You got snares that aren’t set just like I’ve had traps stored when I’ve lost something. Had they been set I could have caught the fox before he got anything. There’s always more you can do. Me too.
You could keep them alive just fine. Raccoons, possums hawks and owls aren’t a problem. Foxes and coyotes are the issue. As long as you pay close attention to any fox activity around your property you can keep them alive just fine. If you don’t well they’ll take them all. Lol
MB 450s/550s and 1/16 snares will get the job done nicely. 5/64 snares for coyote.
Neck snared coyote and foxes will be dead. Coyotes and raccoons can and will chew out of of a body catch with a 1/16 snare though. The 1/16 snares are incredibly fast and blend in ridiculously well. I’ve actually caught my self once. Stepped right through the damn loop and fell flat on my face.
.. and want to scorch the earth a bit... 
...
Every bird I have except for a handful have spent roughly 6 months totally free range, most hens have spent much longer. So it can be done regardless of what everyone thinks. I kinda like trapping though so my views may be skewed a bit.I don’t have reds around here... and don’t see grays or signs of grays right close... but them and bobcats are certainly here always.
Coyotes get close to the house at night once in a while ... but I’d be really surprised to ever see one in the yard here... they’re numbers are kept pretty low.
I’ve got all the hardware I’ll ever need....although I could always be talked into more MB’s ... I set one the 450s the other day and even though I still like the night latch on the 550 better I like the size of 450
I think I have too many projects going at the moment... and I have a hen raising 11 chicks right now....
I think if I were going to do it I’d get chicks and start them out under a broody... probably should have done it this year...
Who knows I might get a wild hair and do it yet...
In thinking about this I started to realize I get my feelings hurt when a critter gets my birds
Probably goes back to a long time ago when I had some dogs kill some birds and when I found them one dog was gnawing on my bourbon red turkey and it was still alive... that was an ugly thing to walk up on...but things got uglier right quick
I’ll have to think about it more I guess... but sounds like they’d have a pretty good chance
I’ll turn them loose real soon so I’ll prove it can be done.
I lost a couple birds to a fox. I didn’t have traps set like I should have since I was too busy fishing. I can and will keep every bird alive free range. I’ve done it year after year. I have plenty of birds and I don’t lose them to raccoons or hawks like some.
