Chicken killing Fox!!!! HELP!!

[Peppercorngal]

I had problems during the day too, foxes and coyotes would race out of the woods, grab a chicken and run away with it. One day some of my egg customers saw it happen! Because I do want to free range, husband and I put up a 4 foot fence to surround the free range area. Now it's not possible for an animal to "run in" grab and run out. I haven't lost any more chickens to daytime predators. The run is a 50'x50' area and (so far) the chickens are satisfied with the space and even though they can, they haven't jumped the fence! My coop and run are predator proof and the flock is safe during the night! A simple fence worked for me, give that a try. Good Luck!

 

[Peppercorngal]

Oh, and by the way, where I am it's illegal to "relocate" a wild animal. If you have a problem with a bear, fox, lion, etc. the department of wildlife will bring in either a hunter to kill it or a trap. If it's caught in the trap they shoot it before removing the trap. We had a trap out for a bear and a fox got caught in it. I didn't let them know, I just let the fox go myself. The fox was no threat to my chickens.

 

[happyfrenchman]

Well no one is advocating releasing an obviously sick animal. But if it is healthy? I kill plenty of things, but only for good reason. I would not kill a healthy racoon or fox if I could toss him in the back of my truck and take him across the river. The DNR can kiss my grits. Do they come over and kill it for me? If they did, I am sure they would tell me it is for it's own good. How they are really doing it a favor probably for good measure? That is the way they operate.

Relocating animals is not illegal everywhere. And it is for the most part BS where it is. It is totally arbitrary. Releasing a healthy raccoon into the woods after a long drive, does nothing to contribute to the spread of rabies. Unless the health people just think the only thing to do with a racoon is to kill it. Then I would ask."why aren't they out there killing them off themselves then"
It is hard enough already..... If some backyard chicken person gets a fox or a possum or coon in their trap, take it out into the woods if you want. You don't have to kill it if you don't want to. Take it for a long ride, you will never see it again. It is tough enough raising chickens. Chicken people are not particularly known for their rule following ability, and that is part of why they have chickens. God knows if you followed all the rules, you would not have chickens to begin with.

 

[happyfrenchman]

Oh, and by the way, where I am it's illegal to "relocate" a wild animal. If you have a problem with a bear, fox, lion, etc. the department of wildlife will bring in either a hunter to kill it or a trap. If it's caught in the trap they shoot it before removing the trap. We had a trap out for a bear and a fox got caught in it. I didn't let them know, I just let the fox go myself. The fox was no threat to my chickens.
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Good deed saving the fox. They would kill it and say your welcome. He is beautiful.

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

Get a livestock protecting dog!

 

[Folly's place]

Dogs are effective, BUT the most expensive and time consuming option for most small flock owners. Having a good coop and run, and electric fencing, is also effective, takes less time to set up, and costs less.
If dogs are planned anyway, great, but to get them solely as chicken protectors for a few birds, not so much.
Mary

 

[cmom]

I'm not in favor of relocation. I live rural and have people bring critters they have trapped from somewhere else and drop them off in my area. Years ago I had a fox dig under a gate to one of my pens during one morning and kill several birds. I have since put concrete under all of the gates and I relocated the fox. I still have plenty of foxes around. I see them often on my game cameras. With netting covering all of my pens, concrete under the gates and electric wire around all of my coops and pens, I haven't lost a bird to a predator in a very long time. When I do let them out into the pasture the birds usually prefer to stay in their pens because they have more shade and none in the pasture. Also when I'm out working on or around the coops, I let them out. I see some predator almost every night on one of my cameras.

 

[JanetMarie]

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[JanetMarie]

When a sick fox came to my farm and killed ten nice hens one afternoon, he was within 60 to 90 feet of workmen next door, who watched the whole thing and did nothing.
I'm sure that they were talking, though! When the neighbors got home, and I saw the carnage, we all heard the story. That mangy fox returned the next day, at noon, but we didn't have a safe shot at him. He came within 30 ft. of us, talking (swearing!), and reluctantly ran off when we yelled.
I visited many of the neighbors within 1/2 mile, and a few days later, a neighbor 1/2 mile away, with chickens, was able to kill him.
This is about the radio story; I doubt that a serious predator will care about sounds, or flashing lights, for long.
Foxes are very difficult to live trap, and leg traps aren't a good alternative at all.
Good electric fencing, and a safe coop and run, and a nice hot electric fence are better choices.
And sometimes eliminating a predator is best too.
Mary

A serious predator does care about human activity. Urban foxes probably behave differently around human activity than in a very rural location (such is where I live).

Also, foxes watch and would possibly learn that the radio is not real human activity, that is why we used it temporarily until more permanent safety devices were put in place.

 

[JanetMarie]

Sick foxes behave differently also.