Keeping Chickens Free Range

[katatonic123]

Yay @TX2CA! Now you'll get the stink eye every time they see you and you don't let them out. Lol

 

[duluthralphie]

We did it! The girls LOVED their first time exploring the yard and my husband saw it wasn't so bad lol. Thanks to all who gave me the great advice

So glad you gave it a try. Even with the risks, to me, free ranging is worth it.

 

[Debby27]

Well....fox got another one of my girls! Bit and tore out all the tail feathers of another....and one ran off into the woods and can't find her! I cleaned up the one that is left, she's got quite a few slices on her side and maybe a puncture hard to tell, I put antibiotic ointment on it and she's back in the coop.......I am just so ******!!! I have sat out on the deck steps for the last 3hrs calling and waiting either for the girls or that **** fox to show up, shotgun across my lap!!!

 

[numzldr]

I hate when that happens. Good luck with the injured bird. I've found that .223 hp is better for fox.

 

[gander007]

Well....fox got another one of my girls! Bit and tore out all the tail feathers of another....and one ran off into the woods and can't find her! I cleaned up the one that is left, she's got quite a few slices on her side and maybe a puncture hard to tell, I put antibiotic ointment on it and she's back in the coop.......I am just so ******!!! I have sat out on the deck steps for the last 3hrs calling and waiting either for the girls or that **** fox to show up, shotgun across my lap!!!

Fox adore little pieces of bacon lay'ed out on your firing range

 

[Debby27]

I hate when that happens. Good luck with the injured bird. I've found that .223 hp is better for fox.

thanks....yeah well all I had access to was the shotgun, BF will make sure we have better firepower for future fox hunting!

 

[Debby27]

Fox adore little pieces of bacon lay'ed out on your firing range

Well when this happened in April of this year and we lost 2, we tried sardines but they weren't interested, the cats were, but not the fox! So we might just try this. We aren't sure if this the same fox from April or another set that has moved in. We "blew" the den apart from April and think these are denning somewhere behind our garage. While we are not total rural country around here, it's still rural enough for quite a few fox & raccoons...we are surrounded by woods and I heard them late yesterday yipping (********!). I went to check it out and smelled a very heavy musky/uriny smell about 100yds into the woods....so we'll see what happens today, we are going into the woods to find this den and blow it apart as well.

 

[gander007]

Quote:
Cooking the bacon the odor fills the air so best to do on a calm day and this will draw the fox in and when ya drain the bacon grease in to a can and then sprinkle it around the yard where you would like to catch the fox and wait if you see the fox moving around just brake the bacon into small pieces and put the pieces in the best spot for you to get him or her and wait the fox will grab the bacon and leave so about the seconded or third piece the fox will become comfortable and this is the time to take the fox ......

Happy defense of your live stock ..

Sardines are good but ya need a strong odor in the air to really attract a fox on your time ....

 

[numzldr]

I hear ya. About a month ago I lost 11 pullets overnite. I had just bought them that evening and had them seperated from my flock just to make sure they were healthy. Well something,I think a whole family of somethings, used a clematis vine to climb over a 6'fence onto the roof of a broiler house I have in there. Then they act like a gymnast and twist over a4" overhang into a 6" eave vent and carried 11 4-5 month old pullets up the 4' side n back out. I'm out $55 n all I found was some bloody feathers.
I don't believe in the philosophy of "Alternatives to Bullets" for predators like that. I don't hunt the rabbits,squirrels,or mice that is their historic diet so they don't hunt my birds without consequences. So far I've removed permanently 3 coons and a female fox. There is another young fox trying to have chikin for dinner but I've not been able to catch him in the sights.

 

[Mrs. K]

Ugh! I hate that... just starting to build a second coop. Just yesterday thought "Do I really need it enclosed over the top?" Sorry that your bad news is reinforcing, that YES I do!