dealing with a FOX.. erghhh

[chickencheeper]

Also I’ve heard good things about motion sensing powerful lights

 

[MollySunshine]

Fox are such beautiful animals. You could be looking at a pair or a female with kits.

When we were living in Illinois, DH and I were out in the yard one spring afternoon and suddenly a rabbit emerged from the timber and ran right by us. Not 5 seconds later a fox appeared, hot on it's tail. The fox saw us, hesitated. Looked at us, looked at the retreating rabbit, back at us and suddenly decided that it's belly was empty enough that it was worth risking our wrath and took out back after the rabbit. Moments later, they repeated the exercise. Once again that fox considered running from us or running after the rabbit and took out after the rabbit. That was the last we saw of them.

It's never easy to take an predator's life. It is always in the back of my mind that the predator is just doing what it is programmed to do. And so am I when I am protecting my chickens or our dogs and cats.

I am in agreement with your thought process. In my mind, it's life, it has meaning. In this big scheme of life it has a purpose and part of it is to keep the numbers of lower food chain animals in control. To the predator, it's sustinance.

Twilightgecko, I realize this is a problem for you but I enjoy seeing the night photos of this/these critters. It is a beautiful animal.

 

[twilightgecko]

Twilightgecko, I realize this is a problem for you but I enjoy seeing the night photos of this/these critters. It is a beautiful animal.

i must admit, the more i see this gorgeous creature, the harder it will be to kill her.. she was here again last night.. earlier in the night, perhaps she is getting hungrier.. if only she'd just move on.. wishful thinking.. but every night she is here.. and she's gotten 4 of my hens.. she knows there's food near.. my poor hens want to get out and free range again.. right now they go from coop to screened in porch..

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

If you won’t have the heart to shoot her maybe you could fence off a large area of your property using 6 foot chain link fencing (bury an additional foot underground) and let your hens range in the fenced area? Tour hens will be able to “free range” safely and you don’t have to kill the fox.

 

[chickencheeper]

If you won’t have the heart to shoot her maybe you could fence off a large area of your property using 6 foot chain link fencing (bury an additional foot underground) and let your hens range in the fenced area? Tour hens will be able to “free range” safely and you don’t have to kill the fox.

Good idea but foxes can jump REALLY high

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Really? I have a 4 foot chain link perimeter fence surrounding my backyard and my coop. I knew there was a fox around because I found shallow holes dug right outside of the perimeter fence. If the fox really wanted at my girls wouldn’t it have jumped the fence? I didn’t even have a Nite Guard on the coop. I got it a week later though and I be never seen shallow holes around my perimeter fence since then. I’m going to invest in 2 more Nite Guards.

 

[chickencheeper]

https://www.pestsmart.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/FXFS3_FencingFox.pdf

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

That article is really informative @ChickenKeeper. Looks like I’m going to have to upgrade my perimeter fencing. Especially since I’m getting 6 new layer chicks in March.

 

[chickencheeper]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-high-of-fence-can-a-fox-jump.216194/

 

[Folly's place]

Electrified poultry netting, or multiple strands of hot wire or rope, will keep out ground predators. Otherwise, a solid coop and safe run. Or kill your current fox invaders, and be prepared to act to protect your flock next time at the first evidence of a problem.
The chickens are defenceless! Mary