Fox-Proofing The Chooks
Many people have backyard chooks these days.
In my opinion the best variety for enormous egg production is a black chicken that is an Australorp cross. However, the ornamental breeds like silkies and araucanas lay for many years longer.
You simply MUST fox-proof your cages though. Foxes do hunt during the day and will kill free range hens. They also dig into the chook runs at night. To stop this do not bury chook wire in the ground. Instead take it down to about 10cm into the ground then out about 50cm underground parallel to the soil surface away from the cage. When foxes encounter wire under their feet, they tend to give up and go away.
There is no point in buying welded wire mesh (the square or rectangular stuff) as the zinc coating is too thin and the wire will rust away.
ONLY buy hexagonal old-fashioned chicken wire: this lasts far longer.
Good luck with your chooks.
Hooroo!
