Fox is after my Chickens!!

[chickens really]

I have a mixed Flock of Duel purpose hens and a Standard Polish crested Rooster.
Nine now in total.
We have a fox that comes here daily to try and get my chickens. He has become very bold. I had my flock out to free range and when it was time to put them in for the night I noticed my Rooster was bleeding by his tail feathers. I actually thought it was the little dog next door that got him!
I ALWAYS SUPERVISED. The following week I was watering my garden and my one hen Eileen was following me around and in a split second she was gone!! She was only about 50 feet from me and the fox grabbed her!
We have tried to shoot it, live trap it and its still coming back!
My chickens are locked in the run till this fox is dead. Any tips on fox trapping would be appreciated !!!!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If you type "fox trapping" into the search you'll get inundated with best means of trapping. The problem is this will continue to occur. Free ranging is a risk people have to be prepared to take. In my current area if I tried free ranging we'd be out of birds in no time. One the prey source is keyed in on that predator stays around the area for the easy meal. Trap and relocate or kill and a few months later another predator takes it's place.

I suggest electric poultry netting. For me it's a great option for the benefits of providing range yet easy to move to new forage every few weeks. Our fencing has been up all summer with no losses to date.

 

[Folly's place]

x2 on the electrified poultry netting for land based predators. Look at 'premier1supplies.com' for the good stuff, and great advise. Meanwhile, keep your birds in until this fox is either eliminated, or maybe gives up and moves on. Mary

 

[slingshotandLAR]

I'll weigh in on this.....

Foxes are fairly easy to trap once they get that bold, look up dirt hole or cubby sets on Google for more info.

It's a good idea to use electric poultry net also.

What I disagree with is the replacement of predators when one is removed. It's simply not true, at least not the way explained on here. If you kill a fox one will likely take its place, this does not mean that it will prey on your chickens.

My farm is like the Wild West as far as predators are concerned. We have them all even bears, our current flock complety fee ranges during the day and is never attacked and hasn't been for years. I've lost one bird in 4 years and it was a cold November day when they should have been locked up.

Every year when trapping season opens I set a trap line through the farm, you wouldn't believe what I catch in a weeks time. Skunks, fishers, foxes, coyotes, raccoons even Bobcats. These predators are there every day and still do not bother my chickens. They have enough to eat and will not risk going after the chickens in the daytime. Make no mistake they all know the chickens are there and even check the coop at night, but they stay away during the day.

More often than not a problem animal is just that, a problem. It does not translate in to every fox in 50 miles hunting your chickens.

 

[LaPineEggs]

So you are seeing it and have, "tried to shoot it", yet is still lives??? No offense meant, but maybe you need to hire someone to help you that can shoot!

 

[chickens really]

The poultry netting is a great idea. I never thought of trying that?
I have an update on the trapping. I only ended up catching my cat in the live trap. Thursday morning the fox was here again as the sun was coming up. My husband went out with the gun into my pasture and their is not only one fox but two!! Just my luck!!
He took a shot at the fox as it ran towards the bushes. He thinks he hit him?
As of this morning, I haven't seen either fox.

Thanks for all the input


Edited by Staff

 

[slingshotandLAR]

Advise.....

It's easier to get a shot if the fox doesn't see you. That at mean waiting by an open window in the house or any cover in the yard, even use your house as a blinder, if the fox is out back go out the front of the house and peek around the corner and shoot.

What are you shooting at them? If it's shotguns your trying to shoo too far, reason I know this is otherwise you'd have a dead fox. Use a .22 and take one good shot, problem solved. Don't freak out when you see it, take your time let the fox come in and then kill it.

Good luck


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[chickens really]

its a 22 we are using.
I think my husband is half blind and gets excited!
The fox never really runs off. He stops always and looks at us!
I will let you all know if we get him!

Haha!!!!