Fox den 20 yards from front door, 70 yards from barn/coop.

[Minky]

We just moved to the countryside. We have 27 acres, no neighbours we can see or hear, and we are surrounded by mixed forest. We have an active fox den about 20 yards from our front door. The previous owners spoke about watching mom and dad fox with kits playing in front yard and how amazing that was last year.

I have a small flock of 7 hens and 1 rooster. I have an outdoor house cat. There is a old donkey and a miniature pony here also.
The chicken coop is in the barn, and I let them free range all day thru their little chicken door (its manual). They have been in the barn since late Nov when we got snow, and it hasnt stopped. The minute it melts (this week most likely) I will be letting them free range most of the day...
What are the chances that fox is going to get a chicken or my cat? I want to be as safe as possible without making a "run". I am willing to have a little risk I suppose, or else I would make one.
Are there other things I can do? Ive considered waiting til the fox is not there (she seems to be there in cycles...last week the snow went undisturbed for almost 2 weeks) and putting a large rock to block front and back doors. But then I suppose she will just make a den close by, somewhere else.
Also, I love the idea of seeing baby foxes playing in the yard!!

thoughts?

Im conflicted....

 

[joydix]

it will eventually get your chickens. it won't stop with one. they hunt into the day time as well.

 

[Bluewater57]

If you gave a Fox Den anywhere within 2 sq miles of you...pen up those chickens. Trap the fox in a live trap and either relocate them or euthanize them. They are a preditor to your chickens. Once they find them they'll grab everyone of them. Daybreak, noon or evening.
Sorry!

 

[Trish1974]

Yes, they will annihilate your flock.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

its only a matter of time. if the fox are allowed to stay they will try to get your chickens. If the fox are well fed their numbers will increase until there is a food shortage and chicken will become a primary target. if there's any way the fox can get at them, they will.

 

[pennyJo1960]

You have heard from 4 with all the same mind make mine x 5

 

[chickengeorgeto]

When a vixen gets kits she will catch your hens, roosters, and chicks as fast as she can. Then she will carry the crippled, half living, and struggling chickens back to her den so that her kits can practice play killing your chickens in a cruel manner for hours. Foxes are not cute little balls of fur but rather foxes are bloody, cruel, assassins.

I write this as a former member of a fox hunting club that managed its club lease to grow the greatest number of fox as possible so I have some first hand experience. At the right time of year if you were standing downwind from a fox den you could smell the rotted meat from a 100 yards away. That's 91.44 meters in Canada.

 

[Bonniebooboo]

you either need a safe fenced run for your chickens, or start trapping. Watching fox kits may be a wonderful thing, the decision is yours, they will have kits to feed within the next 2-3 Months.

 

[Mrs. Light Sussex]

Last week I lost 22 chickens to a fox. They are clever and will climb, dig and or squeeze through small cracks. Make sure your coop is fox proof and don't let them out without a secure run.

 

[texsuze]

We've had foxes on our rural property for several years now. They were here before we were and have remained in the area because it is their territory. They come into our 'yard' at the house to eat sunflower seeds that the wild birds knock out of the feeders and to drink from our Frog Pond. Since we don't have a dog or kids running around outside, they have habituated themselves to our coming and going. One year we had 11 foxes zipping around in the yard (2 vixens with their pups, plus dad). The original pair seems to remain year after year, with the offspring moving on to parts unknown.

Five years ago I lost my Little Brown Hen, Wilma to a fox, so I had a 'barnyard fence' installed around my barn, where my girls free-range during the day (approx. 2 acre area). The fence keeps cows away from my barn, keeps deer from eating my native perennials and young trees, and, so far, has kept out the predators, including feral pigs. Foxes trot past the barnyard every afternoon on their way to eat underneath the bird feeders (~75 yards from the barn) and try their luck at catching white winged doves and squirrels. Black oil sunflower seed is their preferred food right now.

Fence is 5' high no-climb horse mesh with hot wire along the top and bottom. I've also attached a mesh fence "apron" along the bottom edge of most of the fencing to deter diggers. It requires diligence to make sure the charger is working properly and to check for any holes under the fence where I don't yet have the apron. So far so good, going on 5 years now.

It is a trade-off of sorts. At some point, something might breach my set-up. The fencing does not prevent aerial predators, but it has deterred the 4-legged ones for now.