Breathtaking, gorgeous birds on such a beautiful set up.. I can see the fencing behind the hydrangeas, is the whole area fenced and how tall are the fences? What kind of wire did you use on the fence? Are they strong enough for bob cats and foxes? I am wondering if they would be able to dig their way through digging under the fence or climbing over it? I know they went through the double pane door of our coop. At the moment, with the problems we have been having for the last 7 weeks, I think we will have to put a very thick, bullet proof glass globe over our whole property. It has been very discouraging, very sad 7 weeks..
I am in awe of your coops and the beautiful garden they graze in. Lucky, very lucky birds...
Lual
I had originally fenced this place with 54" steel cattle panels, and had hedges all round it.I was trimming 1000' of hedge every month. That foolishness went on for 15 years.I finally got smart, and fenced the whole property in 8' board fencing, but I left the bottoms of the cattle panels, which by that time were imbedded in the ground, and impossible to remove. The board fencing is vertical planks spaced 1" apart to let air blow through.Very hard to climb.The tree rats do use the top cap board as their personal runway, but they don't bother me as the Orps run them off if they come into the orchard, or the coops.
Though I live in town, this place is adjoining the second oldest polo field in the US, with a golf course next to that. So we have had bears, bob cats,coyotes, way too many deer, and foxes around.Due to the fact that we have 4 rescue dogs who are out and about every day, nothing wants to enter here. At night the Orps are locked up in chain link steel covered runs.No way into those coops unless we have an elephant herd attack ! If I were worried about big cats, I would hot wire my 8' perimeter fence.
There are hydrangeas every where, as I can't resist putting cuttings in the ground. I did have a problem with the deer eating them outside my fence, but Nite-Guard solar lights stopped that.The hydrangeas in the Orps' orchard have bird netting in them. The hydrangeas have grown up through the netting, and give a second level of protection from aerial attacks. The over head lines stop the hawks and eagles, who don't want to risk their wings.They do make me very nervous in the fall when they migrate though. A young Red Tail boomeranged off the lines last year, and ended up tn the area my dogs patrol. He won't be back.
I think your answer Lual, is electric fencing, added to what ever you are currently fenced with. Wild animals respect it.It is very simple to install, and cheap to run.
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