Under Construction

Rabbit-proof fences (hopefully!)

We have a fairly serious rabbit problem here which is one of the pleasures of living in the country. (There are worse, for example, deer or badgers.) Rabbits will often eat plants that they don’t even like just to make a point (you can tell they don’t like them because after biting bits off, they spit them out!) Fortunately a fairly modest fence deters them (also a small electric fence but that is not very pleasing on the eye!) Two feet high is enough and even as little as eighteen inches seems to work. Theoretically, rabbits could jump over but they don’t seem to bother unless there is plenty of flat landing space to be seen on the other side. Although they may not jump over, a large rabbit may rest its front paws on the top[ of the fence and nibble away at anything within range, so that needs to be born in mind.

Theoretically, they could burrow under a fence but unless the bottom of the fence is on soft earth, in my experience, they don’t bother. Of course, we may have a breed of particularly lazy rabbits here and it is true that we have a lot of grass available which is the rabbits’ preferred dish of the day. Anyway, I tend to edge flower beds with paving bricks which they can’t get past.

One of the culprits, temporarily behind bars and feeling pretty foolish, no doubt! (We released him later.)

The fence is made from mild steel bar. The uprights are 10X10 mm and the tops and bottoms 20X5 mm stuff. Here I am using my lash up cut off disc which comprises a 4 ½ disc cutter mounted on a large strap hinge. You can see a stop G-clamped to the bench to cut consistent lengths of metal. Don’t do as I do by omitting the guard on the cutter! Always wear goggles etc.

 Above, I am bodging pieces together with a MIG welder.

Left, the resulting bodges! This fence is on its side. The 10X10 mm pieces form the uprights as already mentioned.

I cover the fences with chicken wire held on with cable ties. One of the advantages of making your fences 18 inches high is that you can cut the netting in half and cut the cost of this aspect in half.

Left, clean the areas to be joined with a flap disc or similar. Clamp the pieces together with Vice/Mole grips and/or G-clamps.