Topic: The best ways of fox proofing a chicken coup and run.

[Ragdoll Lady]

I am thinking of ways to fox-prof the chicken coup and run. The one that is comming with the chickens is fine for the moment but when we can we will get them a taller one and extend the run. The chickens will be allowed  out to roam the garden during the day when I am home. We could put the coop and run on patio slabs but feel this deprives the chickens of having a good route around and its not fair on them. The idea will be to set it up on the grass of the veggie plot and move it when the patch needs to be changed. The idea we have seen is to put the really strong mesh wire all around the base like a skirt. About a foot wide all around and nail it to the underside wood of the run. Then stake it into the ground with tent stakes and put some roof ridge tiles around the edges. Someone said put cds on ropes around it too as the light reflects and frightens foxes. The chickens will be locked into the coop at night and we will be putting better bolts on all the doors.
We scatter male pee all around the veggie growing areas in the garden as its kept foxes away pretty well but will we still be able to continue doing this (will the chickens not eat the grass thats got pee on it)? I know I am a pain but I want to make sure they are as safe as they can be.

[OberonUK]

I'm quite new to keeping hens but I have done something similar to what you suggest - a mesh skirt around the coop and house, pegged down (I used fleece pegs [Wilkinsons] as they are barbed and even harder to pull out than tent pegs but have a hook to help when the time comes). Like you, my birds roam when I am at home and can keep an eye on them. beware though - they will be into everything and literally leave no stone unturned!

I can't say if this method is totally fox-proof but so far so good and I'm keeping fingers crossed!

[northener]

Hello, put slabs all the way round, the fox would have to shovel underneath.

[Stedic]

My girls are currently in a slabbed run, Mr Fox has tried to get in (I've seen him trying!) but failed.  With small enough mesh it also makes the run rat proof so long as there aren't any significant gaps.  Mice occasionally get into mine, but the girls "manage" that problem on their own.  I have a few bags of woodchip in the run so the girls can still scrat around.  I add them to a compost heap every 6 weeks or so for mulching with next year.

Before the big run we have one of the Omlet Elgu's - they have a skirt around them and that worked really well.  I did lay slabs over that though, so mr Fox couldn't push the run around (Eglu runs are quite light).  Again, I saw him digging at the bottom of the run but he never tried to dig under the skirt.

Saw him sat on the roof jumping up and down at one point, little monster!

[Ragdoll Lady]

My girls are currently in a slabbed run, Mr Fox has tried to get in (I've seen him trying!) but failed.  With small enough mesh it also makes the run rat proof so long as there aren't any significant gaps.  Mice occasionally get into mine, but the girls "manage" that problem on their own.  I have a few bags of woodchip in the run so the girls can still scrat around.  I add them to a compost heap every 6 weeks or so for mulching with next year.

Before the big run we have one of the Omlet Elgu's - they have a skirt around them and that worked really well.  I did lay slabs over that though, so mr Fox couldn't push the run around (Eglu runs are quite light).  Again, I saw him digging at the bottom of the run but he never tried to dig under the skirt.

Saw him sat on the roof jumping up and down at one point, little monster!

Thanks for the good advice. We are putting the house and run on the patio for now and going to use hard wood chips on the bottom which like you I will be able to compost. We are back to the male wee trick to stop the foxes digging in my seed beds. Someone mentioned CD's on a rope or placing a mirror near the coop as foxes dont like shiney things or reflectins. One man told me an old tale about human hair tied to the run keeps foxes away so I guess I will be getting a hair cut! The skirt around the base idea if you are on earth is a really good one and I have seen the omlet ones. We have some very strong wire with small holes claims to be too strong for foxy to bite through and will do this for when they are on the earth. Its two weeks now to the chicken keeping course and picking up the girls and I am very exited.

[Urlybird]

As an ex pheasant keeper,

Set the fence bottom 18 inches below ground level, have an over hang of at least 12 inches on the outside of the pen, also foxes dislike the smell of stale human urine, so hang jars of the aforementioned around the fence too

if this fails to deter Reynard:

Halogen lamps connected to PIR sensors, a flask of strong black coffee, and a 12 bore shotgun, loaded with BB shot cartridges, these have the effect of stopping Reynard, dead, in his tracks

hth

Ubd

[Ragdoll Lady]

Thanks urlybird for the advice, is all human urine as good ? Have been ordering hubby to do the peeing round my seedbeds which works a treat but its costing me a fortune in cans of beer that hubby 'insists' on needing to keep up the supply of pee....lol