Fox Discovered our Chicks.... while we were out there!!

[Two Creeks Farm]

I would do my best to secure the area ofcourse...electric fencing may help, the 12 gauge never fails IF you can get a crack at him. I had a fox take my entire flock years ago and even with sleeping out there I never could get him. In retrospect, a large live trap and even leg holds may have gotten her (it was a her because I had her on my game cameras)

A small radio may help, talk radio does wonders as human voices usually send foxes in the other direction.

 

[sunshineyarns]

Thank you everyone. Well, I know we all have our opinions about killing/trapping/etc. But, I know that for us, there are foxes galore, and if its not this one, it would surely be another. I do respect the fox and the circle of life and I am going to do everything possible to keep this fox out. I will call animal control and talk to them about WHY this fox was so not scared of us and about potentially trapping it. We stood there and tried to shoo it away and yell and it, and it just kept on stalking our chicks and staring at us! I wish I had some pots and pans!! This fox does seem to be really active the past 2 weeks or so, so there could be kits and the vixen he is bringing food home to.

I'm looking into electric fencing, but am wondering how fire safe it is? We live outside Boulder, CO and have certainly had our share of wildfires this past year. We have already been evacuated twice since we bought this house last August. I'm also going to get my dad's BB gun and some pots and pans and keep those handy. At least one of those might give him a scare. I will be watching the girls very closely the next few days and will be out there as much as I can. I do work from home, so checking on them, or sitting outside and working for a while works for me!

I'm just still so shaken by today --- it was definitely an odd experience. Let me know if anyone has any other thoughts!

Thank you so much ---

 

[flowergirl60]

Good luck to you and your flock. Let us know if mr/mrs fox returns wich I figure he/she will.

 

[sourland]

If the fox was focused on your chickens, I seriously doubt that it is sick. I snared numerous fox this year. The winter here was very severe. Those that I snared as the snow was going were one step away from starvation. With the snow cover they were unable to get at the mice and voles that are their main source of food. Fox are feeding kits now, and they are ravenous. You can count on the fact that this fox will return. Electric fencing or a shotgun, realistically, are your best choices. Relocation is actually more inhumane, for several reasons, than dispatching.

 

[centrarchid]

A dog would be better method to get fox away. Fox will respect dog and avoid area. Firearm requires you being present and aware of fox.

 

[baldessariclan]

Your fencing as described actually seems pretty secure to me. Sounds like if you keep everything locked up properly, the only way for them to get in would be for them to dig under, and it takes a lot of effort for an animal to dig down past 1'+ in rocky/solid dirt. That said, foxes are pretty good diggers, so would be good to keep an eye on your fencing's perimeter over next few days/weeks for signs of digging. Consider burying more hardware cloth in a mat around the perimeter (maybe 3' out or so) if you start seeing signs of digging. That ought to keep them at bay indefinitely, and you won't have to mess with electric fencing and/or trying to hunt them down. If they can't get in easily enough, they will give up eventually and move on to easier prey.

 

[Delmar]

Quote:
I am in full agreement with training a dog to be their protector! It's best if you can raise one up from a pup with the chickens so that they don't run from him. My dog even chases off hawks!

 

[sunshineyarns]

Thanks again everyone! We actually are dog sitting next weekend, for our neighbors German Shephard... so, we'll see how that goes! I like the idea of putting wire mesh mat or barbed wire?? around the edges... I'm still worried that a fox could jump/climb the hardwire cloth and might electrify. Let me know what brand/kind works best for electric fencing. I have no experience with this.

I'm also going to attach the hose in the back and keep that handy for when we are out. Hopefully we just freak out this fox enough that he quits for a while. I'll keep you posted for sure!