Concerned about safety (Mr Fox)

[nikkilovesbear]

Hiya everyone,
I'm pretty new and am really enjoying looking at the forum. I'm hoping to get a few ducks soon, not sure what type yet, but my main concern is fox proofing before I even think about getting the ducks.

The area in my garden I am allocating for them in the day time is around 6.5 metres by 5 metres, and then when i'm home letting them have free run of our garden. Behind the allocated area there's bushes and brambles behind it with fields behind, and a wall about 4ft heigh another side to next doors house. I am unsure about making everyone safe in the day. I intend to let them out in the day, and lock them up at night. I have seen about burying mesh, and someone has even suggested putting concrete down, but the tallest mesh on a roll is 4ft, 12 gauge, so would I just double up so it was taller? It all seems to cost an absolute fortune. also I wasn't planning on having a roof. It petrifies me the fact that a fox could come in a harm them and any advice that would help me keep them safe would really be appreciated.

This is the area ( can't see all of it as it is a triangle shape, looks bigger than what it is (uploaded a picture)

I've seen this house for them... (Tried to upload a picture) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pisces-Valencia-Chicken-Nesting-1140mm/dp/B00753ZYA6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=S80CUKOKON4I&coliid=I2QDEIWYT2QHOP

Thanks for any replies,
Nikki

 

[BasilF]

A 4ft high mesh fence with wooden posts should be fine if you run an electric cable near the top and one about 6 inches up from the bottom. They should be on insulated standoffs and connected to a decent energizer. Foxes don't jump fences, they climb them so the electric wires will stop them. As for a house I wouldn't bother. Ducks seems to stay awake all night and don't like to be locked up. Mine have a house (which is never locked) but they only go in it to lay the odd egg and even for this they prefer a pile of twigs and leaves.

You can say goodbye to those daffs!!!

 

[Icemaiden]

I used the 4' mesh & doubled up. My run's just over 6' high, as it's roofed & my husband's 6'1"; we started fixing the wall mesh at the top. After allowing an overlap of 6" or so, the lower layer thus had 18" or so left over which runs flat along the ground, held down by patio slabs to prevent anything from digging in to the coop. (It saved us from digging a 2' deep trench to bury mesh in.)

You're right though, it's not cheap, but by the time you've had your birds for a year or so, if you work out "hours of pleasure per £ spent", you'll be glad you went for it...

 

[Marigold]

You're right though, it's not cheap, but by the time you've had your birds for a year or so, if you work out "hours of pleasure per £ spent", you'll be glad you went for it...

And if you also count the 'hours of worry saved' and the 'devastation after a fox attack index', you will definitely go for it!

 

[dorsetduckowner]

All looks like good advice to me

 

[foxy]

You might find one of the articles in Tims blog useful, all about electric fencing, I will dig out my article, it seems to have gone missing at the moment! I have a very similar system, using 9 galvanised wires attached to wooden posts. So far no fox has breached the fencing although we have seen them in the garden, and the odd duck has been taken from outside the fencing

http://blog.poultrykeeper.com/tim-chicken-blog/new-field-and-poultry-fencing/

 

[nikkilovesbear]

Hiya everyone
Thank you so much for your replies. Really appreciate it.
All fantastic ideas, I hadn't thought about putting electric wires on, so that's definitely an idea. And been looking at wire mesh now, does anyone know a good place to get it from, cheapest I've seen is about £110 for 14g 6' tall. Or £65 for 1.4m (but would need 2 rolls). The area I need to go around is about 30m. I've had a look on that article which is great. I think I need to get an ad mag and see if I can pick up a second hand electric fence kit.
I will definitely make sure I put the effort in and do it properly first time rather than making mistakes and ending l with dead ducks

Thanks again

Nikki

 

[nikkilovesbear]

Or do you think the duckies would prefer this to be locked in at night.....I don't want them to be cramped and uncomfortable...

 

[Icemaiden]

Hi Nikki.
For fencing, Marigold recommended Hills of Devon. http://www.hillsofdevon.co.uk/netting.html
I found them very good & they delivered promptly.
I used N3, as the holes are too small for rats or squirrels to get through (though mice will get through a hole the diameter of a pencil, but they're less of a problem). N23 would do too, if you want plastic coated wire mesh (though it costs more).

Chris ( I think) also pointed out that you need to use decent galvanised staples to attach the mesh to the posts. A staple gun is helpful for putting it all together quickly, but the flimsy staples that these use will rust through, so it's worth hammering in the galvanised ones afterwards, for longevity.

It's all worth it when it's finished 17