Fox in the daylight

[UK_chicken]

Hi there

We live in a suburban area and we have a fox who patrols at night. That's fine, the chickens are locked up, we have a motion-sensor water squirter which frightens him away when he gets too close to the pen. Seems to work out ok.

But the other day, the fox was spotted at 8.30am, when sunrise was 7.30am, so early morning. We have not seen a fox in the daylight in the garden, before. The struggle is we let them run around in the garden all day in the daylight, so the fact of a fox being out there has quite shocked us.

What can we do to keep the fox away in the daytime ? Its not easy to shut off the access as we have seen there are multiple ways in and out from the public footpath. He can come down the fance, over neighbours shed, he can run away in the opposite way to the way he came in, it doesn't feel like there is anything that can be done to block access. So need to do something in the daylight, somehow make it a hostile area where he don't want to come ?

Are there some suggestions ?

 

[Shadrach]

Hi there

We live in a suburban area and we have a fox who patrols at night. That's fine, the chickens are locked up, we have a motion-sensor water squirter which frightens him away when he gets too close to the pen. Seems to work out ok.

But the other day, the fox was spotted at 8.30am, when sunrise was 7.30am, so early morning. We have not seen a fox in the daylight in the garden, before. The struggle is we let them run around in the garden all day in the daylight, so the fact of a fox being out there has quite shocked us.

What can we do to keep the fox away in the daytime ? Its not easy to shut off the access as we have seen there are multiple ways in and out from the public footpath. He can come down the fance, over neighbours shed, he can run away in the opposite way to the way he came in, it doesn't feel like there is anything that can be done to block access. So need to do something in the daylight, somehow make it a hostile area where he don't want to come ?

Are there some suggestions ?

Daytime foxes is becoming a major problem in the UK. What hasn't helped is people feed them and don't sort and secure their rubbish. There is a fox that lives perhaps 50 metres from the run in the allotment where the chickens live.
A fox has lived there for a s long as people can remember.
They are almost impossible to keep out of the garden unless one is prepared to erect a proper fox proof fence.
I think you may have to build a run for your chickens and let them out for supervised ranging only.

 

[AnnPann]

I’m in the US, but lost a chick and had a hen severely injured by a fox several hours after sunrise. Foxes are very active around sunset and sunrise, but that’s not always the “rule.” Anything that disrupts their routine will also cause them to be more active later in the morning. For example, if it stormed overnight, I never let my hens out unsupervised the next day.

Foxes are very smart so deterring them is a constant battle. The ones around here have figured out how far my dog is willing to chase them into our pasture- once they reach that line, they’ll completely ignore the dog and resume hunting.

We started chasing them out of our pasture with a drone. After about a week, they stopped coming around. I don’t consider it a long term solution though- they’ll be back!

All to say, you’re best bet is to have a predator proof run, or only let them have supervised “recess.”

 

[Captain13]

They will come out in the mornings and afternoons so it’s not unusual. I have one I’m watching now that crosses my field every morning between 8 and 9. I’ve attached a pic of him walking the fence line during the morning. That was about 9 am. This was just before our first freeze a few weeks ago so the trees still had leaves.

 

[UK_chicken]

Nice looking fox, love the expanse of your countryside !

Just seen we got 2 foxes on patrol same time....looks like 2nd on the right is a child fox, looks smaller.

 

[Captain13]

Glad you got to see them in action. We have a surplus of foxes this year. A breeding couple had pups on our property last year so we were able to watch them every afternoon in the field playing. The male did start becoming aggressive and coming after our border collies which did not end well for the fox. He would not be warned off and he was coming in about an hour before dark sneezing up to the fenced area behind the house.

 

[gtaus]

So need to do something in the daylight, somehow make it a hostile area where he don't want to come ?

Are there some suggestions ?

I have never had to deal with a fox problem. You might call up the local Wildlife Management office and ask them how to deal with this situation. They might be able to suggest some traps, deterrents, or your ability to use lethal force to rid yourself of the predator. In any case, where I live, they are the experts on animal control and I think I would also contact them for suggestions. Good luck.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Our foxes come after sunrise and in the afternoon. Our neighbors had fox attack at night but their chicken set up isn't like ours.

The only deterrent is to keep them locked up for a little while.

 

[Captain13]

I have never had to deal with a fox problem. You might call up the local Wildlife Management office and ask them how to deal with this situation. They might be able to suggest some traps, deterrents, or your ability to use lethal force to rid yourself of the predator. In any case, where I live, they are the experts on animal control and I think I would also contact them for suggestions. Good luck.

Our wildlife guys give us a 30 day letter to kill them. We have a big rabies issue here with foxes and raccoons. If they come in contact with a dog, the dog has to be quarantined in a state approved kennel with a concrete floor, fenced, etc that costs around $1500 to build. The state will not trap them. So we have to kill or attempt to trap. Not enjoyable but necessary. The rabid ones will attack humans in broad daylight.

 

[DukesDucks]

I have lost 2 ducks over the past 3 years to a fox. Both times it was early afternoon while my ducks were out free ranging but I was also out nearby. The fox must have waited for an opportunity, grabbed a duck and ran before I could react. Looking back it was during a brief time when I did not have a dog. Now I have a dog and no longer allow the ducks to free range. I see evidence, foot prints, that the fox has been by but no losses.