Alternatives to Bullets

Catnip5 said:

Hi All! It's been weeks since I started this thread in response to dealing with a local fox. I was dead set against fencing when I purchased my chicks... I was all about the idyllic free-ranging lifestyle and figured I'd take my chances if and when a predator showed up. Ha, how naive I was. It didn't take long for local and hungry fox to show up. First one I lost I had no clue what had happened -just a small batch of feathers and I had been home and never heard a thing. Second time was a week later a fox jumped out of the surrounding woods and nabbed one of my girls not 30 feet away from where I was standing chatting with my neighbor. Then I knew what happened to the first girl. Then I tried trapping (only caught baby skunks), scarecrows (decorative, sort of), sonic alarms (cat walks right by them, lol) and wolf urine (complete waste of $$$)...lost my last girl foolishly thinking the wolf urine had worked as I had a full day of free-ranging with no sighting only to lose my third the following day. That was the end of my attempt to live with free-ranging risks. After starting the thread and engaging in a whole lot of lively debate I went with what every species could live with - human, fox, chickens and other predators and bought the premier1 perma-net electric fencing. Went all out with 300 feet and since I turned that fence on I haven't had a single issue with said fox. The first few nights the skunks bumped into it but quickly learned and moved on to other venues. I've never seen the fox again - I suspect he/she got bitten a few times and that was that. I have total peace of mind with the fencing and the girls can semi-free range in peace. It's not the entire yard but they've got the favorite spots within the fenced perimeter. Going with the green fence was the best choice as it blends into the surrounding so visually it isn't disruptive or intrusive at all. I've still got the sonic sensors (useless), the nighttime preditor lights (no harm done - always seemed to do the trick at night around the coop) and all that wolf urine is likely still out in the woods (complete waste of money) but nothing gave me peace of mind but that fence. Happy I went with fencing instead of a run though I'm not sure what to expect with winter in Maine. I will likely take down the majority of the fence and just keep a small section to act as a protected run. The remaining 12 girls, from my original 15, will be 19 weeks old tomorrow and I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of the first egg any day I hope. Can't help but wonder what Mae, Barbara & Lana would have looked like now that the other girls are nearly grown. Hard lessons learned indeed. Would still welcome the fox outside the fence - it was a beautiful creature. Really enjoyed the lively debate and learned several lessons along the way. Peaceful co-existance is a much happier way to live...PEACE OUT!

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Catnip5 said:

I'm prepared to lose a chicken now and again but not two in a week with a fox that clearly has decided to settle nearby.

Trapping > It is NOT illegal to trap and relocate as I've already checked with the game warden on that count and there are plenty of woods with no human inhabitants (and therefore no chickens) so relocation seems to me to be far more humane than outright slaughter. Yes, it will encroach on other animals territories but they are smart enough to survive and at least I'd be giving it a chance to do so instead of slaughtering it. Seriously we are a pretty weak species if all we can do to outfox a fox is to slaughter it - and the threads on drowing and shooting skunks, raccoons and all other manner of creatures is seriously disheartening. If that's what chicken keeping requires I guess I'll be done with it before I even start. A depressing enclosed run may be the only solution I guess - and I've yet to see any that inspire me.

Night eyes work great btw - if only they had something equally effective during the day. I bought sonic repellents and the fox walked right by it. Worthless.

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chickfused said:

I am having fox problems. I intend to eventually develop a line of predator aware free rangers, but it's rapidly getting all of my starter stock. So, for a bit, I have to hold it off until I have enough birds to withstand the predation.

I bought some of the Premier 1 Electric poultry netting and an Intellishock 60 charger. The perimeter of my fencing registers 6-9kv on the meter. I can touch and hold it and it feels like no more than the static shock I get when petting my dog on a dry day. I don't get any proximity shocking at all, must be touching with bare skin.

This can't possibly deter a fox or coyote through fur? Is something wrong with my setup?

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