Are there anyways to deter foxes?

[roosterhavoc]

Foxes have fairly large home ranges. Relocating a fox within a few miles won’t solve any problems but it will make it worse. This is assuming you could catch it unharmed in the first place. By going further away you run into legal issues.

 

[BDutch]

Dont forget that deterring foxes with a dog is a risk. Many dogs hunt chickens just as wel as foxes. Dogs jump and dig too.

Very few dogs can be trusted around chickens.

Text with the picture from https://www.natuurpunt.be/pagina/bescherm-je-kippen-tegen-de-vos
Getting started

1. Tighten a sturdy iron mesh on the outside of the posts - 1.45 mm thick - mesh size max. 3 x 3 cm
2. Make your fence at least 180 cm high so that the fox cannot jump over it.
3. Fold the top 40 cm in a 30° angle outwards or
4. Provided two electric wires on the outside: bottom at 20 cm height and top at 160 cm or
5. Span the entire run with a sturdy net or (even better) with the same mesh as the fence
6. Place a row of heavy tiles min. 40 cm wide on the outside of the run so that the fox cannot dig under the wire or
7. Dig the mesh 50 cm deep at a 45° angle outwards or straight into the ground.

Other tips

• Light up the part where your chickens are staying
• Keep a dog in your yard (fox is very afraid of dogs)
• If you don't want a loft or run, you can also release your animals completely so that they have more flight options.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Very few dogs can be trusted around chickens.

Respectfully, I don’t agree with that.

I would agree with the statement if it was worded more like “remember some dogs can’t be trusted around chickens.”

Dogs have been raised around chickens for thousands of years.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Chicken coops & pens...predator proof even if digging is attempted
Chickens only free range when I'm outside too.

 

[BDutch]

Respectfully, I don’t agree with that.

I would agree with the statement if it was worded more like “remember some dogs can’t be trusted around chickens.”

Dogs have been raised around chickens for thousands of years.

My experience with neighbour dogs. And also from reading.
Translated from thedogpen.nl:

Dog and chicken
By nature, dogs and chickens are not species that live together in harmony. After all, chickens are flight animals and prey animals. This means that they are eaten by many other animal species. Chickens will do anything to avoid being eaten. Such as fluttering, running, making noise. For most dogs, that makes the chickens all the more interesting.

Every dog is different
There are dogs that are very suitable for keeping their own animals safe and protecting them from intruders. In theory, these dogs can also work very well with a bunch of chickens and protect the chickens and not attack them. But there are also more than enough dogs with hunting instincts. No matter how sweet your dog is. A chicken remains a prey animal and interesting for a dog with a hunting instinct.

 

[Folly's place]

Many dogs can be trained to leave your chickens alone, but the key is TRAINING! And dogs are far and away the most expensive and time consuming protectors you can have; time training, food, health care, and repeat. Also more fencing necessary to keep your dogs at home.
Meanwhile, electric fencing and safe coops and runs go up faster and cost less.
Mary

 

[Red Mangrove]

No matter how sweet your dog is. A chicken remains a prey animal and interesting for a dog with a hunting instinct.

I have 3 cats and 2 dogs that live around my chickens 24/7 with zero danger to my chickens. The process to set this up was very simple: bring the animals here as babies and have them grow up around the chickens

I wouldn't attempt this with various breeds of dog, but it seems to work perfectly in all breeds that lack an overwhelming high prey drive

Any dog not raised around chickens will see them as toys and food, however when they start living with them full time at 6 or 8 weeks of age they simply become a natural part of the environment

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Even dogs with strong prey drives can live fine around chickens. I’ve had many high-prey drive dogs with them 24-7. I have 2 with them now. I have no concern about coming home from work and finding where they’ve caught a chicken.

I have observed that most hunting or catch dogs go through a phase about 6 months old where they want to chase chickens and can’t easily be broken of it until they outgrow it. Once past that stage, they’ll be trustworthy around chickens the rest of their lives.

Dogs are good at learning what animals are a part of the farm, and are therefore “theirs,” and which don’t belong. For example, a farm dog that kills all stray cats on sight may be affectionate towards the farm cat. The farm cat “belongs” there, the feral cats do not.

 

[TexasBlues]

I did simple things like feed my dogs right in front of the brooder so the chicks and dog can get close to each other with out actually touching. The dogs associated the chicks presence with a positive experience (food). I have a 10 year old and 2 year old dog and they were surprisingly easy to get them to know not to bother the chicks. If they got too close in the beginning I would just give them an uh-uh and they got the point. Dogs are smart, people just need to know how to communicate with them in a way that they understand.

 

[Folly's place]

The puppies we've raised were easy, the adult rescues, not so much. Especially our formerly abused dog from a fighting dog background; wonderful with people, and an expert killer of critters (esp. our chickens) when possible.
Mary