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Post by pianochook on Jan 8, 2010 18:44:01 GMT 8
Hi! I'm in the process of putting up a fox proof run for my babies. How deep would you bury the wire mesh in the ground - at the moment I've got 18cm overlapping, is that enough? I was also planning of putting down a row of pavers all around the edge of the run. How wide should that be to scare away a fox Any comments much appreciated cheers pianochook
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Post by quambie on Jan 9, 2010 14:31:48 GMT 8
Hi You should be deep enough with the paver on top I am prone to fox attack and it got that bad I have had to put in a hot wire all around runs but it works keeps the pest out good luck Trevor
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Post by lakelands on Jan 9, 2010 15:25:28 GMT 8
Hi Pianochook. the depth is not as important as running the wire out under neath the ground. A fox can dig over 50cm if you bury it straight down but if you lay some mesh down in front of the of the edge of the run they can't figure that out. They usually start digging right next to the fence so if you have a 20 -30cm section laid out in front of the pen that usually is enough. Hope that makes sense.
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Post by pianochook on Jan 10, 2010 14:14:28 GMT 8
thanks Trevor and Carolyn That advice was invaluable! I dug the wire down and then bend it outwards, and I will lay some mesh under the pavers, so this should be Fort Knox for my babies (not that I really expect a fox to turn up in the middle of suburbia, but better safe than sorry!)
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Post by scrambled on Jan 12, 2010 14:40:10 GMT 8
Don't forget a roof! We were so stressed about fixing our run so foxes couldn't dig under that we put the roof plan on the backburner - only to have a hawk fly in and take off with two of our little girls.
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keall
New Member
Posts: 48
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Post by keall on Jan 12, 2010 21:07:44 GMT 8
Hi pianochook, we live in St James, and our neighbors lost their chooks and duck to a fox last year. They chased and watched it scale a colour bond fence. Go figure.
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keall
New Member
Posts: 48
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Post by keall on Jan 12, 2010 21:17:16 GMT 8
Check the threads in Poultry Talk on pages 4 & 5 re foxes and surburban sightings!
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Post by annieyokie on Jan 12, 2010 21:53:51 GMT 8
:-[Not my best of days .amongst other things had another dugite in our snake proofed cage this afternoon and have just been out to lock up chooks (later than usual )and a fox has got in and got 2 of my young polish.We are in the middle of building their pen ,never seen a fox here before .Took 1 and left the other to return to pick up later (head and chest gone ).So heartbreaking poor babies we hadn't got round to putting up the electric fence round their pen or extra wiring. .
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keall
New Member
Posts: 48
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Post by keall on Jan 12, 2010 22:10:28 GMT 8
Ohh! big hugs from us! Bleeps!!!!!!
I grew up on a farm, and my Dad always made a point of having a last stop at the hen house before home. Big fences, footnetting and chooks on the roost. Have no idea apart from foxes tend to stay away from human scent, he swore by it and I can't remember having lost that many chookies to the foxes back then, and now my brother continues the practice, only loses are through deteriorating fence last year. perhaps send ross down to "mark" your chookens turf.
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Post by Duck Diva on Jan 13, 2010 6:59:29 GMT 8
Oh Anne Im so sorry. Poor things. Which ones were they?
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Post by shea on Jan 13, 2010 7:16:11 GMT 8
:(so sorry. Foxes are everywhere. I remember my husband having to go into Perth CBD years ago for a job early in the morning and he saw a fox in an alley.
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Post by annieyokie on Jan 13, 2010 8:03:33 GMT 8
I have lost some others as well I found this morning .A few Belgian's ( that had flown the fence)and Im missing at least one other hen so far Iv worked out . Wendy one of the polish was Zorro one of your babies (Im sorry ) and the other was my only White crested blue hen. We are putting in the electric fence this afternoon . I cant believe how vicious foxs are
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Post by annieyokie on Jan 13, 2010 8:14:34 GMT 8
Thanks Keall ,Ill get Ross to start on the chook shed ,Ive had him relieving himself on the lemon trees . I remember seeing a documentary once where a camper in the wild did it to keep away wolves etc
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Post by Duck Diva on Jan 13, 2010 9:06:16 GMT 8
Oh No! Not your blue one Im so sorry. And poor Zorro. Im glad you have got Chopin then.
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Post by luv4ducks on Jan 13, 2010 9:47:50 GMT 8
I'm very sorry to hear that Annie, foxes are absolute mongrels at the best of times. Human urine is an excellent deterrent for foxes, it has worked great for us, much to my wifes disgust another trick is to take an old sock, where it for a few days to get it nice and sweaty, the smellier the better and then if you fill the sock with human hair either yours or from a hairdresser, then tie the sock to the fence in a couple of locations, it works fantastic. If you know anyone that has really bad smelling feet, you may not even need the hair. Foxes can smell the human scent for over 6 months, so it's just a little extra peace of mind Good luck I hope that you don't have anymore losses
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