Fox problem

[two j farm]

Every year around this time I have a few chicken come up missing to a fox. Just a few hours ago I lost my first chicken of the year to a fox. I did lock all the chickens up and will keep them locked up for now. I haven't had a fox in the coop yet and don't want it to happen. Do motion sensored lights help keep them away a night? I have to work tonight and thought about getting a few to put up in the morning if it will help. I do have 3 chicken friendly dogs that do a good job at keeping them out of the yard, but my coop is right next to the wood line. Any help would be great.

 

[Criticalicious]

Have you seen this thread with similar thoughts? Can you install electric fence? And/or move the coop away from the woods line? Predators feel less comfortable crossing out in the open. How secure is the coop itself? The fox will stop coming if it stops getting free food.

 

[azygous]

About the only predator that is affected by lights suddenly coming on is the human kind. I've watched raccoons and foxes and bears behave totally unconcerned and unaffected by light, including a strong flashlight beam right in the eyes. "Pffft!" they say. "Go ahead and light up the joint, so much easier to see what we're doing!"

The only real deterrent to predators is an electric hot wire. And to be sure a thick fur-coated predator is made "aware" of it, I place some peanut butter on the wire to invite some "interaction". For predators in the cat family that aren't suckers for peanut butter, I will encase a piece of mackerel in a little cage of chicken wire and wire it to the hot wire (while it's shut down.)

The mackerel worked just splendidly this past fall when a bobcat got a hen and returned for another. It hasn't returned since it got a "taste" of the electrified fish. (10,000 volt fish.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

You could always try trapping it too. I use the live trap method and make a little den next to the coop making it look like it’s an opening. I dip the trap in trap wax beforehand to remove scent and place bloody chicken meat inside to entice the fox. Cover with brush and branches. Not guaranteed to catch that specific animal but will get something. Removing a predator from the area opens up the area for another one to move in.

 

[Gamefowl22]

You could always try trapping it too. I use the live trap method and make a little den next to the coop making it look like it’s an opening. I dip the trap in trap wax beforehand to remove scent and place bloody chicken meat inside to entice the fox. Cover with brush and branches. Not guaranteed to catch that specific animal but will get something. Removing a predator from the area opens up the area for another one to move in.

What do you mean by trap wax? Do you have any pictures of how you set up your live traps for trapping various animals. I’m just trying to picture what youre saying.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

What do you mean by trap wax? Do you have any pictures of how you set up your live traps for trapping various animals. I’m just trying to picture what youre saying.

Trap wax
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K6LH5Y2/?tag=backy-20

I have no pictures right now since I’m not trapping by my coop but in the surrounding woods. The gist of it is to have the door to the havaheart trap facing out, cover the top with branches and brush to make it look enclosed.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Like this. Just camouflage the trap.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

... I dip the trap in trap wax beforehand ..

You're waxing a cage style live trap?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

You're waxing a cage style live trap?

I do. I dip the entire thing.

 

[two j farm]

Thanks everyone. I do have live traps, but never had any luck with getting a fox to go in. I can't move the coop because anywhere I would move it to would have a wood line next to it. Where I live is in the backwoods of Louisiana and I have a swamp behind the house. I think I will check on getting a electronic fence. My mama has a electronic fence and she's not having any problems, so that may be the best way to go.