator proof small run since. Spent two days reading articles and posts about fox and fence in BYC forum, I am still at a loss on what best to do. Please help! Any advice/suggestions appreciated.

Facts:
- we know the fox is around, but never seen it got so close
- the extended run is flimsily fenced in, with chicken wire (2") over deer net, and covered with birdnet
- chickens are locked in a small run, predator proof, nightly

Question:
- will a fox dig or rip the chicken wire in broad day light? how fast can they dig?
- is there any alarm system that will scare the fox when they touch the fence?
- will hot wire the entire extended yard keep the fox out? Is it safe for human?
if so, what height? how many strands? what to do with the gate?
- or should we make a hardware cloth apron around the base of the entire extended fun?

Hot wire seems easier to do (we are wimpy, not good with construction), but we are worried about safety to humans - we work around the garden all the time, neighbors' kids like to come and watch the chickens. I am also worried about safety of our lawn care crew.

Hardware cloth apron is a lot of work, the yard is about 35x50. I am still not recovered from the tennis elbow caused by pounding ground staples of the apron of the small run 18 months ago! But if that's the only way we can keep the chickens safe, we'll do it.

Thank you all in advance!

Below is a picture of the yard. The cubical structure and coop in the center are predator proof.
The fox was standing by the fence on the right edge of the photo (outside the photo).


View attachment 2969509

I saw on eBay they have big runs that is cage type £200 for a decent one some cheaper others more expensive. But it’s one you can walk in can also get covers for this somewhere. Can get padlocks I’m pretty sure too.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Probably a good ideal to keep wild birds away from your flock as much as possible. Just read a news report of several thousand chickens and turkeys being put down and incinerated due to an outbreak of avian flu. Supposedly acquired by contact with wild birds. Probably migratory, but, safe than sorry.

Yes, I know.

 

[Taryn37]

Probably a good ideal to keep wild birds away from your flock as much as possible. Just read a news report of several thousand chickens and turkeys being put down and incinerated due to an outbreak of avian flu. Supposedly acquired by contact with wild birds. Probably migratory, but, safe than sorry.

I read this old man lost 160 of his ducks due to most of them having the flu and they had to be put down. He got the bird flu which is a shame. Not allowed to have any more ducks for a year. Such a shame there’s no treatment for them for that.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Probably a good ideal to keep wild birds away from your flock as much as possible. Just read a news report of several thousand chickens and turkeys being put down and incinerated due to an outbreak of avian flu. Supposedly acquired by contact with wild birds. Probably migratory, but, safe than sorry.

I seen that article in a newspaper in CT. Now I make sure when I free range the girls, if I see any wild bird poop I mash it into the ground just in case the chickens mistake it for a treat. The wild bird poop is red from the sumac berries that grow through the winter here In CT and can look appetizing.

 

[McChooky]

Will try to convince my husband to install hotwire first. He is afraid of shocking human.

Is a welded wire fence like this ok?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/red-brand-welded-wire-72-in-x-100-ft?cm_vc=-10005

and an apron with hardware cloth mesh? is 18" inch above ground, 18" on the ground enough?

You don't have to make an apron using hardware cloth.You can lay chicken wire on the ground and use garden staples to secure it then connect it to the electric fence and anything that steps on it and touches the hot wire at the same time will feel a shock. Getting shocked is unpleasant enough to make us not touch it again.It works the same way with predators Which is why they work so well.It won't protect your chickens if you keep it off all the time.

 

[linguini]

You don't have to make an apron using hardware cloth.You can lay chicken wire on the ground and use garden staples to secure it then connect it to the electric fence and anything that steps on it and touches the hot wire at the same time will feel a shock. Getting shocked is unpleasant enough to make us not touch it again.It works the same way with predators Which is why they work so well.It won't protect your chickens if you keep it off all the time.

Thanks for the suggestion! Just a question, I thought the hot wire can not touch anything that reaches the ground? do you have any photo of the set up? We have herb patches outside along the fence, it's giving me headache for both alternatives - hot wire or apron.

 

[McChooky]

You are correct. The hot can't touch the ground but a ground wire can. The chicken wire will be secured to the lower part of your fence and the remainder will lay on the ground in front of the fence.Animal that touches the chicken wire and touches a hot wire at the same time will get shocked.This will improve your grounding system. Skip forward to 1:20 mark on this video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I344hn6PqPw

 

[linguini]

You are correct. The hot can't touch the ground but a ground wire can. The chicken wire will be secured to the lower part of your fence and the remainder will lay on the ground in front of the fence.Animal that touches the chicken wire and touches a hot wire at the same time will get shocked.This will improve your grounding system. Skip forward to 1:20 mark on this video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I344hn6PqPw

Thank you so much! This is very helpful!