Fox caught in the henhouse

[Bassleg]

It's the end of my naivete about foxes. I am going to get some electric netting fence from Premiere and surround my coop with it. Does anyone know if that stops foxes (when it's electrified netting).



Thats all you need is Premiere electric fence if is done right! but does not work for hawks and owls.

 

[ivan3]

Sorry, Annie. Hang in there and gird up the defenses. nnbreeder has a foot firmly on the tail of problem (same observations here).

They are pretty smart. Their one weakness is that they go blood simple once they latch on. They'll keep trying to carry off the kill even while being shot at or chased. If they do take off, they'll almost always work their way back within the space of an hour to retrieve the kill.

This is a thread from early last year: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=31544&p=1

I've had good luck with snares along fence lines this year. We continue to work with the neighbors and have made a serious dent in the population (haven't had any more trying to move in to the front deck dog house we use for the outside cat, this year).

They will clear 5ft. cattle panels with ease (retired one that couldn't quite make it while locked on to a big rabbit). I'll repeat my mantra, again: preemptive trapping and removal doesn't keep more predators from arriving, but it absolutely decreases the overall frequency of predation (if one plans to free range at all, even supervised free range, this is a successful strategy for reducing loss of the flock and the consequent bleeding away of gumption).

Good luck!

 

[chickenannie]

ivan, and others, thanks for the helpful info.

Came home from work early tonight, pre-dusk, and penned up the birds securely for the evening.

I kept one injured roo in the henhouse of the fox attack (with food and water) -- was concerned about rabies spreading to the other chickens, if I put him near their food and water. Does anyone know if the fox was in there chomping on chickens, how much rabies danger there is, in the bedding and on the leftover feathers? Does the risk of rabies diminish with passing time (I usually put bedding on my garden, but am wondering if I have to burn, or quarantine it somehow).

what is your opinion on dogs as far as fox protection?

I don't have a dog, don't particularly want a dog, but I'm wondering if I shared one with my neighbors here at the farm, if that would keep foxes at bay, and out of the barn.
Also, I don't like to tie or cage dogs up, but does anyone know if they are tied or caged (while I'm away at work), if they keep foxes at bay? Or, if they are caged and foxes come around, do they always bark and make a ruckus? Someone advised me to keep a dog near my chicken coop (of course, not a chicken eating dog).

Not sure a dog is the right choice, but seems like every farm around here has at least one dog, and am realizing maybe there's a reason for that.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I'd get a LGD. Our dogs have killed many coyotes and I'm sure would kill foxes as well...If you got an Anatolian or Pryrennes & they were properly trained, you would not have to tie them or cage them. They know their territory and they do perimeter patrols...

 

[chickenannie]

what is an LGD?

 

[banter]

Very sorry for your loss. I am curious. All my neighbors have every known
breed of predator and I have never been bothered except for one duck who went astray as a broody and would not come in at night-went off into a field. She disappeared, and I'm sure it was a coyote. Nothing so far has come into the barn including mice! I have two dogs which mark territory and 3 cats, which only 1 goe in the barn. Am I just lucky? I am crossing my fingers right now!

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Livestock Guardian Dog
Pyrenees
Anatolian
Akbash
Maremma

 

[nicelittlehens]

I keep a radio on by a timer tuned to a radio talk program when my chickens are out in the daytime and I have never had one even approached by a predator[

 

[joebryant]

Very sorry to hear of your loss, ChickenAnnie.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

I think it is currently fox trapping season in PA. You might consider looking around to see if you can find a 'knowledgeable seasoned trapper' who can reduce your fox population.

I now have TWO names in my cardfile for the next time we get pegged by the local fox population.