dealing with a FOX.. erghhh

[Soon2BChixMom]

Sounds like the right decision as far as the fox goes.

Maybe build a run just for the purpose of securing the chickens when it’s called for in times like these so that they can still be loose, but safer.

 

[Sassysouth]

The foxes in my town are out all day long. We see them sitting in yards in subdivisions and they sit and watch as we walk by. I don’t think they see us a huge threat, because the payoff (cat food, small pets, etc) are a bigger payoff.

 

[chickens really]

I have a Fox problem...3 year Fox problem...Neibour secretly has been allowing them to Den on his property...I have Dogs that are trained to watch my Birds..Before I got the second Dog the Fox would lure my Dog to the Barn as the other came in for the Kill...My Husband shot one two years ago..You don't always see them everyday either...Fox have a 10km radius they travel..I know the Fox isn't around right now because a Coyote is now up in my pasture....I only free range inside a mesh fence and my Dogs are out...Even then I watch over them....

 

[microchick]

We have the same problem here with Fox. This past summer a female denned under a neighbor's cabin. He doesn't want it there but this is one smart little fox and she lives up to the character of being wily.

Over the summer months she managed to desimate the local flocks. Luckily we didn't loose any so far as our birds do not free range, their coop and run are fort Knox and I have a hot wire around the whole coop and run.

We saw this fox on several occasions on our property. She is big, healthy and beautiful but she has to go. I finally made contact with a conservation officer who said take her out. There is just about no way to trap a fox. They are too intelligent and crafty, so I am glad to hear that you are prepared to use extreme prejudice on this animal because she will take the rest of your birds if she has a chance.

If you are prepared to hunt her, I'd look about one of those electronic lures that duplicated the sound and action of a wounded rabbit to draw her in. You are going to have to out fox her and it will not be easy. We got the word out to shoot to kill but nobody has seen her recently.

I truly sympathize with you not wanting to kill it but knowing you must. The fox is just being a fox and trying to feed her kits. The first words out of my mouth to the MDC officer was, can't you please trap her and relocate her on conservation owned property where she won't bother anyone. He said they seldom had luck trapping a fox and she has proven to be a nuisance animal to farm livestock.

Good luck with your project. I hope you get her before she kills again.

 

[twilightgecko]

from what i gather, this is going to be a long and tricky process.. she hasn't even come around to sniff the bait.. erm

 

[twilightgecko]

has anyone tried one of these rabbit distress calls? [researching]

 

[chickens really]

from what i gather, this is going to be a long and tricky process.. she hasn't even come around to sniff the bait.. erm

Possibly has been in another area it travels?....Yes, it's tricky....If you can snare it and then shoot it?....Don't tell anyone just do it....In the spring when she returns to the Den we are going to Kill them....Finally guy next door gave us the go ahead...

 

[chickens really]

Yes, my Husband has a rabbit distress call, live trap and the Gun....Still Fox....

 

[chickens really]

This year we will either block the Den and use the quad to gas them to death or snare them with using raw Chicken...Not sure?...Buggers are pretty smart...My Coop is behind my House also and it comes up on my porch at night to drink water out of my Dog dish...My Dogs are in at night or they run and Bark non stop...

 

[ChickenGirl555]

I have foxes, but they only come at night which is when I lock up my foxes. I also have hawks but my run is protected from the top and they also come out mainly in the morning and sunset. So I haven't had experience with attacks. But I did have a fox that came in my yard before I had chickens, but my 8lb Chiweenie was somehow able to scare him off, and he hasn't returned since. But the good thing is (and not good because I love animals) that lots of people run over small predators (which are really all we have). And my coop is moveable, and off ground so they are very safe. I took many precautions before I even had the chickens.