Fox proof - confused! For nights away

[BigBlueHen53]

Can the fox climb the tree and drop in from above? If so, sorry, but cut it down or put a barrier of some kind on it that the fox cannot cross. Like those "cones of shame" that dogs must wear after surgery.

 

[Chickydeelady]

Sorry I keep forgetting that knee's come in all different heights, so my comment about corrugated iron should have been 'high enough that a fox cannot see over it'.

Got you - but that's not to hide the chooks as they obviously know they are there, but as an indication of effective height?

 

[Chickydeelady]

Can the fox climb the tree and drop in from above? If so, sorry, but cut it down or put a barrier of some kind on it that the fox cannot cross. Like those "cones of shame" that dogs must wear after surgery.

Yep good thought - I should do that anyway (cones) but will be a mainly hard roof when I'm done - maybe one or two sections hardware cloth securely battoned

 

[Chickydeelady]

Wondering if given there are sections where I'll have corr iron up to 1.4m high like this, do I still have to change the 1mm chicken wire above it? Not the roof, it will be sound. Just workshopping it all now

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Got you - but that's not to hide the chooks as they obviously know they are there, but as an indication of effective height?

High enough to deter the foxes, yes.

 

[Down Under]

Wondering if given there are sections where I'll have corr iron up to 1.4m high like this, do I still have to change the 1mm chicken wire above it? Not the roof, it will be sound. Just workshopping it all now

Thats a good height, the foxes may know that the chickens are there but if they can see them they will double their efforts to get to them.
Yep the mesh above needs strengthening, I have seen them jump 2 meter fences with ease, so they would jump and head but the chicken wire until they get through. Also chicken wire is designed to keep chickens in not predators out.

 

[Chickydeelady]

Gosh it's been a minute but thankful for all your input - my ladies have been happily enjoying their new run and auto door for a couple of months now and it's SUCH peace of mind to be able to drive somewhere and not throw them in the coop if I'm taking my LGD with me.
Some pic updates. There's parts I'm still finishing and awaiting pieces. But had access to never ending (nail heavy) secondhand timber and corrugated iron. So I just spent $100 on the expander mesh from marketplace and $20 on a piece of timber I couldn't salvage long enough. Ok that's heaps of pictures It was a bit wretched to do myself especially mounting the expander mesh but oh well, the thought of my ladies being harmed definitely brought on a whole new learning curve.

 

[Chickydeelady]

Have fixed up a couple of the wire clad places since and have more expander mesh - plus 70cm buried wire aprons all around (bar gravel).

 

[Down Under]

Good job and that is a great score with the expanded mesh.
Just next time your near Bunnings or Miter10 drop in and grab some netting clips and pliers for joints where you have butted up 2 pieces of expanded mesh.

 

[Chickydeelady]

Good job and that is a great score with the expanded mesh.
Just next time your near Bunnings or Miter10 drop in and grab some netting clips and pliers for joints where you have butted up 2 pieces of expanded mesh.

Thank you and you just named one of the last things on my to-do list (have random wire holding parts right now) - have heaps of the c clips and pliers, they just won't fit around the expanded mesh to clasp it. So must have to upgrade to larger C clips I think!