Ducks on Lockdown

[showme31]

Never thought oversleeping would lead to something fortunate, but lucky for me yesterday I did oversleep.

That's my precious duck baby house in the back. This fella allowed me to get about 50' from him before his took off. He was spotted again last night about 5:30pm, heading from the duck house towards the chicken pens. Then this morning he was back. I have left a message with our local Mo Conservation agent, he doesn't seem to be to concerned with my presence and he is lacking fur on his tail.

I have lost a couple of ducks and chickens, now I think I may know the culprit.

Jul

 

[kodiakchicken]

I can't tell from the photo - fox or young coyote? No hair on the tail, does he have mange (sp?).

Is their a bounty on them down there? I'm thinking it's .22 time.

 

[Wynette]

Is he crossing THROUGH the hotwire fencing??? Holy cow!

 

[LynneP]

We foxes and coyotes going over hot wire all the time. Most of them can clear it easily. This animal will return to finish off your flock. If you are free-ranging, it may be time to take a safer path. We just assumed free-ranging didn't apply to us as we're at the edge of the woods. Birds have a large roofed run sealed with hardware cloth and double latches, roof blocks and screen. and I bring them plants. Working great.

 

[showme31]

Yep, it's a fox and I'm guessing mange. I'm playing phone tag with the conservation agent as to what our removal options are. We don't own a gun, well we do own a pellet gun. He went right under the hot wire, but then so does my dog. We checked it and it does have power.

Up until now the ducks were the only ones allowed to free range. The chickens that have disappeared are the ones that fly over the top of the pen. The coops they are in are under lock and key after dark.

I'm worried about the rest of the critters that I own getting mange if that's what it has. We have horses, cats, dogs and goats

Jul