I need my Chicken Enclosure to be Fox Proof

[What_TheDuck]

Depopulating the den isn't an option for you?

Foxes can work their way over high fences, especially around bends and corners. Great doggers as well, but you've mentioned countering that. I've seen them chew through chicken wire of you're not talking about hardware cloth.

We used lobster wire for the fence, a little bit more durable than chicken wire. And no, the fox den is in our neighbors yard across the way.

 

[What_TheDuck]

Th

Might help if it works as programmed every.single.day, not sure I'd count on it.


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View attachment 2502845

Thank you for that easy diagram lol. We are in Central California on a county island, so we have wildlife such as foxes, possums, owls, hawks, we even had an 8 point buck one time! It doesn't get super cold here in the Winter - the low last night was around 40 Fahrenheit. We do get up to about 100-110 Fahrenhiet in the summer, but it's a dry heat, and we give the girls some misters to cool them down.

 

[What_TheDuck]

Depopulating the den isn't an option for you?

Foxes can work their way over high fences, especially around bends and corners. Great doggers as well, but you've mentioned countering that. I've seen them chew through chicken wire of you're not talking about hardware cloth.

I think that I can keep them out the other ways, the concern was just the top, as I am pretty sure a determined fox can easily climb the 6-foot fence. The cat-fence does sound good though, or just an extension of chicken wire at the top.

 

[aart]

lobster wire

What is this....wire gauge and wire spacing...pics would be a plus?

 

[What_TheDuck]

What is this....wire gauge and wire spacing...pics would be a plus?

Let me see if I can load something up off of my phone

 

[What_TheDuck]

What is this....wire gauge and wire spacing...pics would be a plus?

that’s what the fence spacing looks like. about the size of their head in between

 

[Cryss]

I have fox too. My neighbor put up a sign on our road in front of our houses “Caution, Fox Crossing”. I have 1/2 inch hardware cloth covering my 6 foot tall run. I also have it wrapping the entire run walls because chicken wire can be ripped by fox, raccoon, dog, and a myriad of other predators. It isn’t meant to keep predators out. It’s meant to keep chickens in. The other reason is because any opening one inch or bigger will allow raccoons to reach their very tiny hands inside and grab a bird, pull it’s head close, and eat it’s head. Other predators can squeeze through those openings. Mice, rats, many many. My biggest personal fear is snakes, so the same thing goes for the apron.
Anyway that’s what I do for my fox and other predator problem. I still haven’t figured out how to configure electric fence due to property configuration. Meanwhile my run “frame” is chain link dog run in hopes it at least slows down black bear enough for me to be able to chase one off if they try. Yes, I had one walking through my yard 10 feet from the run door as I was exiting the run. I was able to scare it off before I broke into some serious shakes. Scary stuff.

 

[What_TheDuck]

I have fox too. My neighbor put up a sign on our road in front of our houses “Caution, Fox Crossing”. I have 1/2 inch hardware cloth covering my 6 foot tall run. I also have it wrapping the entire run walls because chicken wire can be ripped by fox, raccoon, dog, and a myriad of other predators. It isn’t meant to keep predators out. It’s meant to keep chickens in. The other reason is because any opening one inch or bigger will allow raccoons to reach their very tiny hands inside and grab a bird, pull it’s head close, and eat it’s head. Other predators can squeeze through those openings. Mice, rats, many many. My biggest personal fear is snakes, so the same thing goes for the apron.
Anyway that’s what I do for my fox and other predator problem. I still haven’t figured out how to configure electric fence due to property configuration. Meanwhile my run “frame” is chain link dog run in hopes it at least slows down black bear enough for me to be able to chase one off if they try. Yes, I had one walking through my yard 10 feet from the run door as I was exiting the run. I was able to scare it off before I broke into some serious shakes. Scary stuff.

The only thing is that I would have to do the cloth for a perimeter of about 350 feet, which would be an insane amount of area to do lol. I also am 6 foot 2, and that would not be super pleasant dragging my head on the mesh whenever I go out into thier run.

 

[RickRT]

Hi. We are just starting a chicken coop build for our new pullets. We are redoing their coop, and making a fenced run area (6 feet high, 250 feet perimeter) and we will attach it to our duck pen (6 feet high, 150 feet perimeter). We have a fox den about 200 yards from the coop and run, and every so often we see them running and playing around in our backyard. They don't attempt to climb the duck pen and get the ducks we have in the enclosed run. However, I know that foxes are much more interested in chickens than ducks. Will, the chicken run height be too tall for a fox to get in/climb over? I really would hate a fox to get into the chickens' fenced run area and do some damage to them. Again, it's 6 feet tall, I just need to know if that's secure enough to keep the foxes out. We already know about putting the chicken wire against the pen and into the ground to keep them from digging under, but not sure what to do about the open roof. Accepting any suggestions on improvement to the fence.

They can get over my 8 foot wooden fence with no issue. It’s not a matter of how high they can jump, they can climb the fences. You can get rollers for the top of the fence but they are pricey. Depending on the width of your run you may want to consider a roof or tarp.

 

[Cryss]

The only thing is that I would have to do the cloth for a perimeter of about 350 feet, which would be an insane amount of area to do lol. I also am 6 foot 2, and that would not be super pleasant dragging my head on the mesh whenever I go out into thier run.

I’d raise a roof above it that will accommodate your height. Fox can get in but more than that hawks, owls, etc can fly in. Raccoons, mink, weasel, rat, and others can climb in if they can’t get in through the fence holes. I understand it’s a lot of area to protect with hardware cloth, lots of work. If you had sheep or pigs or goats your fence would be fine but that type isn’t protection for a bird that can stick his/her own neck out through the opening as well as easy access to entry by so many predators.