We have been receiving calls from customers that foxes have begun to simply jump over the 1m tall chicken netting. As there are many trials and reports of the netting being highly effective we were concerned but waiting for some sort of confirmation.

This finally came to a head when we were recently shown an incident where a fox was clearly jumping a standard poultry net to get away with a chicken. These two videos clearly show a fox running up to a fence and jumping over without investigating the barrier. Whether it had in the past or not is not known but as it quite clearly did not touch the fence whilst on the ground indicates that it had experienced electric fencing in the past. Foxes are normally very shy, cautious and tend to investigate a barrier before crossing it. This can be attributed to the fox in question being accustomed to fences and simply jumping them in much the same manner that Deer, Springbok and Impala will do.

The first shows the fox gaining entry.

The second shows it exiting with it's meal.

Solution to the Problem

• If you already have a fence and are concerned that a fox will gain entry in this manner then the first check should be to the voltage in the fence. A minimum of 6000 volts is desirable in this situation. It is the number of volts that gives the shock not the number of amps. The higher the voltage reading the greater the slap it will give the target.
• Wrap some strips of bacon around the wires at regular intervals around the fence, about the height of the foxes nose - make it easy for him to access the bait. The tongue is loaded with very sensitive nerve ends and a 6000v shock directed onto the tongue sends a serious message to his brain.
• If you have not erected a fence then look at the taller 145cm (4ft 10inch) Ultimate Chicken Netting that is sufficiently tall enough to prevent foxes jumping over. Even with this net there is no harm in adding some bait to re-enforce the electric fence.

Whilst the issue of foxes learning to evade an electric fence by jumping onto it is not currently widespread, there is nothing to say that they will not learn to do so. A fox is generally considered quite a clever animal so this issue will be monitored.