First fox attack :(

[stephaniepl205]

I am a first time chicken owner and last night we had our first fox attack. My hens were about 6 months old. Looks like it got 3 of my 6 chickens. I always lock my girls up at night but last night I stupidly left the door open to my small coop. Lesson learned the hard way for sure! When I woke up this morning I saw piles of feather, no blood or parts, all over my back yard. Three hens were standing up by my back door just clucking for breakfast like nothing happened. After a walk around my yard and not being able to find my hens I locked the remaining 3 up.

My question is, what are the chances this fox will come back and bust into the coop? Last night I made it easy but I fear that now that it's had the taste of chicken it will be back and more aggressive. My neighbors also have chickens and I have seen this happen before because they leave the birds out 24/7 and fox are rampant here. Any suggestions and advice are greatly appreciated!

 

[wamtazlady]

The fox found food, therefore the fox will be back. Whether it breaks into your coop depends on how predator proof you built it. From my experiences it is not even safe to free range the chickens during the day. A hungry fox will change its normal hunting times to accommodate an easy daytime meal.

I solved the problem with Premier electric poultry netting. Haven't lost any girls this year after losing 3/4 of my flock last year to foxes. Many of the members here also use electric poultry netting. It does work.

 

[stephaniepl205]

I will absolutely be looking into that! Thank you!

 

[Shiza]

NO DOUBT! A fox will come right back!!! When it happened to me, I put driveway alarms around my coop. The dings kept us up all night until we finally had a "good bead" on him. Needless to say, haven't seen one since.

 

[G E SMITH]

I have had problems with foxes, I once interrupted a fox as it was attacking my flock. The fox ran off leaving a dead hen in my garden, since I was working in the garden I picked the bird up and put it in my wheelbarrow, thinking I'll cook it up and feed it to the dogs. Less than an hour later I went to were the wheelbarrow was and the bird was gone, the whole time I was never more than 10 meters away, sly as a fox took on a new meaning. The one solution I have is to pen a dog next to the coop, this has worked for me and my neighbor. As long as a dog is close foxes dont come around.

 

[birdman420]

I am a first time chicken owner and last night we had our first fox attack. My hens were about 6 months old. Looks like it got 3 of my 6 chickens. I always lock my girls up at night but last night I stupidly left the door open to my small coop. Lesson learned the hard way for sure! When I woke up this morning I saw piles of feather, no blood or parts, all over my back yard. Three hens were standing up by my back door just clucking for breakfast like nothing happened. After a walk around my yard and not being able to find my hens I locked the remaining 3 up.

My question is, what are the chances this fox will come back and bust into the coop? Last night I made it easy but I fear that now that it's had the taste of chicken it will be back and more aggressive. My neighbors also have chickens and I have seen this happen before because they leave the birds out 24/7 and fox are rampant here. Any suggestions and advice are greatly appreciated!

 

[Mutt Farm]

Hi!

I'm so sorry that happened. You have gotten sound suggestions from whamtaz and GE smith. It sounds like you free range? No run? In that case, poultry netting is a great option. You might investigate building a predator proof run if you plan to have a smaller flock, to allow a safe range while unattended. A couple strands of "hot wire" would work well around that. Ditto on @G E SMITH I've had great success with my ranch dog. We don't have foxes. We have blatant fearless coyotes and packs. I've never lost an animal (knock on eggs) My neighbors have had their flocks slaughtered, so I'm confident the dog is the deterrent. Like me, if your neighbors flock is easier pickins, yours will be safer. Please keep us posted!

 

[birdman420]

I am a first time chicken owner and last night we had our first fox attack. My hens were about 6 months old. Looks like it got 3 of my 6 chickens. I always lock my girls up at night but last night I stupidly left the door open to my small coop. Lesson learned the hard way for sure! When I woke up this morning I saw piles of feather, no blood or parts, all over my back yard. Three hens were standing up by my back door just clucking for breakfast like nothing happened. After a walk around my yard and not being able to find my hens I locked the remaining 3 up.

My question is, what are the chances this fox will come back and bust into the coop? Last night I made it easy but I fear that now that it's had the taste of chicken it will be back and more aggressive. My neighbors also have chickens and I have seen this happen before because they leave the birds out 24/7 and fox are rampant here. Any suggestions and advice are greatly appreciated!

them foxes have got me for a total of 40 pullets within a week..I've been 20 foot away doing yard work and the sly fox in broad daylight attacks my flock.. Seems to me that early spring and late fall the foxes around me are at there worst.. Only way to help me was a 12 gauge.. So I no what ur going threw and I'm sorry..

 

[chickens really]

Fox and chickens don't mix!!
We had a fox attack also. I was watering my garden in August and my Chickens were all around me free ranging. One hen got too close to the trees and the fox grabbed her. I was only 30 feet away!
The fox comes around almost daily! I still free range, but keep them all close to my house.
Thinking of trapping it once it snows and then Shooting it! It even steals my dogs bones!
I have a large Maremma dog. Herd protection, but they sly fox lured him to the other side of my property and then snuck up on my hens!!
I suggest killing the fox!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

You can kill a predator but in reality all your doing is making room for a new one to move in the area. If you like to shoot and use predators as a means to naturally cull slower and weaker birds then by all means keep the cycle going. I love to shoot myself but with no regret can say I don't see any near my birds.

To stop a predator you need to keep your chickens off the menu. Many ways to do this but I like pastured birds so use electric poultry netting. If electric is the first fencing you ever use animals don't learn to jump it. Curious as predators are they will inspect things and in inspection be trained to stay away. If the birds were never in a fenced area they learned to fly out of then will not fly out of electric netting. Again, they are trained in first day or two to stay away from it. Mine stay a good 18 inches back from netting at all times and never even think of flying over it. Animals are easily trained even wild ones. Train the predators in your area to stay away from the chickens and no new predators will move in.