Caught my egg thief on my game cam

[The Lazy L]

Put a door on the coop and use it!

Only kill when all else fails.

 

[goldeneggtees]

i concur!


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[chicmom]

Hi Chris! I just saw your fox pics! WOW! Those pics are so good. He looks very healthy....He's a beautiful specimen, I hate to say.....Truly I would shoot him too. He may be another reason why you've had some birds disappear......Or birds may begin to disappear.......

Here's an idea....You could put a trap into that pen, with eggs in the back of the trap....Maybe he will go in for the eggs and whammo! Got him! The you could shoot him, or maybe you have a person you who would shoot him and take him away, to use the hide.......

The city where I work traps nuisance animals all the time. We hire a trapper and he works for the public. Maybe call someone and see....

Isn't it a shame they're so beautiful.........I know some BYC'rs would like to shoot ME for saying that! haha

 

[Gargoyle]

You've heard the saying "a fox in the hen house" (or "a fox guarding the hen house"). He is big trouble and until you eliminate him your birds will be at high risk.

 

[Rwest]

We love our animals around here so there is no questions about what I would do. The only question is would I beat my wife to the gun safe.

 

[mishellez]

I'm of the opinion that you need to tighten your security. If I leave an egg (or any potential food item) lying out in the open like that it wouldn't last an hour, day or night. Unfortunately this fox has now learned where to find an easy meal and will be in the habit of checking that wide-open nestbox regularly. If it wasn't him (or her) it could just as easily be a raccoon or any other omnivore. The way your setup looks, you're just putting bait out for any critter to take, regardless of your intention. I would fence that nestbox in ASAP, and go over my bird enclosure carefully to check for any weaknesses, because he will come back for more eggs. If he can't find them he'll look for something else, and if your birds aren't secure that might be his next step. Regardless of what you decide to do about this fox, your current setup is an attractant that is bringing wildlife right to your pen and rewarding them with food. And unless they're being brooded, collect all your eggs daily.

 

[crj]

Hi Sharon, I sent you the pictures... lol. I am making the pen more safe today. Hopefully I can get that fox tonight. It didn't show up last night probably because it saw me at some point. Well, back to work.

 

[moetrout]

If you do shoot it, and I would if I were you, use the fur or find someone else who wants it. It would be a shame to waste a nice fur like that. I only wish you were close, I would take a fur like that in a heart beat! Beautiful animals, just not when they are near your chickens.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

If you do shoot it make sure to use a rifle not a shotgun, if you want to save the hide, I trap and a beautiful hide like that would be destroyed with a shotgun.

 

[crj]

I have a rifle. I think shot guns would be too messy. I would love to find someone that could make something from the pelt. They really are gorgeous animals. It's just to bad they are so distructive.

Would you believe that my goose decided to go broody last night? OMG, I had to put a door on the coop at 10 pm and I didn't get finished till 11:15. Not easy to work in the dark. She's definitely safe. I also secured the duck/goose pen the other day.

So far the fox hasn't been around. Maybe it knows I've been out there.