coyotes or fox?

[cooleydooley]

I was standing in the kitchen this morning and heard the chickens squawking loud - looked out to see a fox chasing Polly across the yard. I started yelling and banging on the door as I could not get the sticky lock to open. I ran out and it dropped her , ran off to the front and she ran up to me on the deck. I have the top of the run covered with netting but a bunch of it has ripped due to the harsh New England weather. I think it came up to the fence and scared them into flying over the fence. There was a second one out behind the coop.

I am in the process of planning out a new coop and run. I lock them in at night, I know I should bury a bunch of the fence to discourage digging. What else can be done to keep the foxes away?

 

[woodmort]

I have a set of videos showing relative sizes between foxes and coyotes, go to this post and following the link https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=468323

BTW a fox, coyote or most dogs can easily clear a 6-foot fence.

 

[cgtara3]

I would have liked to have seen the animal tracks left by the creature who did it.
We had the same thing happen. 6 birds of 8 birds killed (we thought originally 7 were killed.)

Found one poor bird a week later severely injured hiding under a structure. Only one bird managed to escape entirely hiding in the laying boxes of the coop. It happened during the day. Not a sound was heard. One birds wing was found intact. Only small amounts of feathers left in spots across the property--which were scattered all over the place. We thought it must be coyotes in a pack. The paw prints were large. Today we took a walk and saw smaller animal prints on one side, and larger ones like the ones we saw that day on a different part of the property--but totally opposite parts of the property.

 

[woodmort]

I'm offering even money on dogs.

 

[mener6896]

Not dogs, found trail and a friend of ours set snares and traps. Definitely a pack of coyotes. One got in it but got away, fresh blood.

 

[Doopy]

Here's a suggestion that worked wonders for us. I really did not expect these to work as well as they have for four years. Of course you must have electricity or solar power at the coop.
Scary Lights

 

[WillieBoy]

The best way to get to the likely culpurt is to set up gamecam.Good chance the predator will be back again.Pics don't lie. Coyote caught in snare neaby may be a good indication of killer.Dogs, foxes or coyotes,set up a gamecam, and find out who the killer is...Good luck...

 

[newchickmom]

I vote fox! I just had a fox here in broad daylight! We actually saw it and scared it off. too late. It had already taken 2 chickens and was try toget the third thru the fence.

 

[cptbahama]

Gray foxes can climb trees. Red foxes cannot. As far as fences, i've seen standard domesticated dogs climb up and over 4' fences but not 6'.

 

[woodmort]

My neighbor's pitbull cleared our 6' chicken fence with a foot to spare--I watched him do it. And it was from a standing start!