quick question about fox proofing

MrsM · **Joined:** Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:51 am **Posts:** 163

While I was putting up my veggie garden fence, I found that carpet has been laid under the topsoil of our entire yard. I was going to foxproof the coop by digging about 50cm along the perimeter of the coop and laying chicken wire vertically, but there is no way I am going to do that with all that carpet there.

So I was wondering, can you lay the wire horizontally along the ground, and if so, how far out from the coop should it go? The carpet itself would be a wonderful deterrent for foxes but in some places its about 20cm down and I think thats plenty of room for a fox to get under. How close to the surface should I be laying the wire? Thanks

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

First up , go to the top of this page and you will find a heading called search(between FAQ and members)click onto search and print in fox proofing and see what happens.
Secondly, lay your wire, ringlok or some other heavy duty wire which wont rust out too quickly, flat on the ground and peg it down. Also you could run corrugated iron around the perimeter of your run so that the predators cant eyeball your chooks.

MrsM · **Joined:** Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:51 am **Posts:** 163

Nevermind! My genuis 12yo just came up with a better idea. She asked why we cant just lay some chicken wire in the coop itself and I told her I wanted the chooks to be able to walk on grass. She thought about it for a second and then suggested we use our massive pile of soil to put over the chicken wire, then grow some grass on it.

Saves me digging! Someone has earnt herself a huge bowl of ice cream lol

Lazzy · **Joined:** Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:13 pm **Posts:** 57

Grass growing in the ckicken coop is a great idea except the chooks will have it dug up in no time.

MrsM · **Joined:** Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:51 am **Posts:** 163

Yes I wondered about that, Lazy. Not sure how hard it would be to move our coop but I think it would be doable. If the chooks scratch away all the grass and leave the wire exposed, we should be able to pick it up easily enough. Might have to trial and error that one.

MrsM · **Joined:** Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:51 am **Posts:** 163

purefeather I just saw your reply, sorry.

I asked in a new thread because I cant find any information regarding the lengths that the wire should be. I know for vertical wire around the coop, it should be about 50cm at least. But I didnt know if the same measurement applied to laying the wire along the ground, or just how small a space a fox needs to get through.

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

Ringlok should be fine, remember the fox is trying to dig through the wire not sqeezing through it, even harder to do both at the same time. Have you thought about putting wheels on your pen/coop?

MrsM · **Joined:** Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:51 am **Posts:** 163

No I am not talking about what gauge the wire should be, I mean how much area it should cover. Lets say this > L < represents the side wall of a coop and the ground. How far along the ground should the wire go if you are laying wire horizontally? Do foxes only dig right at the edge of the coop and if so, how wide are the holes that they make? (Never seen a fox let alone a hole a fox has made).

I dont think we would put wheels on the coop. We probably could put them on, but we'll see how we go. I think I will try laying wire in the coop itself, that is definitley my first preference, but I will have to consider how we will manage the grass in there. Though, that might not be a big issue if we let them out anyway.

purefeather · **Joined:** Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:36 pm **Posts:** 736

Ok,for what it's worth I'd go with the wire on the floor of the coop, there's no way a fox can force it's way under the wire. If you were taking the other option then just one row of wire around the outside perimeter should do the trick, that's all I ever did when I built pens and runs for peoples chooks.

Hens and Hobbits · **Posted:** Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:50 pm

Chook wire on the floor of the coop also helps keep out mice and rats and other rodents. Seems to be a plague of bunnies this year hopping everywhere...

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