To roof or not to roof...

[Nick]

Well, it had to happen some day and a couple of days ago I lost my first chicken to a fox. Naturally it wasn't the annoyingly wonky hybrid, nor the bossy head chicken who terrorises everyone, nor either of the two cockerals who will need 'dealing with' in the not too distant future, no it was my favourite, super friendly chicken who always came for a stroke, and hatched out four eggs this year.
Anyhoo, they live free range in a big allotment, but have an inner sanctum which I close them up in at night. Over the summer, I left the pophole of their house, which is in the 'inner sanctum' open, coz they wanted to get up long before I did. Mr Fox demonstrated how good chicken wire is at keeping him out, by ripping a hole in it like tissue paper.
Yesterday, I spent the whole day putting 16guage 1inch weldmesh over the whole run (this is a big run - 4mx6m), and now I'm looking, aghast, at the roof. At the moment, the run is roofed in plastic mesh, fine for keeping out little birds... My question is (and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to like the answer) do I need to put weld mesh over the roof, or is the 6 foot high walls good enough to keep La Reynard out?

cheers for any thoughts,

RIP Seven of Nine (my lovely Barnevelder) - and yes, I know it is dorky to name your chickens after Star trek characters...

Nick

 

[Lordcluck]

It's sad to say that a determined fox will certainly not find a six foot fence much of an obstacle. As you have found they will also tear through light guage wire netting, and I know of one incident of a fox ripping a hole through the protective wire of a hen house window, then jumping through the pane of glass behind, in broad day light, and go on to empty the cabin of it's entire occupants!
if finances, or the practicality of the task allows, You might like to consider constructing an outward and upward sloping over hang to your fencing, and running an electric strand along it's edge? sort of 'stalag' security fencing style! An electric strand attached to short posts running around the pen at ground level will also serve as a double deterrent.

 

[Nick]

As I thought - I suspect the roof would be easier than overhangs - and I'd be sure it was totally fox proof.....
Another £60 of mesh, and a few hours work....

 

[Marigold]

So sorry to hear your sad story Nick. What's the base of the run like, any chance of a fox digging under?
If you could create what would be basically a weld mesh box, ie both roof and floor covered with weld mesh, you could sleep sound at night and so could your chickens!

 

[Nick]

The weldmesh extends 18 inches out horizontally, apart from on one side where I used stock fencing, and is either pinned down with long galvanised spikes, or covered in 2 foot square concrete slabs (which weigh about 1cwt each). The fox tried to dig through the stock fencing the day after I put it down, and got nowhere. Its reallu just the roof I worry about.
The annoying thing is that I'm going to shut them in their little house each night now, but this is all for those occasions where I want to go out for the evening, or know I'm going to be late home from work, so they may have their pophole open in the dark until I get home.

 

[Margaid]

That's why I'm going to fit automatic pophole openerd Nick - more expense I'm afraid.

 

[bantiekeeper]

I use a automatic pop hole opener and closer with a timer on my allotment coop, expensive but worth it! My run has a covered roof Nick. It comprises 2" chicken wire stapled to frames covered with clear PVC corrugated sheets. I also put some green greenhouse shading underneath this to keep the strong sunlight off in the summer. However my run is only 2.4m square x 2m high. A roof does make for a much drier environment for the chooks especially if they are out free ranging for part of the day. Hope this helps.

 

[Chuck]

An automatic pop hole opener is only part of the answer as if it releases them into an enclosure which is not secure, fox can still climb in. Six foot fencing will not keep them out, so the only answer that I can see is to roof your inner sanctum with wire or something more solid. Fox attacks can occur day and/or night.

 

[Nick]

I'm also thinking that the automatic pophole gaget wouldnt really put my mind at ease...
The crazy thing is that during the day, they free range around the allotment, with no protection from foxes whatsoever - other than the fact that people walk up and down the road fairly regularly, but I'm kind of happy with a fox taking one of them from the allotment - from the start we thought they would get so much enjoyment and such a rich life from roaming in such a large and varied environment that if they got eaten, that was kind of the quid pro quo for being super free range. But thinking about them being taken off the perch at night when they are sleeping just seems worse somehow...
Makes no sense I know...
So, how to suspend heavy galvanised weldmesh acrott a 5x6m space.... I see props... I see rafters... I'd better go see the bank manager...

 

[Nick]

I'm now pondering a suggestion by Lord Cluck a bit more seriously.
I'm not sure I can build an overhang, but I could easily string some electric wire round the top of my cage - say stood out by 6 inches. I'm assumiong a fox would be a little put off after clmbing 6 foot of wire to get an electric shock at the top...
Would cost about the same as 60 foot roll of 6 foot weldmesh, but would be trivial to install....
hmmmmm

 

[Chuck]

Electric is a good solution as long as you can be sure of the power supply. Easier and no more expensive I would think.