A fox is attacking my chickens!

[the pampered egg]

I need help in trying to keep a fox off my property. It attacked 5 hens, taking 3 of them. I heard that urine from men will help keep them away. I free range my chickens on my 16 acres. They usually stay right around the house and don't stray too far. The fox is hiding out in the tall grass near my coop. If I had a brush hog I would mow it down to keep the fox at bay. Is there anything that I can put out there that they don't like and make them stay away?

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

It doesn't have to be "man' urine, although it's easier to put out.

I'm a firm believer in a Nite Guard. A red flashing light at night that looks like the reflection of a predators eye. I've been useing one over 2 years, & haven't lost a bird since. They work!!!

 

[sourland]

Now that the fox has located your flock, it is him or them. If you continue to free range them, he will catch all of them. You need to kill the fox or keep your chickens penned up. Sorry!

 

[ShrekDawg]

sorry but now that he has discovered your flock, i agree that you now need to do something with him or keep the birds penned up since he now knows where a free meal is... sorry

 

[33yardbirds]

The only way to stop the fox is lead poisoning, it happens on my place wether they are after the birds or not. Big varmits make little varmits and I hates varmits!

 

[500592]

you can find a have a heart trap you catch him and get rid of good luck

 

[MandyH]

A fox is hard to catch in a live trap although I have done it once. That particular fox was slick and I never could a clean shot.

 

[500592]

it is not that hard if you sterilize it before and make sure it doesnt have human odor on it

 

[nc_mudder]

I agree with the others, you either have to remove the fox or remove its easy access to its food source (your chickens). I don't believe you need to kill the fox though, you can trap them with a live trap, if you have a chicken it killed the night before you can bait the trap with that, or the blood from an animal (any animal) can be used as bait, or bee wax with honey can be used because foxes espically love the sweet taste of honey, if its trapped you may want to call animal control to take and release it or just do it youself, but remember foxes are rabies vector animals so be careful not to get nipped while moving it. Good luck!!

 

[sourland]

I don't understand how everyone else catches red fox in live traps. I'm 69 years old and have been trapping since I was 11 or 12, and I have only ever caught 4 red fox in live traps. Three juveniles and one starving dog fox with a broken jaw. With legholds and snares I am quite successful. How many do others catch in live traps each year?