The most effective control is the fence. Its not always practical though. I'm guessing (seeing as the thread is in the allotments section) that this is an allotment we're protecting?
If so, it should be easy enough to keep them out, but the fence has to be right.
Chicken wire is not the most humane control, as the wholes tend to be just big enough for a rabbit to get its head stuck in. You can get rabbit mesh which is just chicken mesh but with smaller holes.
The bottom of the mesh has to be buried. I think the official advice is 9 inches deep, but if that's not practical, another option is to fold the bottom foot or so out over and then bury that, so that when the rabbit reaches the foot of the fence, it goes to dig under, can't (because you've folded the mesh out for a few inches and then buried it) the rabbit gives up.
Don't forget your gate. They can easily get under most gates, so you'd need to bury some mesh under the 'doorstep' too and ensure there are no gaps that a rabbit can fit through (wild rabbits are mostly fur and teeth, so they can fit through much smaller gaps than you might think.
Rabbits are creatures of habit. They make little paths and usually stick close to them. You can spot them easy enough in grassy areas, just look for the 6 inch wide grazed path with rabbit poo on it at intervals. If any such path goes anywhere near your boundary, fortify that part of your fence extra well.
They are also lazy. If there is a more accessible source of food for them, they will take it. That doesn't mean grass. They'll eat grass, but they'd rather destroy your crops, or someone else's. If you make your patch better protected than your neighbour's, the furry demons will ignore your patch and go and see your neighbour instead.
I don't think there's a magic bullet with rabbits. Lots of little steps are needed I think. I've been fighting them for about 4 years now. I've made a lot of progress, but they still get in.
If so, it should be easy enough to keep them out, but the fence has to be right.
Chicken wire is not the most humane control, as the wholes tend to be just big enough for a rabbit to get its head stuck in. You can get rabbit mesh which is just chicken mesh but with smaller holes.
The bottom of the mesh has to be buried. I think the official advice is 9 inches deep, but if that's not practical, another option is to fold the bottom foot or so out over and then bury that, so that when the rabbit reaches the foot of the fence, it goes to dig under, can't (because you've folded the mesh out for a few inches and then buried it) the rabbit gives up.
Don't forget your gate. They can easily get under most gates, so you'd need to bury some mesh under the 'doorstep' too and ensure there are no gaps that a rabbit can fit through (wild rabbits are mostly fur and teeth, so they can fit through much smaller gaps than you might think.
Rabbits are creatures of habit. They make little paths and usually stick close to them. You can spot them easy enough in grassy areas, just look for the 6 inch wide grazed path with rabbit poo on it at intervals. If any such path goes anywhere near your boundary, fortify that part of your fence extra well.
They are also lazy. If there is a more accessible source of food for them, they will take it. That doesn't mean grass. They'll eat grass, but they'd rather destroy your crops, or someone else's. If you make your patch better protected than your neighbour's, the furry demons will ignore your patch and go and see your neighbour instead.
I don't think there's a magic bullet with rabbits. Lots of little steps are needed I think. I've been fighting them for about 4 years now. I've made a lot of progress, but they still get in.
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