How flexible is a fox?

[Sutremaine]

Chicken wire is designed to keep chickens in NOT to keep anything out. Dogs, coyotes, foxes, etc. can easily rip through chicken wire in moments. What is it that you are trying to build?

Are you saying that the only thing that can't get through chicken wire is a chicken?

What I'm trying to build is something that a chicken can get through but a fox can't, and which has no moving parts and is also easy to build.

 

[MeepBeep]

Are you saying that the only thing that can't get through chicken wire is a chicken?

The short answer, pretty much yes...

A lot of the predators that attack chickens can/will rip through chicken wire when hungry...

What I'm trying to build is something that a chicken can get through but a fox can't, and which has no moving parts and is also easy to build.

IMO, it's a failed prospect from the get go...

The only thing that IMO would come close is a door elevated say 8 feet above the ground and some sort of climb prevention on the wall to prevent the fox from scaling the wall to gain entry... But, this also assumes your breed of birds can actually jump/fly to a height of 6-8 feet many can't...

 

[appps]

Are you saying that the only thing that can't get through chicken wire is a chicken?

What I'm trying to build is something that a chicken can get through but a fox can't, and which has no moving parts and is also easy to build.

Yep pretty much. The name says it all, chicken wire, for keeping chickens in.

I can't think of anything is going to allow one but not the other. What is the purpose of it? ie save locking up at night or allow out to free range early? If that's the reason I'd look at automatic doors.

Only thing I can think that isn't automatic is direct your thoughts higher, like a set of perches to allow them over a fence. Would they use it? Who knows lol. Could a fox? Possibly, would need to be fly able to not jump able.

 

[Sutremaine]

Yep pretty much. The name says it all, chicken wire, for keeping chickens in.

Well, I was talking specifically to the poster who responded to my original comment about 'the only thing that chicken wire will stop is a chicken'.

The birds can get up that high (the place I'm getting them from has their enclosure covered, otherwise they'd be roosting on top and the rooster would be out and into the other breeds' pens), but leaving the roof open would be dangerous. I've seen a seagull swoop down on a fledgeling blackbird sitting on the lawn. Also, there are a lot of cats in the neighbourhood.

The plan is to have an impenetrable inner coop and run, with an area outside that's enclosed by wire mesh but won't stand up to a sustained assault. The chickens would be able to run around on the grass, and I'd be able to go inside for a few minutes at a time.

 

[MeepBeep]

Also, there are a lot of cats in the neighbourhood.

So riddle me this, why are you trying to devise something that 'foxes' can't navigate when you admit cats are also a problem?

I feel confident in saying if a chicken can get through a tunnel maze or opening, so can every average sized cat with ease...

Also I highly doubt you will find many chickens willing to even try navigating a tunnel, let along a maze of tunnels, especially since they are nearly blind in the absence of light as would be the case the minute they entered the tunnel... My guess is the first chicken you could convince (or force) to enter a tunnel would freeze, (best case) stress and die (likely) inside said tunnel before they successfully navigated...

with an area outside that's enclosed by wire mesh but won't stand up to a sustained assault.

Chicken wire will not afford and sustained assault, a K9 (dog, coyote, wolf or even a fox) or many other larger predators can tear through chicken wire in a few minutes or less, or just bulldoze it down or climb over it...

 

[appps]

Well, I was talking specifically to the poster who responded to my original comment about 'the only thing that chicken wire will stop is a chicken'.

oops sorry didnt realise it was a private convo, just thought you were asking for confimation that chicken wire is for only keeping chickens in.

 

[Sutremaine]

So riddle me this, why are you trying to devise something that 'foxes' can't navigate when you admit cats are also a problem?

I feel confident in saying if a chicken can get through a tunnel maze or opening, so can every average sized cat with ease...

Also I highly doubt you will find many chickens willing to even try navigating a tunnel, let along a maze of tunnels, especially since they are nearly blind in the absence of light as would be the case the minute they entered the tunnel... My guess is the first chicken you could convince (or force) to enter a tunnel would freeze, (best case) stress and die (likely) inside said tunnel before they successfully navigated...
Chicken wire will not afford and sustained assault, a K9 (dog, coyote, wolf or even a fox) or many other larger predators can tear through chicken wire in a few minutes or less, or just bulldoze it down or climb over it...

*shrug* I'm wondering if it's possible. The wandering cats might or might not be a problem, but a fox definitely is.

When I say 'wire mesh', I mean the stuff I've got on order. If you buy enough of it at once, it's not much more expensive than chicken wire.

 

[islandgirl82]

Pine martens are also an issue in the UK and rats are an issue all over. You'd be amazed at the tight spaces they can squeeze through.

 

[aart]

I know what you mean by the double u bend tunnel....I'd call it a torturous path.
Like a tight s-curve...too tight for a foxes longer body to navigate.....interesting idea,
but I think foxes are that flexible, they're pretty skinny and not that long.

 

[Sutremaine]

Quote:

oops sorry didnt realise it was a private convo, just thought you were asking for confimation that chicken wire is for only keeping chickens in.

Nah, it's just that I asked one of the first posters about whether their chicken wire would have been enough even without the gap, since my understanding was that chicken wire was for stopping _chickens_. Then somebody replied saying that chicken wire was for keeping chickens in, not for keeping anything else out. ...Yes, that's right...?

I'd be surprised to see a pine marten. There are only a few thousand in the UK, and most of those are up in Scotland.

Foxes are surprisingly skinny, yes. I've spent some of today seeing what kind of tunnels they can get through naturally, and found a picture of a taxidermy frame (I think). It looked a lot like a whippet with a slightly short body.