Fox help

[Morrigan]

We have decided to build a new coop and use the electric poultry fencing to be part of their run.

Electric fencing is a good compromise between total free ranging and keeping them in a small run.

I agree with the above poster. This fox will be back, so you need to keep your chickens under heightened security until the problem is solved. Keep in mind that even if you trap or kill this one fox, if they are in the area, others may take over it's territory. Free-ranging is always going to carry some risks. You have to decide if that is acceptable to you or not. There's no right answer here, it's just a matter of how you balance safety versus letting your chickens have more freedom.

Very sorry for your two girls. It's always hard to lose a pet.

 

[RemsLittleFarm]

Yes, like others have said, foxes rarely travel alone. They're herd animals so there will be more than one.

We are dealing with the same thing currently - they haven't gotten the chickens, but have attacked the ducks. We started with eight and onto five now and one destroyed duck nest.

Very sorry for your loss - that's the tough part about farming.

 

[Howard E]

My favorite fox trapping thread with video on how they did it........

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/i-caught-my-fox-updated-now-with-the-video.677983/

You might also try this.......

Note the similarity of both methods........cage is made into a hidden tunnel and appears to offer seclusion......so only one way in.

 

[Howard E]

On the risk factor of true free ranging.......I liken it to sending your hormone laden teenager off to an all night unchaperoned bikini beach party at an STD clinic. What could possibly go wrong? The kid would love you for it at the moment......but is that really the smart thing to do?

True free ranged birds are naked of protection and vulnerable to predators who hunt to survive and are very good at it. Predators win that battle most of the time. So unless you don't mine losing part or all of them......better not do it. Better to forget about true free ranging. Consider it tough love.

So better to YARD them.....allow them ample to roam around inside a yard area that is protected on the perimeter by an electric fence. It will keep the birds in and predators out. The better job you do with the fence, the less worry predators become.



There is a blue farm shed in the background of the above photo. Neighbor told me a momma fox raised 4 kits in that barn last year. That close to my birds. Yet I never saw it, nor did I lose any birds to a fox or other predator of any kind. Birds are out and about most days.....in full view to any and all who might want them.

What separates them is this simple 4 wire electric fence........



This fence is insanely hot and will administer and unbelievably painful jolt to any that touch it. It is setup in such a way, most varmints will touch it.......either by crawling under, crawling through.......or perhaps sniff a piece of raw bacon I have draped over it to introduce them to what real pain feels like. Once shocked, few will ever be back.

So free ranged birds are naked and vulnerable. Nothing, absolutely nothing......to give predators any pause or concern......they can focus entirely on the kill. Or put an electric fence in their path........one that lights them up and makes them regret the day they were born?

 

[HuskerHens18]

My coop is an old building turned into a coop. We have decided to make a run and new coop for the new flock and my surviving girls. Would u suggest it be raised off the ground when we build a new one?

I'm not good with coop building, so that is your call.

I'll put it this way, I have 3 coops, and the only one I have issues with is the one NOT set on the ground completely.
How many chickens do you plan on getting in the future? A small raised one (like they sell in Tsc and bomgaars) would be simple to build and tall enough that hopefully everything leaves it alone. But if you want a big flock you're probably better off with a larger ground coop. I've never built a coop, so you might be better off asking someone who has

 

[bruceha2000]

and we had no idea the fox would strike so late in the afternoon.

Sorry you lost them. I've lost 2 to fox, 2 to coons. I wouldn't say 2 PM was late in the afternoon at all. More likely early for them. Could be a female with kits this time of year.
Any reason you don't feed the GP outside if it is guarding that property?

Also, I think I saw the fox tonight. Shined my flashlight out in the fieldand saw some shiny eyes. Mightve been a cat but my money is on the fox.

Fox eyes shine red, cat eyes green.

Keep your birds in their safe coop (and run) until this fox is killed, because he will return!
Live traps are very unlikely to catch a fox; worth trying, but unlikely to work.
Electric fencing or electrified poultry fencing are great to keep ground predators out. Howard E has good information on this site, and Premier1supplies.com is an excellent place for supplies and information.
Let your neighbors know about this fox, especially anyone with chickens, so more people are ready for him.
So sorry for your losses, and good luck getting him.
Mary

This

We have decided to make a run and new coop for the new flock and my surviving girls. Would u suggest it be raised off the ground when we build a new one?

Your choice. My preference is to be able to walk into a coop. If you build it on the ground skirt wire fencing out 18" - 24", lightly buried so you don't trip on it, so they can't dig under.

I gather foxes can be trapped and @Howard E posted the video but they are more cautious than some other predator/pests.

 

[merrymutts]

We have a fox problem, too. Have lost 4 hens in past year.

After consulting with Game Warden, we are going to set a live trap and then the agent will relocate the beast.