Fox is killing My chickens!!! What the Heck do I do!!!!!!

[JanetS]

Our problem is with bobcats. We no longer let our chickens free range. The bobcat jumped over our 6 ft wood fence in the middle of the day
to get one of our hens. We expanded their run and they were safely lock in when the bobcats (2 that time) came back. It's sad but for their safety
no more free ranging.

 

[timken60]

We are having a fox problem. It is out in day and night. We have not been able to shoot it. When we do. How do we know this is over or is there a million of them?

 

[Mr farmer]

The best way to get rid of Mr. fox is to set up a foot trap and bait, then waits till it gets caught or shoot it. Now if you do get rid of it there's a good chance it might have friends.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

The best way to get rid of Mr. fox is to set up a  foot trap and bait, then waits till it gets caught or shoot it. Now if you do get rid of it there's a good chance it might have friends.

What do you put in the trap?

 

[drumstick diva]

You need a cover on your run to keep fox/coyotes out - they can jump as well as dig and they don't get discouraged. We are in a suburban area and you can see them in broad daylight, sometimes coons too - they aren't rabid they just adjust to when food is available.

 

[bnolasco]

We had the same thing happen. My 10 year old son loved the chickens that he got for Easter and all 6 of them were eaten by the fox last night. Unfortunantly my son did not secure the coop and I sent him to school before he saw what happened. I feel horrible because I know he will blame himself and I am actually looking to find some chickens so that he might feel better knowing that some survived. The fox are brutal and left only one feather and a big hole under the chicken wire fence. Up until now I always made sure they were locked up tight but last night I had to rush off for work and my son was supposed to secure them. He always goes to feed them when he gets home from school. I can not blame the fox for doing what foxes do but so sad for the loss of our new chickens that we looked forward to raising. What to do? My one friend's husband kills the foxes that get their chickens and they have a pretty secure coop. I hate to resort to that!

 

[JackE]

We had the same thing happen. My 10 year old son loved the chickens that he got for Easter and all 6 of them were eaten by the fox last night. Unfortunantly my son did not secure the coop and I sent him to school before he saw what happened. I feel horrible because I know he will blame himself and I am actually looking to find some chickens so that he might feel better knowing that some survived. The fox are brutal and left only one feather and a big hole under the chicken wire fence. Up until now I always made sure they were locked up tight but last night I had to rush off for work and my son was supposed to secure them. He always goes to feed them when he gets home from school. I can not blame the fox for doing what foxes do but so sad for the loss of our new chickens that we looked forward to raising. What to do? My one friend's husband kills the foxes that get their chickens and they have a pretty secure coop. I hate to resort to that!

I lost a bunch of chickens to the local fox. The answer for me was electrified poultry net from Premier. I started with 300', liked it so much, I've expanded the range with 350' more. I have my fence powered with 110VAC household electric. You can get a solar powered charger if you want. The fox, or any other ground based predator, like a stray dog, gets a snootful of 7000Vs, loses all interest in chickens.

 

[seann]

Silly question: don't the chickens touch the electrified wires too? What happens then?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Silly question: don't the chickens touch the electrified wires too? ....

They only touch it once.

No, a chicken will likely not be killed by this fence but it will provide a powerful incentive to the chickens to keep their distance from the fence.

I have had my own dogs avoid the area were an electric fence previously was for 5 years AFTER I took the fence down. It was the funniest thing you ever saw. Dog would be by my side, running around and wagging its tail without a worry in the world until he realized were he was. Then he stomped on the brakes and made a hasty 180 degree turn. I suspect that you would like your foxes to do the same

The sound track is courtesy of JAWS.

.

Over the years I did have one or two hens or young die after getting tangled in an electric after a thunderstorm storm when the wet ground provided a strong ground path for the electricity to follow to Earth. All that means is that nothing is perfect but that an electric fence is more perfect than anything in second place.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

What do you put in the trap?

http://outdoorsmenmagazine.com/2011/12/22/dirt-hole-set/