Will size of a Jersey Giant Roo deter a red fox?

[brummie]

I've read a few times now that the size of jersey giant roosters deters predators, but what predators are we talkiing about here and what is this actually true? I would especially like to know if their size deters red foxes which are usually about a foot and half tall, as that is my main problem here.

 

[Majd]

Ummm... in my opinion and logic... I don't think so... a fox is gonna get even a royal meal of you get that big fat jersey giant....

 

[zazouse]

NO NO NO at the very least the fox will kill it, i know i had a fox try to get my jersey roo a couple months ago, my dogs saved the day but had they not the roo would have been killed, he lost all his tail feathers and almost lost his life.. i love my dogs

 

[bluebirdnanny]

I've read a few times now that the size of jersey giant roosters deters predators, but what predators are we talkiing about here and what is this actually true?  I would especially like to know if their size deters red foxes which are usually about a foot and half tall, as that is my main problem here. 

My opinion: Might make it harder for a small hawk to grab and carry off but still a nice large meal to kill and eat on the spot or rip into smaller pieces to carry off.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

Oh and I have seen a fox take down a fawn!!! They are much larger than a big poultry breed and also have hoofs to fight back with. Didn't help in the end. Was nature on nature so I didn't interfere... now if it was my chicken.....

 

[centrarchid]

When my predators have a range of potential sizes to choose from, they sometimes prefer to go after smaller victims. Some of this may be related to physical abilities of victims where flock flies back to yard to land in trees and on house where dogs are. Younger birds often can not fly well enough. At night great-horned owls for me very consistently go after the smallest victims once they are above quail-size. Foxes also can have trouble killing larger victims outright but once they pick one out they ignore the others until first is dead. Coyotes and dogs are not constrained like the fox and can kill any size very quickly.

Fox may learn from experience what is easily dispatched and packed off. Around here, if fox is to prevail is must subdue and carry off victim before dogs intervene. Even my American Dominique hens are too heavy to carry off if dogs are in pursuit.

 

[brummie]

Well that's not sounding good so far for me.

I don't have any aerial predators or any other land predators except small red urban foxes under 2 foot tall (some of you probably think how fortunate I am). That is the only thing I have to worry about. I have read many times of aggressive roosters fighting off these foxes, but often getting killed also.

I know I can rely on an aggressive/protective RIR to atleast buy me time even though it will probably die against the fox, but surely a good aggressive Jersey Giant would be better simply because of it's size?

Does anyone have any experience with an aggressive/protective Jersey giant older than 9 months against red foxes? Surely they cannot be easy prey for such a small fox?

I already have 6 foot fences all the way around my yard but I've seen a fox get over it at dawn. I can't have electric wire all around my neighbours fences, I can't have the tops of the fences pointed out into my neighbours garden to stop fox climbing over fence, I don't have dogs, I can't raise fence any more, and I don't want my chickens cooped up all day. I'm thinking the best thing is to get a good aggressive rooster, at the very least it will buy time. And the bigger it is surely the better?

And i don't know much about fawns but surely they are not as good fighters as a good rooster, even though they are bigger?

 

[Suzie]

A fox here will kill a calf if the cow cannot protect it... recently a herd of cows here tried their utmost to protect a young calf from a fox... they were successful on that occasion... the farmer stood and watched the attempted attack... he did not have a shotgun with him, or he would have despatched the fox.

Foxes here will kill a fully grown deer and take some of the carcass away with them. One of my geese was killed by a fox.. he was trying to protect the younger geese at the time... a hungry fox will attempt to kill anything...especially in the Spring when they have cubs to feed.

I guess it will be something that you will only ever know if you do use a Jersey Giant to try and protect your flock...some Roosters are more aggressive than others and will protect with their lives..some of mine just hide when a predator is around.

 

[centrarchid]

A fox here will kill a calf if the cow cannot protect it... recently a herd of cows here tried their utmost to protect a young calf from a fox... they were successful on that occasion... the farmer stood and watched the attempted attack... he did not have a shotgun with him, or he would have despatched the fox.

Foxes here will kill a fully grown deer and take some of the carcass away with them. One of my geese was killed by a fox.. he was trying to protect the younger geese at the time... a hungry fox will attempt to kill anything...especially in the Spring when they have cubs to feed.

I guess it will be something that you will only ever know if you do use a Jersey Giant to try and protect your flock...some Roosters are more aggressive than others and will protect with their lives..some of mine just hide when a predator is around.

What species of fox and what species of deer are involved. Much of what is described is way outside of what a 15 lb red fox would even try to do as such would be suicide.

 

[zazouse]

What species of fox and what species of deer are involved. Much of what is described is way outside of what a 15 lb red fox would even try to do as such would be suicide.

I agree, the red fox here can barely carry off a rabbit, i just can't wrap my mind around the statement made about killing a deer and killing a calf has me scratching my head for sure and all the farmer had to do was holler , that fox would have left on his own accord unless it is a pet.

I got chased in the parking lot of a local grocery store one rainy night by a hudge rat, it was chasing everyone that walked by, i was so thinking it was a seen out of the movie williard, that rat had to have been rabbid it was some scarry stuff perhaps the foxes were also.