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hello everyone, I'm pleased to say I've got my allotment now and it's looking pretty good (although the back has almost given up the ghost after putting 40 fence posts in at the weekend). I'd love to hear peoples opinions of how high the (rabbit proof) fence should be and how far into the ground it should go, it's next weekends project!!
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I have seen estimates of rabbit warren depth varying from one and a half metres to three metres. I don't think height is an issue if all you are trying to keep out is rabbits but, if you are over or close to a warren then depth might be.
I have no experience with this and perhaps there are others who can bring experience to bear, but the figures I have given seem to be the range for warren depth.
KK -
Hellow GTGG, the normal wire netting to keep rabbits out is four foot high with one inch mesh size. For the youngsters that is 1200mm high, 25mm mesh size.
This will allow three feet of wire above ground, then you need to dig a trench six inches deep and six inches wide facing away from your allotment. You bend the bottom six inches of wire netting so that it sits on the bottom of the trench then staple it to your posts, and wire it to your straining wires if you have these.
The reason for bending the bottom of the wire away from your allotment, is that the rabbits will always try and dig down next to the fence.
The only time i have known a rabbit jump this height was years ago we had a huge Buck rabbit that could jump the fence, but unfortunatley he got his leg caught in the top wire and i didn't find him until it was to late.
Hope this helps a little, even if it is a little unclear.God bless all of us.Comment
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We have had a lot of problems with the little darlings!!!
You need to buy rabbit wire - not chicken wire- and dig a trench at least a foot deep. We then laid the bunny wire in an L shape ontop of a layer of stones/debris/bricks. The L shape pointing outwards.
The rest of the 3 ft height will only just about be enough above ground so long as there are no composts within 6 feet(!) as they can leap across!!!
They can squeeze through a 2" gap ( babies even smaller) so watch out for the sides of gates etc.
Where there are gates- just dig up the first 1" of soil- place a piece of chicken/bunny wire about 2ft x the width of the gate and cover in soil and stones so they can't dig under t.
Even with all that, we get the odd bunny getting in- they can clearly leap higher than 3 ft- and then chew their way out through the wire!!!!
Ain't nature great???
So long as your fencing is better than your neighbours- they may end up taking the easy route! ( although they do prefer to stick to routes passed on from father to son over many generations!!!)
Have fun next weekend!!!!
And welcome to the Vine !Last edited by Nicos; 09-10-2007, 04:32 PM."Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple
Location....Normandy FranceComment
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... and I thought I had problems with moles. How glad am I that there don't seem to be any rabbits around here?
KKComment
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Not seen one yet in Normandy..loads of Buzzards and Kites though....Originally posted by scared55 View Post
I love how every region is so different in it's ability to survive..."Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple
Location....Normandy FranceComment
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As Nicos says, fencing needs to be 12" underground and turned out at an angle too. Alternatively, identify the rabbit runs and then the only wire you need is thin, two ply, about 18" long and called a snare
Rat
British by birth
Scottish by the Grace of God
http://scotsburngarden.blogspot.com/
http://davethegardener.blogspot.com/Comment
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At least 12" underground and as high as you can get it - they jump more than 3 feet up here I can tell you. We've got a 5 foot stone wall all round the garden and they can get over that.
Bed the wire in as best you can with stones and bricks and encourage any surrounding grass to grow in and around the mesh to keep it in place. That works a treat in my field - I don't think I could pull up the wire now if I tried.~
Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
~ Mary Kay AshComment
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For mine I dug a trench the depth and width of a spade, bending teh wire outwards in an L shape. It seems to have worked fine and I've not discovered any digging marks at the edges or sign of damage inside the fence suggesting they've jumped over. If you really are suffereing with lost crops I've read to put a plank inside the fence leaning up and out. This way if a rabbit gets in at least it has an escape route rather than being penned in to do more damage!Comment
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That's cos every man and his dog are out hunting them chaque weekend.Originally posted by scared55 View Post I don't think even the French eat moles?...possibly a dog and a gun then? a more protein rich and enjoyable weekend than digging in wire?
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Just about everyone here (except us) keeps rabbits for the table - we have all the hutches and everything but not the will. No sign of wild rabbits, though.
Hunting season is well under way, but locally they seem to be after wild boar and pheasants. Most of the shooting takes place in fairly dense woodland, so most unlikely to be rabbit or hare.
Personally, if I were inclined to hunt rabbits, I would train up a couple of hawks with ferrets to help them. Sadly, mole galleries are too small for ferrets.
There's a point. There are large numbers of Buzzards locally. What are they feeding on?
KKComment
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I just used to snare them. A regular daily catch kept the numbers down. No problems here: we have foxes and badgers instead!Comment
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Loads of lovely bunnies at the local weekly market in Conde
Very hard to walk past them all....
"Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple
Location....Normandy FranceComment
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Or, in our case, a neighbour with a gun and some spaniels in training.....Originally posted by sewer rat View PostAs Nicos says, fencing needs to be 12" underground and turned out at an angle too. Alternatively, identify the rabbit runs and then the only wire you need is thin, two ply, about 18" long and called a snareComment
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