Fox in the hen house

[dskoronsk]

My girls (and various neighborhood roosters) are locked up at night but free range throughout the day. They were making a horrible fuss this morning but I let them out after a thorough ground search. About an hour later, my mom who lives next door looked out her window and witnessed a fox grab one of my hens and high tail it. Now the chickens are terribly spooked all over the farm. I hope they go home tonight so i can close them up. Any suggestions for getting the fox to "go on and git" so i don't have this problem all summer? Should i keep the chicks locked up for a few days or indefinitely until the fox goes on its own?

 

[PartyOnARoost]

I would have a lockdown for a couple days and or set a trap and shoot the fox... Game camera would be good too... That's scary sorry about your loss

 

[dskoronsk]

I've thought about both those ideas. I will definitely get them in for a few days. My mom said if i shoot the fox, the others will come around. Don't know if that's true. We have a night camera and my husband has night vision goggles if we want to stake it out. BUuuuT..he's over 40 and i'm not sure if he can do the "ninja" thing at his age.

 

[miss hen]

I agree, trap and shoot. Fox are territorial however more than one can live in the same area. He will likely be in the same area until you make him go away especially if he knows food is near. Fox are supposed to be very active at dawn and dusk but that is also said about coyotes. I live in an area where coyotes are still wild and afraid of humans,. I hunt and I have often sat in the woods at 5 am. I have yet to see a fox and I have never once seen a coyote before 7am out there. I have heard coyotes during the night but I have often seen them between 7 & 9am and once as late as 9:45 one was travelling through the woods and many of these time is in he spring when daylight arrives at 6am. It depends if they are hungry, went on a chase or had a meal they had to finish before heading to bed down so sometimes they are out later in the morning when you think they arent.

 

[efanie]

I have be told that fox will not cross that line charm stuff

 

[dskoronsk]

I am not familiar with that. Can i get it at TSC?

 

[efanie]

I do not know

 

[dskoronsk]

FINALLY got the live traps from my brother's house. Lost two Brahma's over the week. Hopefully we will catch us some foxes. Anyone know how far they need to go for release?

 

[dskoronsk]

Fox in the hen house. Gun misfired. Fox got away. Walked right past the traps and broke into the coop

 

[wvtim]

Do not release the fox ! How would you like it if someone released a fox by your home. I saw I guy releasing a ground hog near my farm one day - I really chewed him out - Groundhogs were destroying my garden, I sure didnt need another one. Kill the predator and bury it.