Building a fox-proof chicken run

[LesleyBury]

I am considering buying a Harrod Horticultural 'Heavy Duty Steel' poultry cage.
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It is a bit pricey, but I think my neighbours may prefer it to anything I can build.

Harrods say they can't guarantee the polyethylene netting is fox-proof. Does anybody know whether a fox will be able to bite through it?
(See description of netting below)
~Complete with extra heavy-duty extruded polyethylene poultry side netting with a 16mm x 16mm square mesh
~The high density polyethylene heavy-duty poultry roof netting has a 20mm x 20mm diamond mesh

Harrods Horticultural have suggested putting 1metre wide chicken wire round the bottom with some of it buried. Would this be high enough? - Our neighbourhood fox is very large.

I will be greatful for any advice.
Lesley

[davefromthechipie]

Hi lesley
I wouldnt trust it ,Foxes can bite chicken wire with ease let alone just plastic netting with wire in it I dont think there is a cheap way to make a fix proof run saddly ( Wish mine was hell even the chickens get out of there run ) abit like this GALVANISED WIRE MESH - 25m 4ft 2 x 2 3mm DOG MESH on eBay, also, Other Agriculture Farming, Agriculture Farming, Business, Office Industrial (end time 05-Mar-09 12:27:19 GMT) then dug in over 1 and ahalf foot and a roof has to be added .
good luck lesley If you do make one please let me know the cost as i plan on making one one day but by then it wil prob be to late

[Eyren]

TBH, that's a lot of money for something that isn't fox-proof! Neither is chicken-wire, for that matter, so Harrod's suggestion isn't all that great, IMHO.

Try this guy:

Aviaries4u: Prices - Aviaries4u

His runs aren't a lot dearer than the Harrod one, and he uses weldmesh, not plastic, so they are much more fox-proof. I want to get one as soon as a) I can afford it and b) convince Mr E that we need one. In the meantime I'm going to enter his charity raffle and see if I can win one!

[chicken slave]

Hi lesley
I wouldnt trust it ,Foxes can bite chicken wire with ease let alone just plastic netting with wire in it I dont think there is a cheap way to make a fix proof run saddly ( Wish mine was hell even the chickens get out of there run ) abit like this GALVANISED WIRE MESH - 25m 4ft 2 x 2 3mm DOG MESH on eBay, also, Other Agriculture Farming, Agriculture Farming, Business, Office Industrial (end time 05-Mar-09 12:27:19 GMT) then dug in over 1 and ahalf foot and a roof has to be added .
good luck lesley If you do make one please let me know the cost as i plan on making one one day but by then it wil prob be to late

Darn Dave that is expensive!!!

I used Welded wire mesh 1" x 1" x 36" x 30m Aviary / Hutches on eBay, also, Poultry Hatching Incubation, Pet Supplies, Home Garden (end time 13-Mar-09 21:26:28 GMT) and it keeps the foxes out as it has been tested, I have also sank it into the ground by about a foot and put netting over the top. The girls spend most of the time free ranging the garden but if I am out all day or the neighbours are watching them the run is used.

[Flummery]

We're about to start ours - tomorrow I've been promised! We are using half inch by inch weldmesh and the framework (apart form the door) will be made of galvanised construction angle. It will look ok from the neighbours' bedroom windows - don't want a Steptoe's Yard effect! I also looked at the fruit cage things but they are definitely NOT fox proof - and here they will need to be. A local friend had hens taken at lunchtime while he was in the house that overlooks the paddock they are in.

[lynda66]

i got hold of some of those cages they put rocks in by the side of the motorways to stop the land collapsing ..... took off the small pieces and used the big bits for the run, which is a complete cube including roof and floor ..... it looks ok and was dead easy to put the panels together, and totally fox proof, cos it's completely sealed.

it may also be cheaper?? than something designed for poultry.

[MaureenHall]

Lynda where on earth do you find all this stuff? I never find anything!

[lynda66]

it pays to keep your eyes open ..... they were building a wall with them at the back of my house to stop the gardens collapsing, so i asked .... the builders don't care lol, i also got pallets and some other bits off them that i knew would come in useful ... their idea is they don't wanna have to move them and they'd have burnt the pallets

[Flummery]

i got hold of some of those cages they put rocks in by the side of the motorways to stop the land collapsing ......

Gabions? I'm with Maureen! I never find owt useful!

[lynda66]

that's em .... i knew someone knew what they were called, couldn't remember who or what thanks auntie flum

my neighbours good at finding things too hence the cool chicken house roof

[Flummery]

Wondered where you'd got that from! It makes the house look like an oriental tea-house. Can picture you shuffling out in wooden shoes and kimono - with your bucket of pellets or mash!

[lynda66]

yeah he was out somewhere and spotted it and thought it would come in useful .... actually it's more likely to be fluffy dressing gown and wellies, but i may get a kimono for summer

[Apple Betty]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who goes out in the morning in dressing gown and wellies!

[MaureenHall]

Don't all us chicken keepers do that? I thought it went with the job 1 mucky dressing gown for chicken duties and a pair of blue wellies (cuz they're a bit too big so easy to put on when you're half asleep) then change to clean(ish) dressing gown and slippers for making people-food for breakfast. Got the priorities right, chooks first people second

[Snadger]

A run is only fox proof until a fox breaks in! Expect the unexpected I would say.
My run is foxproof as far as I am concerned............but I go to lottie every day expecting to have to cope with a fox attack! Be prepared!