Missing chicken during daylight. Only feathers left

[katie_94]

You have to get a large fox trap to trap a fox. I've been putting mine up next to the covered run where I've occasionally seen digging. No fox yet, but I trapped a racoon, possum, and chicken (who escaped from the run - we got her put back fine).

This fox may eventually give up, but no telling when more predators will come check things out. I'd keep them penned for at least 2 weeks or more. I don't know your setup so can't say for sure, but you may need a really good apron to discourage digging.

We have 8 girls now in a run attached to a coop that has beams that go a foot into the ground, hardware cloth covering all around, and hardware cloth aprons with stakes. The run is also covered all around with plastic sheeting 3ft tall to prevent draft during this winter (where I live it gets at least 40 F). The doors of the coop and run have locks.

I can try 2 weeks but I can't say for sure if the girls will tolerate it and be quiet. I can't also control if my family decides to let them out when I'm not home. In the meantime, I've covered up the opening as best as I could with more cement blocks and sand bags from the hurricane.

 

[katie_94]

The neighbors who I rang the bell yesterday and left a note taped to their front door now have their car gone from their driveway as well as the note so I can assume they ignored me. Their bell also had a camera so they probably saw my tear stained face and thought I was crazy.

I am so sad I'll never be able to get more closure as to her feathers being stuck to the opening and some of it in their yard.

 

[chickfused]

Fox will almost never get trapped by a live trap. The hole traps with paw clamps are the only way to reliably get them. This is hard to manage if you have cats or dogs. Hunting and shooting is the best option.

The only exception to this is to put the trap IN with the chickens by opening a secure space into the coop. Predators can't freakin' stand it, and will go in there eventually.

Foxes will move on if their food supply dries up. It takes about 2-3 weeks. And it'll come back in a few weeks again when it decides to come by to check and see if the food source has returned to a favored location. They can live up to 15 years, so not sure if this is the long term solution you're looking for.

 

[katie_94]

Fox will almost never get trapped by a live trap. The hole traps with paw clamps are the only way to reliably get them. This is hard to manage if you have cats or dogs. Hunting and shooting is the best option.

The only exception to this is to put the trap IN with the chickens by opening a secure space into the coop. Predators can't freakin' stand it, and will go in there eventually.

Foxes will move on if their food supply dries up. It takes about 2-3 weeks. And it'll come back in a few weeks again when it decides to come by to check and see if the food source has returned to a favored location. They can live up to 15 years, so not sure if this is the long term solution you're looking for.

I have to check with my state's laws about any of that and considering I live in a residential area.

How tall can fox climb?

Will a 6 ft wood fence with hardware cloth apron work? The "fence" with opening that I suspected it came through was made of 4ft green wire fencing roll that my dad put up.

 

[chickfused]

Fox can and do climb, but it's rare. It's possible you have a bobcat if the predator climbed.

You shouldn't need to check on any state laws for the "live trap in the coop" trick. You just have to build a secure "box", a sort of sleeve, to slide the trap into with the opening on the outside, so that the predator can go into the trap and see, hear, smell chickens but never get to them (they are both in the trap which is then itself enclosed in the secure sleeve - build a frame and hardware cloth it to make the sleeve. You don't even have to bait the things that way, since your live chickens are the bait.

 

[Candy2dog]

It's lightly raining and noon when I heard a thud and the hens screaming. I go outside and I see two piles of feathers, some feathers on the barrel (which I assume was the thud sound I heard), and a trail of feathers that stop in the middle of the yard. Just my luck, it starts pouring and I can't tell if there was blood or any blood at all. I go further into my yard and I see feathers stuck to a small opening between my fence and the neighbor's (that I've asked my dad to close up since he doesn't let me tough his power tools and I just cover it with a cement slab and wood that gets knocked over occasionally) but I don't see her from what visibility I have. The neighbors are either not home or ignoring their bell but I left a note asking if I can check their backyard.

I'm alone at home, it's pouring, I'm overwhelmed and just cried my eyes out as this as never happened before. The girls' run and coop are super well protected and I let them roam around my fenced backyard during the day. I have no idea if something killed her or she ran thru the small opening and is scared and/or injured. She's a large adult, easter egg girl. I literally saw her this morning when I gave her treats.

I've drove around but I can't find her. I know there's not much help that can be done here but I am so distraught. I live in northeast FL next to the coast and next to a vacant lot as there are more houses here than forest. I just left a voicemail asking our state wildlife commission if there's foxes in my specific area to get some closure. These chickens are my pets and I'm so attached to them as they help me cope with my autism this is hurting my heart.

That's sad... there are raccoons, hawks and owls that leave just feathers. Yes, owls in the day light, especially durning a dark gloomy day. As was sad previously, chickens are easy prey and whatever was there, WILL come back. When I lived in Washington State, I had Bobcats, getting into our chicken pen, by bouncing off the tree that was very close to the fence. Your best bet is to keep your flock fenced and put some sort of over head protection they can get under. We have little "huts" I call them, and my chickens to us them when they get frighten, but now we have two dogs that do the work for me.
RIght now, they are taking a break! Too hot for them to stay in long