daylight fox attack

[Keara]

Quote:
Well if it is a matter of hunger than with the way the wild rabbit population is starting to boom they should have plenty to eat soon....... I hope!

Thanks to you all for the info. I was really worried I had a sick fox out in the daylight. It makes me feel better to know how common this is. Now I won't be as worried about rabies and distemper.

-Keara

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

If it's of any use to you our last fox problem was solved by a 55 grain, .223 bullet.

Steve

 

[Keara]

Quote:
Thanks it does, I am planning a stake out on the barn roof this eve with the .22 Luckly my neighbors all shoot form time to time and no one should mind.

 

[sourland]

Fox kits are two thirds to three quarters grown now, so the dog and vixen are hard pressed to provide enough food for them. They will be back for the rest of your chickens. Good luck shooting them. Live traps are not very effective for trapping fox. I have only ever caught 4 fox in live traps; however, the larger dog size traps if somewhat concealed and baited with a live chicken (safely protected) might be effectie. Good luck.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
two of the tricks to catching cannines in cages is

1. use the cage traps that open on each end

2. use really large traps min 15" Wide X 18"High X 42-48"Deep

grey fox are easy reds are not, live bait is not legal in a lot of places it does not hurt to check your wildlife laws before you do something like this.

 

[briesberrypatch]

My sympathy to everyone. I lost 30 chickens (27 pullets/cockerels and 3 adult hens) in one day - during the day. I've found eight bodies in the chicken yard, all with broken necks and usually no other injuries. I kept the survivors inside today, but they didn't even look at the door when I opened it to check on them today. They're too traumatized to go back outside.

I've never had serious predator problems before this year, and never a fox. It makes sense now that a fox has been stalking my chickens for some time. All of my losses have occurred during the day. About two months ago a Buckeye hen disappeared. Then my biggest and best Ameraucana rooster disappeared about a month ago, then one of my smallest hens turned up with a serious neck injury (it was like she was scalped). She initially seemed to recover, but she eventually died. Then yesterday, 30 chickens dead and one injured rooster.

I'm terrified to have the fox come back. I'm going to buy and electric fence and charger. I hope that will keep all the predators out.

 

[erinm]

fox are not as solely nocturnal as some people are led to believe . I have lost chickens ONLY during the day to 3 fox attacks in my area during the spring when they are feeding their babies.

 

[erinm]

30 chickens in one day sounds like something other than a fox. Fox hunt to eat not for sport. They take their prey and leave. Sounds like a dog to me?

 

[Keara]

I agree 30 seems a bit more than a fox would take...... but than if I had not actually seen the fox in my barn I would have assumed dogs took down the 9 I lost. I did end up finding two bodies one headless and the other neck broken. Thank goodness I did see the fox 'cuz otherwise I would be falsely accusing my nieghbors dog of the deed.

On a side note, I am expecting 10 chicks from MPC this week. I'm not a big fan of raising chicks... like my girls to do it for me. I also splurged and ordered a few BCM from Greenfire kind makes up for the loss, but now I have to wait to get my egg production back up. Oh well, it gives me time to build a fort knox type daytime run.

 

[SandyC]

I've lost two turkeys and two chickens in the last two weeks to a fox. He's been coming around 4 in the afternoon. I saw him a couple of days ago, but he ran when he saw me. I have decided to enclose my chickens with electric netting. I just can't let it continue to pick my birds off one by one.