Alternatives to Bullets

[MsDejesus1]

I am so sorry for what your gong through and I hope you can find a solution that both keeps your chickens safe and that you can live with.

I read your post earlier and while browsing just now saw some really nice pics of a coop that made me think of you and your post. I know you would like something that looks beautiful.

 

[slingshotandLAR]

Rash statement - no it decidedly not ok - I don't want anyone shooting the fox including the trooper. That's his intent not mine as it came to my attention that he has also lost a couple of chickens. I simply want him off my property. I'd prefer he just moved along to another buffet. Actually I'd be very saddened if someone slaughtered the poor thing but seems to be the easy way out for the vast majority of people...fox or people if you watch the news. Fox is only doing what foxes do...and it is a beautiful fox. Hadn't seen one in years here but it didn't take long for him to find my chickens. So much for an idyllic free-range life by the sea.
My senses are very much intact thanks. I'm also not judging - you have to live with your own concience when it comes to co-existing or not without her species. I'm a vegetarian, 35 years, but if you eat meat that's your call. Same with dealing with predators.
No I think electric fencing or a run will be the only solution for me but it's been a fascinating discussion.

I enjoy a good healthy debate so let's get back to it.....

Although I can't see any part of my state my as rash, I certainly think the last part of your above statement is rash.

Just so we are clear, it's ok for a fox to be a fox just so long as it's not being a fox that kills your chickens? So let's say you catch said fox and relocate it, it than starts using my chickens as its food source. That's ok because you don't have to deal with it anymore? You would purposely put other people's livestock in danger and that keeps your conscience clear??

Now let's address the fox.... The fox is not just being a fox and that's a problem. A normal fox will avoid people at all costs, not kill a chicken in broad daylight mere feet from where your standing. What happens when the fox who's just being a fox decides the next thing on the menu is you cat?




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[123RedBeard]

At least she is considering locking them up now ... And maybe even getting electric fencing ... ???

 

[centrarchid]

Catnip is not being rash, rather steadfast in finding alternative to killing. So leave it be.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Poultry netting as suggested by egghead is approach I use in part. Difference for me is solar charger. Three strands of well placed hotwire can also direct fox elsewhere although birds will not respect it and get out where they are vulnerable. I also employ chicken tractors that birds can be released from with supervision and rifle when needed. Most of time I have dogs that repel fox and they only occasionally actually catch fox. Wolf urine may work with coyotes but not likely effective against foxes.

Some day I'll get a solar charger for the marine battery. The thought has been electricity is going out to the barn so I got the AC/DC fence charger for option of electric supply. That thought of electric to the barn has been going on for well over 5 years now so thought ahead with the dual charger. The cool thing about a solar charger is if I can get my bee population back up after the bear attacks I can put up a medium duty fence and run poly wire around it.

If nobodies seen the devastation bear can do it's quite a site to behold. Solid polymer comb frames ripped in two and what looks like simply pulling lightly on the 14 ga. welded wire on the grow out pen to test the pen's durability it cracked the framing. And don't get me started on how it chewed up my thorny gooseberry bushes. I guess they were ripe, I was thinking they needed another week but you can't argue with a bears sense of smell. Hopefully it's not too late to shock train the bear here.

 

[slingshotandLAR]

Catnip is not being rash, rather steadfast in finding alternative to killing. So leave it be.

Untrue....

I'm not arguing just discussing, and she has contradicted herself multiple times during this thread.

You can't say I refuse any electric, or killing. Than in the next breath say it would be good if my neighbor killed it for me ,without drawing questions.

Further more she stated she's against killing but it's ok to move the fox on to another "buffet" which includes other livestock. So is she against killing or just against killing of her own chickens? It's ok for the fox to kill chickens as long as they don't belong to her?....

These are the questions this thread has created, that's all they are questions. Not attacks. Seems to me we were having a perfectly healthy debate

 

[Catnip5]

Undoubtedly this fox has a den nearby given the 3 trips a day, morning, noon and evening that I've seen him in my yard. Yup, it's either enclosed secure run or electric fencing. Dogs are out for me as they couldn't stay out all day here unattended and the road is a hazard. Unfortunately being enclosed is going to be the only way they can stay safe. Free ranging is unfortunately proving too dangerous, even under direct supervision. Hadn't seen a fox in 3 years here...now he/she is here every 3 hours.
Electric fencing seems complicated...need to study up. They'd get more room with an electric fence though...I'll search through the forum and see what the options are. Is it something a single gal can install I wonder? Thanks for the feedback - and yes, headless chickens are disturbingly awful. Poor dear Lana...

 

[Catnip5]

Good points, all! Yes, the chickens probably don't give a chicken butt whether it's aesthetically pleasing or not, lol. Totally me...but my property is by the sea, unobstructed by fencing and enclosures etc. ...just lovely trees, forest, gardens and ocean. I'm sure with enough imagination I can come up with something enclosed or an electric fence that doesn't look horrible and "blends in" at least a little. Here's hoping! I'm not prepared to just replace my girls every few weeks or months...amazing how attached I got to them so quickly! Born 5/18, 15 last week, now 12 :-(

 

[Catnip5]

Thanks for sharing - aesthetically very nice indeed! Going to research options...I'm sure it can be done with some effort and creativity! Thanks again!

 

[torilovessmiles]

Undoubtedly this fox has a den nearby given the 3 trips a day, morning, noon and evening that I've seen him in my yard. Yup, it's either enclosed secure run or electric fencing. Dogs are out for me as they couldn't stay out all day here unattended and the road is a hazard. Unfortunately being enclosed is going to be the only way they can stay safe. Free ranging is unfortunately proving too dangerous, even under direct supervision. Hadn't seen a fox in 3 years here...now he/she is here every 3 hours.
Electric fencing seems complicated...need to study up. They'd get more room with an electric fence though...I'll search through the forum and see what the options are. Is it something a single gal can install I wonder? Thanks for the feedback - and yes, headless chickens are disturbingly awful. Poor dear Lana...

Sorry about your dear Lana

Electric fencing isn't as complicated as it seems. As long as the circuit is complete, it will shock. A little studying and you could do it by yourself but if you could get someone to help you out it would be easier and go a lot faster! I believe there are even kits that come with instructions, not sure where to find one though!
If at all possible, a rooster might help out, too. It wouldn't be good enough to protect them in free-ranging, but it may be an additional deterrent to the electric fence if the fox tries to get through it. Also, if you take a big loss, it's easier and cheaper to replace them by hatching out your own eggs. But I know a rooster isn't an option for everyone