Chicken Coop Fox Proof

In decided to write this article after a friend of mine contacted me last week to ask about information on how to make your chicken coop fox proof. He was after this information because a tragedy had struck his chicken coop project. He had actually lost five chickens ( all of his birds ) in one night by a fox attack - the fox had only taken one of the foxes off with it but it had killed the remaining birds and left them scattered around.

He has kids and they were understandably upset with the whole thing so he wanted to know what he could do to keep his chicken coop fox proof. The main product every chicken coop really needs these days is 'fox proof weldmesh'. Even chicken coops in built up, urban areas need to make use of fox proof weldmesh - foxes are becoming a problem even in urban areas these days so making your urban chicken coop fox proof.

So what type a weldmesh do you buy to make your chicken coop fox proof? There are a few different options out there. Each mesh is given a specific gauge, the lower number on the gauge the more durable the strength of the mesh. If you purchase a weldmesh with a gauge of 16 or above then I'm afraid you are going to have to return it to the store ( hope you kept your receipt!! ). Anything with a gauge above 15 is not going to be sturdy enough to make your chicken coop fox proof.

I would say go for a gauge that is around the 12 mark - this is known to be very sturdy and works wonders with chicken coops. If you decide to construct a chicken coop with an added run then this run should also be kept safe from foxes and predators. You do not have to use a 12 gauge for a run because a 14 gauge will do the trick to keep the run safe. If you are wondering what gauge equals what thickness then I have set out a little table below ( the thickness is registered in mm - millimeters ).

Gauge. Thickness of weldmesh.

19 - 1.00

16 - 1.60

14 - 2.05

12 - 2.50

Foxes are a real problem for anyone who harbors a desire to rear their own chickens and produce home grown organic eggs. To keep your chicken coop fox proof you will need a low gauge weldmesh and plenty of it - keep your chickens safe.