Fox can’t get into coop, but keeps returning

[NC_Quail]

So are you using an automatic coop door, is that why the birds are out before you are up?
I'd disable it for a few days.
Might hasten the fox's attention.

If your run is secure, I'd just let it go, eventually it will realize it can't get in.

No, there is just a ramp going from the roost to the run. The chickens can go back and forth at will. I don’t think there is a way to block off the roost from the run, but I should double-check, since that’s a good idea. I don’t think the fox would care about the coop if the chickens weren’t in plain sight running around.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Are you in a residential area or a state where it is illegal to use a firearm to protect livestock?

 

[NC_Quail]

Are you in a residential area or a state where it is illegal to use a firearm to protect livestock?

Sort of. I’m in a residential area and the state law says no firearms are to be used within 300 yards (or something around that number) of houses. However, I’m not sure if the law has a loophole for livestock protection or not. My dad is buying an air rife which is supposedly in a “grey area” of gun laws. Our neighbors don’t like us and have already tried to get rid of our chickens once, so that is my concern.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I saw a racoon on my nigh cam, trying to climb my run. I didn't break into how to kill it, I just made sure that I am truly predator proof and it has no reason to keep coming back. It went away of course. I hate racoons but you know how many are out there. I'm not going to be able to kill all of them. There are many foxes out there so consider that if you kill this one, you'll probably have another one and/or a racoon, it just never ends. Just make that coop bomb proof and let them out manually. To bad if they have to have a little more "together time," in the coop in the early morning....

 

[DuckDuckSook]

We have had a fox problem over here from Day #1. We have a den close to our property and every year there is a litter of multiple kits. On any given day at any time of the year, we have at least 4-5 foxes around. Our neighbors also feed them, which is frustrating. We've lost a few chickens to foxes, but only when we free-range and if we aren't outside. We now only free-range if we are outside and only from May until October. It's annoying, but they were here first.
As far as whether or not the fox will give up, I guess it depends. The foxes around here have given up when our chickens are in the run/coop. They tried early on to get them and then realized they couldn't so they don't even try anymore. I lock my girls up every night at sunset and let them out at sunrise. Foxes do come around at night. We see them on the camera and their scat is everywhere, but they can't get my birds when they are inside their coop/run. Hope this helps some.
P.S. We do shoot at them with our pellet/bb guns if we can get a good shot off. It scares them away for a bit. Yelling helps too.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Any chance you have mice and the fox is coming back for them? That is one of their most common natural foods.

 

[Naser]

I’ve heard that foxes are nearly impossible to trap and won’t go into a regular live trap, but I can try.

It is difficult but not impossible, I caught one once, just camouflage the trap in a way when it walks in the ground doesn't change much, scatter in some chicken feathers and gut "from a butcher" to look as if it was a predator kill, leave it alone and the fox will walk in, if you can, put the trap adjacent to the coop to look as if it is a part of it

 

[lagrange chicks]

Fox are clever. If it’s returning every morning you likely have a den nearby. Get up earlier, dress warm and camouflaged, and take her out. She will eventually stress the flock to ill health or death.

She probably has pups, something to think about. Need to scare her somehow, maybe electric wire. Your coop and run must be fox proof if it hasn't already got in.

 

[NC_Quail]

Any chance you have mice and the fox is coming back for them? That is one of their most common natural foods.

Huh, I never thought about that! We probably do have mice, even though we have a cat. I’m not sure getting rid of the mice would completely get rid of the fox though.

 

[NC_Quail]

We have had a fox problem over here from Day #1. We have a den close to our property and every year there is a litter of multiple kits. On any given day at any time of the year, we have at least 4-5 foxes around. Our neighbors also feed them, which is frustrating. We've lost a few chickens to foxes, but only when we free-range and if we aren't outside. We now only free-range if we are outside and only from May until October. It's annoying, but they were here first.
As far as whether or not the fox will give up, I guess it depends. The foxes around here have given up when our chickens are in the run/coop. They tried early on to get them and then realized they couldn't so they don't even try anymore. I lock my girls up every night at sunset and let them out at sunrise. Foxes do come around at night. We see them on the camera and their scat is everywhere, but they can't get my birds when they are inside their coop/run. Hope this helps some.
P.S. We do shoot at them with our pellet/bb guns if we can get a good shot off. It scares them away for a bit. Yelling helps too.

This gives me hope that maybe this fox will give up. Thanks for sharing.