12 
BULLETIN 1151, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
to construct. The nearest practicable approach to it is one having 
eight sides, a type now being used by some ranchers. The additional 
area inclosed in this type of pen is not its only advantage. The 
principal advantage lies in its widened corners, as this feature 
minimizes the danger that foxes will crawl up the wire. 
Many ranchers have built pens 50 by 25 feet with a partition 
fence midway, making double pens 25 by 25. The advantage claimed 
for this is that the adults can be separated during the period of 
pregnancy and while the pups are very young. When the parents 
and young are kept together, the pups can be fed in one pen and the 
old foxes in the other. 
CHUTES. 
Small chutes constructed between pens permit the foxes to be 
transferred from one to the other. These should be not less than 
10 inches high and 9 inches wide to 
allow the fox to crawl through with- 
out rubbing the pelt and injuring or 
pulling out the guard hairs. It is not 
advisable to allow the chute to remain 
open, especially during the season 
when the foxes are growing their new 
coats, as constant running and jump- 
ing through the chute wears the pelt. 
Chutes can be closed by the use of a 
slot and sliding door (Fig. 9). If 
the distance between pen walls is not 
great, one sliding door can be con- 
structed in the middle of the 
chute. 
A double pen construction assists in 
keeping the pens clean and sanitary, 
for after the foxes have occupied one 
for some time, say four months, they 
^U^^a^'"^" can *» amoved to the neighboring 
closed from either end by insert- pell and the old One tllOrOUgill} 7 
cleaned. 
1— &<—■ » 
t 
[ 
ing door in slot. 
PEN WALLS. 
The height of the pen wall may be 8, 9, or 10 feet. This is de- 
termined largely by the snowfall in the locality. As a rule, in the 
United States a wall 9 feet high is sufficient, and one 8 feet high will 
answer very well in some sections unless deep snowdrifts are likely 
to occur. 
The walls should be sunk into the ground 2 feet, while at the top 
18 inches or 2 feet should be allowed for an inward overhang to 
prevent the animals from escaping. A strip of carpet wire some- 
times extends on the surface of the ground inward from the wall 
2 or 3 feet to prevent the foxes from digging out, as illustrated in 
Figure 10. The sunken part may be turned in 1 foot or more and 
flat stones laid at the end to prevent escape by digging. This 
arrangement affords sufficient security, for experience has shown that 
foxes try to escape by digging at the edge of the wire only. Where 
